Course Catalogue

Ecology & Conservation of African Ecosystems (with Field Course) 4Y option BIOL4288

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Biodiversity One Health Vet Med
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This option will consider the principles of ecology of African ecosystems, including the practical issues of conservation, management and human-wildlife conflicts.

 

The field course element will be subsidised by Life Sciences, but students will be expected to make a personal contribution towards the costs.

Timetable

One 2-hour session on four consecutive Fridays before the field trip. The field trip is scheduled to take place approximately within the first 2-weeks of November, with a final 2-hour discussion session scheduled on campus the following week.

Requirements of Entry

Normally, only available to final-year Life Sciences students in an Animal Biology programme. Students must apply for a place on this course in the preceding term. The course is not available to visiting students.

 

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

The course will be assessed by a 120-minute examination (60%) and in-course assessment consisting of project report (30%) and a reflective statement (10%). 

Main Assessment In: April/May

Course Aims

The course aims to enable students to develop an understanding of the structure, characteristic biota, ecology and functioning of tropical African ecosystems, how it can be studied, and gain an appreciation of how this knowledge is key to achieving sustainable conservation and management of these ecosystems. 

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Produce evidence-based sustained arguments on how the complexity and geological age of African ecosystems result in highly diverse ecological communities;

■ Critically analyse the potential threats to African ecosystems and associated natural resources;

■ Critically analyse the challenges involved in the sustainable management of African ecosystems, including the effectiveness of protected areas;

■ Critically evaluate which method for collecting data on biodiversity, population density and animal behaviour is more efficient based on the research question and type of species;

■ Interpret and evaluate papers from the primary scientific literature;

■ Apply quantitative and experimental design skills in the context of field studies on African ecosystems;

■ Reflect upon challenges related to teamwork during experimental design and data collection.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions