MBio
Ecology and Conservation MBio
Ecology and Conservation

Module Overview

Data is central to any scientific pursuit. Data-centric skills are crucial for any environmental scientist undertaking any form of data collection, management, visualisation and/or analysis. This module introduces knowledge and skills relevant to varied sorts of environmental data: storage, handling and manipulation; data visualisation; statistical analysis, interpretation and communication; and applying such knowledge and skills when designing environmental studies. In the age of information, computational skills are becoming ever more relevant, and this module will hone different computational skills, especially coding.

Module Overview

The Evolution and Biodiversity module introduces the fundamental concepts that explain how the diversity of life on earth has evolved. The module opens with accounts of the historical development of evolutionary biology as a science, teaches the fundamental principles of evolution, from genes through individuals to communities, from micro- to macroevolution. It builds upon basic ecological principles of interacting individuals across a continuum from mutualism to parasitism, and how these interactions drive co-evolution and adaptation to environments, driving diversity and shaping communities of interacting organisms.

Module Overview

This module will focus on understanding both how and why animals behave the way they do. It will consider key concepts within both domestic and wild animal behaviour, drawn from a wide variety of taxonomic groups, and appraise how an animal’s behaviour is influenced by its ecology and evolution, how it links to its underlying cognitive processes, and how it impacts on its welfare and conservation. There will be a particular emphasis on the practical investigation of animal behaviour.

Module Overview

Human influences on the environment can be seen almost everywhere on our planet, from the deepest ocean trenches to the peaks of the Himalayas and out beyond the stratosphere. This module introduces students to a wide range of human-caused environmental issues facing the world today, using a range of global and regional case studies. Students will explore their causes and consequences, as well as potential responses to them, and develop skills in communicating these critical issues to different audiences using different techniques.

Module Overview

This module will introduce students to the applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in supporting evidence-based decisions for sustainable landscape. Students will learn how spatial data is obtained, processed, analysed, and visualized to address real-world problems such as identifying crime hotspots, resources allocation, environmental and ecosystem monitoring and change detection. The module will combine lectures with hands-on practical sessions using industry-standard software such as ArcGIS Pro and QGIS. The theoretical foundations from lectures will enable students to critically interpret spatial data and communicate findings effectively through maps and reports. By exploring a range of GIS and remote sensing techniques, students will develop transferable skills useful for addressing a range of environmental issues.

Module Overview

This module is an introduction to the key major taxonomic groups of invertebrates and vertebrates. Major invertebrate groups will include inter alia: sponges, cnidarians, flatworms, nematodes, annelids, molluscs, arthropods, echinoderms, and cephalochordates. All major vertebrate classes will be considered in detail.

Module Overview

The School believes that an option to study overseas is a valuable educational opportunity for our students. Provision of this option supports the educational aims of the School of Life Sciences and enhances the distinctiveness of its degrees at Lincoln. The optional year is intended to:

- enable students to benefit from studying within a cross cultural environment

- expose students to a wider academic and cultural experience

- enhance their future employment opportunities

- by increasing their cultural and professional mobility.

This module is optional for students within the School. Study Abroad is a year long module which enables students to spend a year studying abroad at one of the University's approved partner institutions. Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard and successfully completed the application process for the year abroad.

During the year spent abroad, students share classes with local students and study on a suite of locally-delivered taught modules which have been approved in advance by the University. Upon their return, as part of the assessment for this module, students are required to critically reflect upon their experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired.

Module Overview

This module aims to help students understand theory, develop skills, build tacit knowledge and, importantly, integrate and apply knowledge and skills acquired from prior learning to novel situations. The module is built around the principle of scientific enquiry and the ownership of that process by students in order to develop practical, cognitive, and affective skills. Student ownership will be developed throughout the module, starting with guided activities that teach core identification and field study skills, and culminating in a student-led field study in which students conceive and design an experiment, collect and analyse data, and present the findings.

Module Overview

This module will consider human-caused environmental change that affects a substantial part of the globe and biological systems. Biological responses to these human induced changes will be considered in terms of how organisms, species and communities may acclimatize, adapt or change. Specifically, we will consider how organisms can respond genetically and phenotypically, and how and why communities may change in their species and functional composition. After consolidating understanding of the causes of, and biological responses to, global change, we will consider what these impacts mean for ecosystem structure and function, the development of novel ecosystems, and approaches for conservation and ecosystem management under global change. This module will cover a range of differing causes of global change e.g. biological invasions or urbanisation, but content will be flexible to remain relevant to current and emerging challenges.

Module Overview

In this module, students undertake an independent programme of research under supervision from a member of staff. It provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate original and critical thought, as well as to build discipline-specific research and project-management skills. We currently offer projects in the laboratory (wet or animal) or field, projects that involve data analysis, literature research, educational research, science communication research, and market research. Students may work individually or in groups addressing similar questions, but must write up individually. The findings of the research will be written up and presented orally. The conduct and performance of the student as a research apprentice will be assessed.

Module Overview

This module provides a critical insight into the study of the biological diversity of soils, including their ecological and functional roles, to understand about best management and conservation practices. It will give a broad overview of the soil habitat and the patterns and drivers of soil biodiversity. The module will also deal with the methods used to manage soil biota and their processes. Concepts and principles will be introduced via formal lectures and further developed by using field and laboratory practicals.

Module Overview

Behavioural Ecology examines the way in which animals behavioural repertoires are shaped by ecological pressures and evolutionary forces, and how they contribute to survival and, ultimately, reproductive success (fitness). This module will therefore explore both how and in what way behaviours have evolved to maximise fitness, considering both short term adjustments and long term adaptations resulting from natural and sexual selection.

Module Overview

This module provides students with the opportunity to investigate biological phenomena in the field at an overseas location. Students work in groups, guided by staff, to develop and test hypotheses allowing them to understand more about biological processes operating within the study area. They are encouraged to view the ecosystem within the wider context of the anthropogenic impacts being imposed on it.

Module Overview

Palaeobiology tackles some of the most challenging and engaging topics of modern biology, including the emergence of biodiversity, patterns of recovery and expansion of ecosystems and species in the aftermath of profound crises (such as mass extinctions), and the interplay between originations and extinctions in shaping the Tree of Life. The module will enable students to comprehend the thrust and scope of fossil-based research, progressing from basic observations to formulation of complex macro-evolutionary inference. Palaeobiology is eminently interdisciplinary, absorbing concepts and methodologies from numerous other fields and providing tools and knowledge of wide use to other biologists, particularly those interested in tempo and mode of evolution and the comparative method.

Module Overview

The environment, its resources, its use, and its degradation are both shaped by and are drivers of unequal power relations at global, regional and local scales. Following, conservation, exploitation and development of planetary natures – including human – underpins many contemporary crises: ecological, climate, economic, geopolitical conflicts and violence, displacement and inequality. The vibrant interdisciplinary field of Political Ecology aims to assess and interpret the politics shaping socio-ecological relations, applying critical analyses to topics spanning forestry, water and mineral extraction to urbanization, development and technology, plus many others.

Module Overview

In this module students will gain an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the diversity, biology, ecology and evolution of the insects. Topics covered will provide a better understanding of basic entomological principles covering fundamentals of insect biology covering key aspects of evolutionary history, diversity, anatomy, physiology, and life history. Thereafter, there will be teaching sessions based around important themes of insect life, such as sensory perception, locomotion, reproduction, ecology, and economic importance.

Module Overview

This module examines the evolving relationships between humans and the natural world, challenging dominant narratives that separate nature and society by inviting students to explore the multiplicity of socio-natures and more-than-human perspectives. Throughout the module, students will engage with theories, methodologies, and case studies that introduce diverse and innovative approaches to understanding and researching nature-society interactions. The first half of the module emphasises more-than-human theories and methodologies, while the second half explores their real-world implications, examining the broader environmental, historical, and institutional frameworks that shape human perceptions of nature. By developing a nuanced view of complex, interwoven nature-society dynamics, the module will prepare students to engage critically with and thoughtfully address pressing environmental challenges whilst embracing multi-species practices and perspectives.

Module Overview

This module centres on workshops in research techniques which are delivered by supervisors of research projects. Workshops will be delivered approximately fortnightly throughout Semesters A and B. The workshops are split into three broad research areas: Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare; Biomedical (including general Biochemical and Cellular), and Evolution and Ecology. Workshops combine demonstrations with hands-on work in-lab or in-field. Students are offered a choice of workshops from an extensive list of options, and the write up of eight of these will form the basis of assessment.

Module Overview

The module focuses on the development of transferable skills that are applicable both professionally and to research projects, within the programme of study and beyond. The skills will be relevant to the broad life and environmental sciences and will allow students to strengthen their proficiency primarily in these areas: scientific writing and communication skills, research data analysis and presentation, professional and career skills.

Module Overview

Data is central to any scientific pursuit. Data-centric skills are crucial for any environmental scientist undertaking any form of data collection, management, visualisation and/or analysis. This module introduces knowledge and skills relevant to varied sorts of environmental data: storage, handling and manipulation; data visualisation; statistical analysis, interpretation and communication; and applying such knowledge and skills when designing environmental studies. In the age of information, computational skills are becoming ever more relevant, and this module will hone different computational skills, especially coding.

Module Overview

This module introduces the fundamental concepts that explain how the diversity of life on earth has evolved. The module opens with accounts of the historical development of evolutionary biology as a science, teaches the fundamental principles of evolution, from genes through individuals to communities, from micro- to macroevolution. It builds upon basic ecological principles of interacting individuals across a continuum from mutualism to parasitism, and how these interactions drive co-evolution and adaptation to environments, driving diversity and shaping communities of interacting organisms.

Module Overview

This module will focus on understanding both how and why animals behave the way they do. It will consider key concepts within both domestic and wild animal behaviour, drawn from a wide variety of taxonomic groups, and appraise how an animal’s behaviour is influenced by its ecology and evolution, how it links to its underlying cognitive processes, and how it impacts on its welfare and conservation. There will be a particular emphasis on the practical investigation of animal behaviour.

Module Overview

Human influences on the environment can be seen almost everywhere on our planet, from the deepest ocean trenches to the peaks of the Himalayas and out beyond the stratosphere. This module introduces students to a wide range of human-caused environmental issues facing the world today, using a range of global and regional case studies. Students will explore their causes and consequences, as well as potential responses to them, and develop skills in communicating these critical issues to different audiences using different techniques.

Module Overview

This module will introduce students to the applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in supporting evidence-based decisions for sustainable landscape. Students will learn how spatial data is obtained, processed, analysed, and visualized to address real-world problems such as identifying crime hotspots, resources allocation, environmental and ecosystem monitoring and change detection. The module will combine lectures with hands-on practical sessions using industry-standard software such as ArcGIS Pro and QGIS. The theoretical foundations from lectures will enable students to critically interpret spatial data and communicate findings effectively through maps and reports. By exploring a range of GIS and remote sensing techniques, students will develop transferable skills useful for addressing a range of environmental issues.

Module Overview

This module is an introduction to the key major taxonomic groups of invertebrates and vertebrates. Major invertebrate groups will include inter alia: sponges, cnidarians, flatworms, nematodes, annelids, molluscs, arthropods, echinoderms, and cephalochordates. All major vertebrate classes will be considered in detail.

Module Overview

The School believes that an option to study overseas is a valuable educational opportunity for our students. Provision of this option supports the educational aims of the School of Life Sciences and enhances the distinctiveness of its degrees at Lincoln. The optional year is intended to:

- enable students to benefit from studying within a cross cultural environment;

- expose students to a wider academic and cultural experience;

- enhance their future employment opportunities;

- by increasing their cultural and professional mobility.

This module is optional for students within the School. Study Abroad is a year long module which enables students to spend a year studying abroad at one of the University's approved partner institutions. Eligible students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard and successfully completed the application process for the year abroad.

During the year spent abroad, students share classes with local students and study on a suite of locally-delivered taught modules which have been approved in advance by the University. Upon their return, as part of the assessment for this module, students are required to critically reflect upon their experience of living and studying in a different cultural environment and the skills acquired.

Module Overview

This module aims to help students understand theory, develop skills, build tacit knowledge and, importantly, integrate and apply knowledge and skills acquired from prior learning to novel situations. The module is built around the principle of scientific enquiry and the ownership of that process by students in order to develop practical, cognitive, and affective skills. Student ownership will be developed throughout the module, starting with guided activities that teach core identification and field study skills, and culminating in a student-led field study in which students conceive and design an experiment, collect and analyse data, and present the findings.

Module Overview

This module will consider human-caused environmental change that affects a substantial part of the globe and biological systems. Biological responses to these human induced changes will be considered in terms of how organisms, species and communities may acclimatize, adapt or change. Specifically, we will consider how organisms can respond genetically and phenotypically, and how and why communities may change in their species and functional composition. After consolidating understanding of the causes of, and biological responses to, global change, we will consider what these impacts mean for ecosystem structure and function, the development of novel ecosystems, and approaches for conservation and ecosystem management under global change. This module will cover a range of differing causes of global change e.g. biological invasions or urbanisation, but content will be flexible to remain relevant to current and emerging challenges.

Module Overview

In this module, students undertake an independent programme of research under supervision from a member of staff. It provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate original and critical thought, as well as to build discipline-specific research and project-management skills. We currently offer projects in the laboratory (wet or animal) or field, projects that involve data analysis, literature research, educational research, science communication research, and market research. Students may work individually or in groups addressing similar questions, but must write up individually. The findings of the research will be written up and presented orally. The conduct and performance of the student as a research apprentice will be assessed.

Module Overview

This module provides a critical insight into the study of the biological diversity of soils, including their ecological and functional roles, to understand about best management and conservation practices. It will give a broad overview of the soil habitat and the patterns and drivers of soil biodiversity. The module will also deal with the methods used to manage soil biota and their processes. Concepts and principles will be introduced via formal lectures and further developed by using field and laboratory practicals.

Module Overview

Behavioural Ecology examines the way in which animals behavioural repertoires are shaped by ecological pressures and evolutionary forces, and how they contribute to survival and, ultimately, reproductive success (fitness). This module will therefore explore both how and in what way behaviours have evolved to maximise fitness, considering both short term adjustments and long term adaptations resulting from natural and sexual selection.

Module Overview

This module provides students with the opportunity to investigate biological phenomena in the field at an overseas location. Students work in groups, guided by staff, to develop and test hypotheses allowing them to understand more about biological processes operating within the study area. They are encouraged to view the ecosystem within the wider context of the anthropogenic impacts being imposed on it.

Module Overview

Palaeobiology tackles some of the most challenging and engaging topics of modern biology, including the emergence of biodiversity, patterns of recovery and expansion of ecosystems and species in the aftermath of profound crises (such as mass extinctions), and the interplay between originations and extinctions in shaping the Tree of Life. The module will enable students to comprehend the thrust and scope of fossil-based research, progressing from basic observations to formulation of complex macro-evolutionary inference. Palaeobiology is eminently interdisciplinary, absorbing concepts and methodologies from numerous other fields and providing tools and knowledge of wide use to other biologists, particularly those interested in tempo and mode of evolution and the comparative method.

Module Overview

The environment, its resources, its use, and its degradation are both shaped by and are drivers of unequal power relations at global, regional and local scales. Following, conservation, exploitation and development of planetary natures – including human – underpins many contemporary crises: ecological, climate, economic, geopolitical conflicts and violence, displacement and inequality. The vibrant interdisciplinary field of Political Ecology aims to assess and interpret the politics shaping socio-ecological relations, applying critical analyses to topics spanning forestry, water and mineral extraction to urbanization, development and technology, plus many others.

Module Overview

In this module students will gain an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the diversity, biology, ecology and evolution of the insects. Topics covered will provide a better understanding of basic entomological principles covering fundamentals of insect biology covering key aspects of evolutionary history, diversity, anatomy, physiology, and life history. Thereafter, there will be teaching sessions based around important themes of insect life, such as sensory perception, locomotion, reproduction, ecology, and economic importance.

Module Overview

This module examines the evolving relationships between humans and the natural world, challenging dominant narratives that separate nature and society by inviting students to explore the multiplicity of socio-natures and more-than-human perspectives. Throughout the module, students will engage with theories, methodologies, and case studies that introduce diverse and innovative approaches to understanding and researching nature-society interactions. The first half of the module emphasises more-than-human theories and methodologies, while the second half explores their real-world implications, examining the broader environmental, historical, and institutional frameworks that shape human perceptions of nature. By developing a nuanced view of complex, interwoven nature-society dynamics, the module will prepare students to engage critically with and thoughtfully address pressing environmental challenges whilst embracing multi-species practices and perspectives.

Module Overview

This module centres on workshops in research techniques which are delivered by supervisors of research projects. Workshops will be delivered approximately fortnightly throughout Semesters A and B. The workshops are split into three broad research areas: Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare; Biomedical (including general Biochemical and Cellular), and Evolution and Ecology. Workshops combine demonstrations with hands-on work in-lab or in-field. Students are offered a choice of workshops from an extensive list of options, and the write up of eight of these will form the basis of assessment.

Module Overview

The module focuses on the development of transferable skills that are applicable both professionally and to research projects, within the programme of study and beyond. The skills will be relevant to the broad life and environmental sciences and will allow students to strengthen their proficiency primarily in these areas: scientific writing and communication skills, research data analysis and presentation, professional and career skills.