Animal Behaviour and Conservation

This module will give you an introduction to the principles of plant and animal physiology at the systems level with appropriate links to anatomy, cell biology, pathology, and behaviour.

This module provides you with an introduction to the principles, concepts and techniques in the study of biological molecules, cell biology and microbiology. Key themes are the structure and function of biomolecules and cells. Microbial life will be introduced, drawing examples from aquatic, terrestrial, food and medical microbiology, emphasising microbial friends and foes.

This module will provide you with an introduction to the variety of life on Earth, explore plant and animal diversity from both a functional and a systematic perspective, as well as introducing the major concepts underpinning genetics and evolution and the mechanisms of evolutionary change.

This module will introduce you to the principles and practical applications of ecology.

You will consider how you collect and analyse data and how you interpret and present your findings. Field data collection methods will be discussed and then implemented, and statistical methods will then be used to analyse this data.

In this module, you will explore key principles that underpin nucleic acid molecular methodologies. Topics will include in vitro and in vivo cloning methodologies, next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics techniques, which will be discussed in the context of medical and environmental science. Emerging molecular biology techniques will also be critically analysed.

This module covers the mechanisms and development of behaviour, or how brain and body combine to produce behaviour. The module consists of a series of lectures, practical sessions and tutorials.

The module will cover the principles of evolution, and explore the concept of behavioural traits as adaptations to an individual's environment.

This module will explore contemporary issues in landscape ecology, including connectivity, edge effects, disturbance, and fragmentation. Analytical GIS case-studies based on real-world examples will be fundamental to this module.

This module will allow you to extend your knowledge of animal welfare, human-animal interactions and how these link to animal and human health.

The module will embrace the principles of conservation biology including biodiversity, conservation genetics, habitat disturbance and species extinction, using examples of research-based conservation interventions.

This module introduces you to the professional skills involved with being a biologist. It develops your knowledge of key methodologies, skills and experiences needed for professional development.

The field courses are the flagship components of our programmes where you will apply the theoretical knowledge you’ve acquired in the taught modules. You’ll develop, execute, analyse, and report on a small research project in the field.

In this module you will explore the anatomical, developmental, physiological, ecological and behavioural characteristics and lifecycles of major invertebrate phyla and review their importance to ecosystem function and as parasites and vectors of disease.

You will plan, conduct and analyse data for a project in animal behaviour under the supervision of an academic member of staff.

This module will discuss the variation in social behaviour and communication between and within species in relation to ecological requirements and the evolution of cognition. 

This module provides an overview of the historical and contemporary issues in biological conservation science and the practical applications of conservation research. 

This module will address the importance of animal behaviour as a component of conservation biology.

In this module you will study embedded plant and animal systems-level environmental physiology, exploring animal biomechanics, locomotion, sensing, navigation, and migration.

The tropic field course will provide experience of tropical habitats and the biodiversity that they support. There will be an emphasis on identification skills, the methods needed to study and carry out research in tropical habitats, and assess human impacts on these ecosystems. An integral element will be learning the skills to identify key plants, animals and habitats, particularly those which require conservation management.

In this module you will explore the patterns of loss of biodiversity, including megafaunal loss and invasion patterns and the effects of anthropogenic factors on biodiversity in a range of habitats.

Within the context of evolutionary genetics, this module will encompass topics in evolutionary biology, population genetics and the genetic basis of biological problems in conservation. 

In this module you will explore contemporary issues in coastal ecology, conservation and restoration, and examine the unique organisms that live where the land meets the sea. Example topics will include methods of coastal management and restoration, the basis of coastal ecosystem services and the links between coastal community livelihoods and coastal biodiversity.