BI2TE1: Tropical Ecology

Module code: BI2TE1

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mr Matt Greenwell, email: m.p.greenwell@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Sofia Gripenberg, email: s.gripenberg@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 provide an opportunity for students to study tropical ecosystems and to apply ecological theory to tropical environments. Students will learn core concepts and ecological theory before experiencing tropical conditions and biodiversity in a controlled environment. Students will also gain an understanding into related policy and conservation actions.

Tropical biomes cover less than half of the earth’s surface but account for up to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity and are home to over 3 billion people. The tropics, however, are not a single entity – they are a range of habitats and systems that make up a rich band of biodiversity around the world, including both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, grasslands, coral reefs, mangroves, and forests, all filled with a staggering diversity of life. This hyperabundance of tropical species is vital for global ecosystem functions and services (e.g. climate regulation, carbon sequestration) and has fascinated biologists for centuries. A fascination that continues to this day.

In this module, students will be introduced to a range of tropical biomes, given an insight into their structure, complexity and diversity, will be provided with the opportunity to feel immersed in a tropical rainforest environment, all without leaving the UK.

Through a series of lectures students will gain an understanding of the climatic, biological, and anthropogenic factors that shape tropical systems. Additional seminars will focus on people and policy, covering human impacts and how decisions are made at both local and international scales, from Indigenous and Local Knowledge to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Visits and guided tours to The Living Rainforest will then reinforce the lecture content while providing a chance to experience different tropical biomes and witness some of the diversity of life found in the tropics first hand.

Through coursework, students will develop the skills needed to accurately record biological information in the field, as well as understand the requirements and best practices for carrying out research in the tropics.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Describe a range of tropical ecosystems, including the biotic and abiotic factors that contribute to their structure
2. Take accurate notes from field visits, of a standard that can be referred back to in future work
3. Discuss the importance of tropical systems to global health and the impacts of policy decisions and conservation efforts.
4. Write a research proposal for a study to answer a classical hypothesis in tropical ecology, including both good scientific practice and ethical considerations.

Module content

Students will gain both a theoretical and practical understanding of tropical ecology, covering a wide range of topics relating to tropical ecology. The module combines classroom activities and external visits to develop an understanding of topics including, species diversity and interactions, vertical structuring, and the impacts of humans on tropical systems.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module takes advantage of the University of Reading’s unique partnership with the Living Rainforest. The learning outcomes will be met though a mixture of lectures, seminars, and practical classes, supported by external visits to the Living Rainforest to reinforce learning. Appropriate supplementary information and reading lists will be provided on Blackboard.

Study hours

At least 43 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

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass.

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.

Reassessment

Additional costs