2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

BLGY1124 The Diversity of Life

10 creditsClass Size: 45

Module manager: Sebastian Stroud
Email: s.e.stroud@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

A-level or equivalent in biology or chemistry (or other relevant science)

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Diversity of Life provides students with an overview of the evolution and diversity of life, from bacteria to mammals. The module focuses on the evolutionary processes that have generated the world’s biodiversity, and students will learn about the key features that define key taxa and the role of those taxa in ecological processes.

Objectives

The goal of the module is to introduce students to biological principles from whole organisms to planetary scales. Key features include:

(i) an introduction to evolution as the mechanism by which biodiversity is produced,
(ii) a broad overview of key taxa,
(iii) a summary of ecological principles from population to community to ecosystem to biosphere.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Identify the principles of evolution by natural selection and how they have created global biodiversity
2. Recall and select the defining traits of a range of biological taxa, and the mechanisms by which they evolved.
3. Evaluate threats to biodiversity in the context of ecological knowledge across a broad range of taxa

Skills Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
4. Use a variety of digital resources to research and organise information relating to threats to biodiversity

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Practicals	1	2.00	2.00
Fieldwork	1	2.00	2.00
Lecture	23	1.00	23.00
Private study hours			73.00
Total Contact hours			27.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Panels of formative MCQs will be released after weeks of teaching. These will enable practice of the style and content of the summative MCQs during the module.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Online Assessment	Ungraded, practice	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		0.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Online Time-Limited assessment	1 hr	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 04/09/2024

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