Competencies and objectives

 

Course context for academic year 2018-19

MEDITERRANEAN TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS (MTE)

This is one of the core subjects, for all MAGEM master students during the first semester. Placing its focus in the importance of Ecosystems as THE TYPE of SYSTEM THAT HOLDS LIFE, being this  A VERY SINGULAR and COMPLEX PHENOMENA  ON PLANET EARTH.  These systems may have many different spatial and temporal scales.  This subject analyses: 1) the definition  of the MEDITERRANEAN CONDITION of EMERGED LANDS on Earth natural history;  2) the basic concepts associated to HOW TO DO a SYNTHETIC DESCRIPTION OF ANY ECOSYSTEM;   and related to this later aspect  3) WHY, NOWADAYS,  IS  ESSENTIAL  THAT  ECOSYSTEMS  DESCRIPTIONS  MUST BE  CLEARLY LINKED TO  THE SOLUTION OF  SPECIFIC  PROBLEMS,  PREFERENTIALY  APPLIED ONES.

In relation to the other two core subjects; Mar Mediterraneo (MEDITERRANEAN SEA) is CLEARLY  COMPLEMENTARY  OF THE  SUBMERGED LANDS mantainning the SYSTEMIC PERSPECTIVE. Meanwhile  BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS changes to AN ORGANISMIC PERSPECTIVE but under similar habitat or environmental characteristics. This combination helps  students to understand, how to construct a multilayer image of any part of Nature whether is pristine or heavily impacted.  For the rest of the subjects, both the core ones related with management, as well as for the optional ones, MTE plays an essential role as a  BASIC FRAMEWORK.

 

 

Course content (verified by ANECA in official undergraduate and Master’s degrees)

General Competences (CG)

  • CG1 : Understand the working, structure and dynamics of Mediterranean ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine, as well as those areas traditionally worked to exploit their resources.
  • CG10 : Oral and written communication skills in Spanish. Capacity to prepare and defend scientific research projects.
  • CG2 : Understand and value the diversity of all living things in every sense, not only referring to other organisms but also to social and cultural diversity.
  • CG3 : Be able to design and develop sustainable strategies for managing Mediterranean ecosystems, both in protected natural areas and in areas of anthropic influence.
  • CG4 : Evaluate global change, analysing the speed of the processes and the changes related to human activity in the region.
  • CG5 : Use current technologies and methods to solve environmental problems, including genomic-proteomic analysis or organisms and remote sensor technology.
  • CG6 : Develop the ability for multidisciplinary work in teams including specialists in different environmentally-related fields.
  • CG7 : Be able to solve environmental problems related to business and public administration activities.
  • CG8 : Oral and written communication skills in English.
  • CG9 : Computer tool and information and communication technology skills, as well as accessing online databases, including scientific bibliographies, patent and legislation databases.

 

Specific Competences:>>Basic Module

  • MB1 : Interpret the interrelationships between environmental factors and ecological processes in the Mediterranean Sea, and their importance for the conservation and planning of biodiversity and marine resources.
  • MB10 : Use, manage and produce digital cartographic bases to obtain environmental information from the images taken by remote sensors.
  • MB11 : Develop models for structured populations and apply them to predict their evolution in different scenarios.
  • MB12 : Model time-temporal sequences of the abundance of marine resources.
  • MB2 : Apply the methods to quantify the main environmental, biotic and systemic descriptors of any kind of terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystem.
  • MB3 : Identify the basic processes of the working of a terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystem and its risk of degradation and collapse.
  • MB4 : Understand the importance and applications of the interactions between organisms in Mediterranean environments.
  • MB5 : Understand the historical process of human colonisation on ecosystems, their effects and the future of the present landscape.
  • MB6 : Understand the morphological processes that have modelled the Mediterranean basin throughout its history and its prospects.
  • MB7 : Evaluate the cultural and agricultural needs for farms in the Mediterranean context.
  • MB8 : Be able to assess the fertility and usage capacity of land and design conservation practices for the same.
  • MB9 : Be able to characterise the climate and analyse water availability problems in ecosystems.

 

 

 

Learning outcomes (Training objectives)

No data

 

 

Specific objectives stated by the academic staff for academic year 2018-19

Know Mediterranean Terrestrial Ecosystems functioning and its implications in their exploitation, degradation and restoration.

Know the techniques for the study of organisms and their communities functionning.

Know the implications and applications of the ecosystem concept and the main milestones in the study of Mediterranean ecosystems.

Know the structure and function of the most representative Mediterranean ecosystems, and the connection with the way their goods and services are used in relation to specific human populations activities.

Develop the skills to implement the techniques to measure and evaluate relevant descriptors for the study  of the habitat, the structure and function of populations and communities.

 

 

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General

Code: 35603
Lecturer responsible:
PASTOR LOPEZ, ANTONIO
Credits ECTS: 3,00
Theoretical credits: 0,60
Practical credits: 0,60
Distance-base hours: 1,80

Departments involved

  • Dept: EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
    Area: PLANT ECOPHYSIOLOGY
    Theoretical credits: 0,12
    Practical credits: 0,08
  • Dept: ECOLOGY
    Area: ECOLOGY
    Theoretical credits: 0,48
    Practical credits: 0,52
    This Dept. is responsible for the course.
    This Dept. is responsible for the final mark record.

Study programmes where this course is taught