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20721-01 - Lecture with practical courses: Ecology – From Individuals to Ecosystems (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Franziska Korner-Nievergelt (franziska.korner-nievergelt@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Lectures: Basic ecological theory, principles and processes will be introduced in a series of lectures. The lecture topics include natural selection, adaptation, ecological niches, population dynamics, species-interactions, matter and energy fluxes in ecosystems. In addition, an overview of the most important types of ecosystems will be given. Through presentations, scientific reports and textbooks ecological principles, important processes and interactions between organisms and the abiotic environment will be discussed. Practical course: Organisms will be observed in their environment and the roles of the different species in the ecosystem will be discussed based on scientific literature and the ecological concepts learned during the lectures. |
| Learning objectives | Students learn the basics of ecological processes and about different ecosystems worldwide, their main components and functioning; - they learn about how the conservation of ecosystems aligns with sustainable use of natural resources; - they can mediate and argument this knowledge with specific vocabulary. Practical course: - Students train their observation skills; - they develop a sensitivity for the needs and significance of different species in their environment; - they acquire familiarity with the structure of articles in natural sciences; - they develop strategies to efficiently and correctly analyze the content of such articles; - they critically analyze the statement of a text, based on the presented data; - they can interpret the provided data autonomously. |
| Bibliography | Begon, M., & Townsend, CR (2021) Ecology – From Individuals to Ecosystems, Wiley, New York. Will be provided in advance via ADAM. |
| Comments | Mandatory lecture for students of the MSD with focus areas (MSD 2017) or majors (MSD 2026) in social sciences and in economics (and management). Students of the MSD with focus areas/major in natural sciences may enrol if they have not already taken a comparable course. CP have to be accredited via learning agreement (template available on the website MSD/downloads MSD 2017) for the FASR module (MSD 2016); or can be transferred to the "Electives" module (MSD 2026). Organization of class: The lectures take place weekly from 10.15 to 12h. Practical course takes place from 12.15 to 14h. The lecture is offered by the MSD. Dr. Franziska Korner-Nievergelt is a senior researcher of the research group " Landscape Ecology and Ecosystems Conservation". |
| Admission requirements | Limited number of participants (25). Students of the MSD have a first priority. If you study something different you must do at least a master's degree within the Departement of Enviromental Sciences (Faculty of Sciences) and may attend the course in case of vacancies (= second priority). No other students admitted. |
| Course application | Course enrollment via online services should be completed by the beginning of the teaching period at the latest until Monday, 14. September 2026. Withdrawal possible until Monday of teaching week five. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Comments |
Exam date: 07. January 2026. Repeat exam date: 21. January 2026. For details regarding time and room see below. |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 16.09.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 23.09.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 30.09.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 07.10.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 14.10.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 21.10.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 28.10.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 04.11.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 11.11.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 18.11.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 25.11.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 02.12.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 09.12.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 16.12.2026 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Wednesday 06.01.2027 | 10.15-11.45 | Alte Universität, Seminarraum -201 |
| Wednesday 20.01.2027 | 10.15-13.45 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Modules |
Module: Complementary Knowledge in Natural Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development (Start of studies before 01.08.2026)) Module: Complementary Knowledge Natural Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | Compulsory attendance in presence, readings and homework according to information of lecturers. Final written examination/repeat examination (each of 90 minutes): during usual lecture time: 06.01.2027; repeat exam: 20.01.2027. For details regarding dates and rooms see online course directory/section "dates and rooms". For the admission to the written examination is conditional, proof of achievement for the practical course. To receive proof of achievement for the practical course, students are required to read the provided literature and participate actively during the discussions. Details according to lecturer. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | one repetition, best attempt counts |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Departement Umweltwissenschaften |