AD0EES: Ecology, Environment and Sustainability

Module code: AD0EES

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: F

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Gillian Rose, email: g.rose@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 25 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will bridge the knowledge gap for students intending to undertake an undergraduate with a focus on the natural world. The module will explore key concepts associated with biotic and abiotic factors, and their interactions within ecosystems, and will link these concepts with contemporary challenges around ecological sustainability.  

In addition to taught content, students will undertake a field project with the opportunity to develop core scientific skills and to integrate module knowledge into the formation of a scientific report.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Explain the fundamental components of ecosystems, including abiotic, biotic factors and their interactions 
2. Describe core ecological concepts within the context of a range of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems 
3. Analyse current and future challenges facing ecosystems and explore strategies for creating more sustainable futures 
4. Develop scientific research and reporting skills through practical investigation.  

Module content

This module introduces foundation-level students to the principles of ecology and environmental sustainability. In the first half of the semester, students will build an understanding of core ecological concepts, including the roles of abiotic and biotic factors, nutrient and water cycles, population and community ecology, and the fundamentals of ecological sustainability and biodiversity. 

The second half of the semester applies these concepts to a range of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. For each ecosystem students will examine the systems abiotic and ecological functions, the challenges they face around biodiversity loss, and practical solutions for enhancing sustainability. 

In addition, students will develop skills in research, analysis and writing through the participation of a class led field- practical session, embedding learned concepts, to create a scientific report. Knowledge of the subject will be examined in an end of semester written exam.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Main content hours will be through lectures and seminars.  Lectures will introduce core content and provide opportunities for formative learning through interactive in-class activities and asynchronous Blackboard quizzes. Seminars will be more discussion-based or activity led, allowing students to apply concepts from lectures while developing key scientific skills such as data interpretation and critical analysis to support them in their report writing and to prepare them for their end of year exam.

Additional learning experiences include a field practical, a PC-based practical for data handling and visualization, and class debates to develop critical thinking, research and communication skills- all of which go on to support the production of a summative scientific report. 

Some supporting materials will be made available through BB and might include videos’, mini-screen casts, podcasts and practice examples. 

Study hours

At least 44 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Various formative assessment opportunities will be available to practice knowledge learnt and test understanding.  

These will include Blackboard facilitated quizzes and revision activities, in-class questions and activities reflecting exam style questions, and formative feedback provided to various pieces of work submitted in relation to the scientific report. 

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Various formative assessment opportunities will be available to practice knowledge learnt and test understanding.  

These will include Blackboard facilitated quizzes and revision activities, in-class questions and activities reflecting exam style questions, and formative feedback provided to various pieces of work submitted in relation to the scientific report. 

Reassessment

Additional costs