Required in stage
First term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Identical coursesBehavioural and Advanced Ecology: Field Course (B-KUL-G0W35A)
Cannot be taken as part of an examination contract
Wenseleers Tom (coordinator) | Stoks Robby | Wenseleers Tom | N. | Decru Eva (substitute) Aims
The number of students allowed to take up this Field Course is limited to 25 students. Students that want to take up the course need to add it to their ISP. After closure of the ISP (3rd Wednesday of the academic year), 25 students will be selected randomly that will join the course. However, priority will be given to graduating students as other students can apply again the subsequent year. Students that were not selected can choose another course of 3 ECTS if needed when the ISP re-opens for the second semester.
In this field course students will familiarise themselves experimentally with important topics and concepts in behavioural ecology and advanced ecology. During the course the students will carry out a number of workshops and common research projects in the surroundings of the Center ‘Merops’ (Mediterranean Ecology Research Observatory for Practical Skills) in the south of France. In addition, the students will learn about the typical local habitats and associated fauna and flora, during excursions. Finally, students will in small groups autonomously develop and carry out a research project on a topic related to behavioural ecology and/or advanced ecology, analyse the collected data statistically, and report the obtained results both orally and in a short report.
Previous knowledge
Knowledge and skills as provided by the courses ‘Terrestrial ecology’ (G0F89A), ‘Freshwater and Marine Ecology’ (G0R62A) or ‘Behavioural Ecology’ (G0G32A).This Course can only be followed by students of the 'Master of Science in Biology' or the 'Master of Science in de Biologie' programme.
Order of Enrolment
Mixed prerequisite:
You may only take this course if you comply with the prerequisites. Prerequisites can be strict or flexible, or can imply simultaneity. A degree level can be also be a prerequisite.
Explanation:
STRICT: You may only take this course if you have passed or applied tolerance for the courses for which this condition is set.
FLEXIBLE: You may only take this course if you have previously taken the courses for which this condition is set.
SIMULTANEOUS: You may only take this course if you also take the courses for which this condition is set (or have taken them previously).
DEGREE: You may only take this course if you have obtained this degree level.
SIMULTANEOUS( G0F89A ) OR SIMULTANEOUS( G0G32A ) OR SIMULTANEOUS( G0R62A )
The codes of the course units mentioned above correspond to the following course descriptions:
G0F89A : Terrestrial Ecology
G0G32A : Behavioural Ecology
G0R62A : Freshwater and Marine Ecology
Is included in these courses of study
- Master of Biology (Leuven) 120 ects.
Activities
3 ects. Behavioural and Advanced Ecology: Field Course (B-KUL-G0W35a)
EnglishFormat: Field trip
80 
Second termStoks Robby | Wenseleers Tom | N. | Decru Eva (substitute) Content
During this one week field course abroad the students will be able to carry out several field experiments on various topics related to the terrestrial, freshwater & marine ecology & behavioural ecology courses. The workshops and field projects include training in GPS tracking and GIS analyses, and recording and processing of acoustic data (framed in behavior-related research questions). During excursions, the students learn about the typical habitats and fauna and flora of the area. In addition, the students will develop and carry out a research project of their own choosing and develop falsifiable hypotheses and predictions and test these using an appropriate experimental design. The obtained data will be analysed statistically and the results will be reported both orally to the rest of the group and in a short paper.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Behavioural and Advanced Ecology: Field Course (B-KUL-G2W35a)
Explanation
A student passes when the weighted average of the component scores (quality of design 50%, written report 25% and oral presentation 25%, with a possible correction based on peer evaluation) is at least 10/20. All activities are mandatory. If a student does not participate in all activities, he/she cannot pass (NA).
Due to the nature of this course a fail for this course would require the student to take this course again the next year.
In case the field course cannot take place, students will have to make a mandatory replacement task on which their final score will be based.
Information about retaking exams
No 2nd examination opportunity.