Environmental Biology BSc

The unifying theme of this module is biogeochemical cycling - the production, distribution and cycling of materials on the Earth and their availability to, and use by, biological organisms. The module starts by covering the history of the universe, from the big bang to the evolution of the Earth's surface environment. Then you will explore the major global systems and their circulations as they are today - solids, liquids and gases. In the final section you will examine the major materials - including carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen and metals - and their budgets and cycles; and the interactions between biological and physical/chemical processes on a global scale. You will have a two-hour lecture once a week for this module. 

Starting with Darwin’s theory of evolution, you will learn how natural selection and other evolutionary forces have shaped the ways in which organisms interact with each other and their environment. In addition to lectures, practical classes will give you hands-on experience with a range of ecological and behavioural concepts in the laboratory and the field.

Pollinator species are hugely important for natural systems and for managed systems like agriculture, but there is concern that numbers are declining. This module introduces you to the principles of ecology and looks at how organisms have evolved to interact with their environment.

You’ll cover:

• population and community ecology
• the various definitions of biodiversity
• the loss of species and habitats

You’ll have lectures from current researchers in the field and the opportunity to apply your learning in the laboratory and through field visits. This is a 20 credit module.

This module introduces you to the role and limitations of environmental science within the context practical environmental decision-making. During this module, we will look at how the degradation of our natural environment is creating unprecedented challenges for humans and society around the world. Science has a key role to play in helping us to understand and protect our environment. Public opinion of environmental issues and science is key to this, not least because the public funds 80% of scientific research. In this module, we will look at issues around scientific ethics, trust in science, denial, scepticism and science communication. Environmental problems are now very much part of the political agenda. We will look at the history of the environmental movement, environmental activism and environmental ethics. We will explore how and why we try to protect the environment through policy, legislation, international agreements and economic strategies.

This 20 credit module will enable you to study effectively at university. Through lectures, practical's and tutorials you will develop your written presentation and data handling skills. You will learn:

• how to use the library and other sources to retrieve information
• how to read, understand and synthesise primary literature
• how to produce a literature review on your chosen topic

During this virtual field course module we will explore some of the landscapes, geological formations and biodiversity of the island. We will investigate the environmental pressures on the island and the impact of human activities such as tourism. Topics will include: energy production, desalination, and waste water treatment.

This module, run as a non-residential field course, will introduce you to a range of skills for environmental monitoring and ecological assessment. You will develop key practical skills and gain valuable experience in planning and conducting fieldwork.There will be a strong focus on developing practical skills and enhancing employability in the environmental job sector. You'll choose from a range of 1 or 2 day activities running through the year.

You will learn about the forces determining the distribution and abundance of species and be able to use models to predict the dynamics of populations under a range of conditions. You will recognise how interactions between species can drive co-evolutionary processes leading to an understanding of the organisation of natural systems working systematically from populations through to communities, ecosystems and biogeographical scales.

This module will help you prepare for your third year project and start thinking about possible future careers. The module will focus on developing your communication and project management skills, and you will undertake a variety of tasks working as a group to solve problems, design experiments, collect, analyse, interpret and present information. 

Soils are the most complex biomaterial on earth. An understanding of the basic concepts concerning the form and function of soils is important for future management strategies such as mitigating the effects of climate change and providing safe and sustainable food. This module focuses on the important soil properties from physical, chemical and biological perspectives including soil organic matter, soil chemical reactions, soil fauna and flora, and soil-water relations.

This one-week residential field course is based on Tioman Island, off the coast of peninsular Malaysia. You'll explore coral reefs and rainforests to introduce you to the enormous diversity of life found in tropical environments.You'll gain skills in different environments, sampling and identifying animals and plants, and looking at the relationship between diversity and the physical environment. Looking at recent anthropogenic change such as climate change and ocean acidification.

The course will focus on the processes that govern terrestrial ecosystem function. We will identify key ecosystem drivers and processes and explore how these have shaped the biosphere. Students will gain an understanding of the mechanisms that control changes in the physiochemical environment and their impact upon communities. Particular topics will include primary productivity, decomposition, herbivory, biodiversity and human impact on ecosystems. Classes comprise a mix of lectures, laboratory practicals, a computer practical, a seminar and fieldwork

A broad overview of the science behind climate change and its effects is studied on this module. Topics include: historical climate change; the principles of climate forcing; the role of modelling; responses of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including impacts on humans; the political environment; and options for climate stabilisation. You will have a two-hour lecture once a week with complementary practical and computing classes.

This module explores the evolution of key plant systems through deep time, and the significance of this process for understanding modern ecology and food security. You will learn about the challenges that plants faced when moving onto land and evolutionary innovations within the early spermatophytes. You will also gain an understanding of the power of natural selection in producing plant diversity over deep time.

This module will introduce you to some key ecological processes in forest ecosystems and provides an overview of forest biodiversity and its assessment. You will develop practical skills in tree species identification and survey techniques during fieldwork and site visits. We will look at the scale, rates, distribution and causes of deforestation and forest degradation and the implications of this for global and local ecosystem services. We will examine different management objectives including timber production, environmental services, amenity and conservation.

Introduces key evolutionary concepts and their application in the animal kingdom. Areas you will study include the history of evolutionary thinking, natural selection versus the neutral theory, sexual selection and human evolution. 

A comprehensive introduction to the study of animal behaviour, from the physiological and genetic bases of behaviour to its development through learning and its adaptive significance in the natural environment. Through practical classes, you will learn about the physiological basis of fundamental behaviours. Using examples from across the animal kingdom, you will learn how predictive modelling, experimental and observational approaches integrate to explain how and why animals behave as they do.

Through practical sessions, you will learn the techniques of biological image production and manipulation, including the ability to generate biological images of the highest technical quality and scientific value. You will build an understanding of the principles behind photography and how to get the most out of state of the art photographic and imaging equipment.

This module will develop your understanding of the important chemical and physical processes that operate in the terrestrial environment. It will principally look at soils and fresh water systems.

You will study the hydrological cycle and surface and sub-surface water chemistry. This includes rainfall, rivers and lakes, and the processes that govern the movement of solutes and colloidal materials, adsorption, redox, solubility, diffusion and kinetics.

You will carry out an experimental or literature based research project. This project is often linked to current research being carried out in the school. Project areas include animal ecology, plant responses to environmental stress and air pollution.

Examples of recent research projects include:

• a field study of beetles in Central America
• a laboratory study of the response of wheat roots to saline soils
• a desk-based study on the potential role of secondary biofuels in the UK.

The course will focus on the function of arctic ecosystems. We will identify key terrestrial ecosystem drivers and processes in order to gain a broad understanding of arctic areas. During the field course, you will put ecological methodology into practice. Working on projects that analyse landscape patterns and processes in different habitats. The course will also address climate change impacts on arctic ecosystems. You'll develop skills in ecological methodology, experimental design, data collection and analysis, interpretation and presentation. You are required to pay a contribution towards the cost of the field course.

Consider a range of approaches to conservation biology, such as the measurement and monitoring of biodiversity, and the legal frameworks and management strategies that exist to protect it. You will discuss particular threats to biodiversity, such as habitat loss and invasive species. You will spend around four hours per week in lectures and have four three-hour practicals to study for this module.

Considers current knowledge of, and research into, the ecological causes and evolutionary processes that govern natural selection, adaptation and microevolution in natural populations. You will examine three approaches to the study of evolutionary ecology: theoretical and optimality models; the comparative method; and direct measurement of natural selection in the wild. You will have two-to three hours of lectures each week in this module.

The module will focus on the processes that govern the interplay between the biosphere and geosphere. It will identify key events and processes in geological time which demonstrate the geological consequences of evolution. Students will gain understanding of the mechanisms that control changes in the physiochemical environmental and their impact upon evolution and in turn how life has impacted on the physiochemical environment.

In a series of lectures, this module provides training in environmental biotechnology, with particular emphasis on the interaction between microorganisms and the environment. The main topics covered will be wastewater treatment, bioremediation of organic and inorganic pollutants, microbes as indicators of risk factors in the environment, microbes in agriculture (biocontrol and biofertilisers) and the role of microorganisms in bioenergy production.

This module is concerned with the behaviour and effects of pollutants in terrestrial and aquatic environments and how their impacts can be ameliorated and managed. The focus is on both the scientific understanding of environmental pollutants and on the intervention strategies currently available. Topics covered include study of the common water and soil pollutants: heavy metal contamination of land; radionuclide behaviour in the environment; persistent organic contaminants and pesticides; nitrate pollution of groundwater; pollution of surface waters by agriculture; eutrophication of lakes; acidification of soils and freshwaters; biological monitoring of rivers; ecotoxicology and environmental epidemiology; quantitative risk assessment; land reclamation, including landfill sites. You will have lectures, tutorials, a field visit and laboratory work and demonstrations.

Building on Applied Bioethics 1, you’ll investigate widely accepted ethical principles and apply your insights to contemporary ethical issues in agricultural, food and environmental sciences. You’ll explore the ethical dimensions of prominent issues raised by the agricultural practices (including the use of biotechnology and GM crops) designed to meet the nutritional needs of the global population. You’ll also learn about how ethical theory can inform professional choices and public policies related to food production and environmental management. You’ll have a mix of lectures, tutorials and team-based exercises to develop a sound understanding of ethical principles.

Extend and develop your skills of creative and critical biological photography through this advanced module. You will continue to develop the practice and experience gained in Biological Photography and Imaging 1. You are encouraged to demonstrate increasing expertise in selected subject areas and/or specialist photographic techniques such as digital imaging and manipulation (using Photoshop software), digital video photography and editing, ecological and environmental photography, landscapes, macro and long lens photography and specialist lighting. Field and studio work continue to be essential elements of the module. You will have around three hours of lectures per week studying this module.