Assessment: unseen exam (2 hours) [50%], coursework consisting of practical and fieldwork reports (2000 words) [50%]
Water is essential to all life and covers the majority of our planet. However, our understanding of aquatic ecosystems is limited in comparison with our knowledge of terrestrial systems despite our reliance on the ecosystem goods and services that they provide. On land, the arthropods are a key taxon both in terms of diversity and abundance and also in the impact that they have on the human condition. The module is designed to provide an insight into the major aquatic ecosystems and into the diversity of terrestrial invertebrates, with particular reference to the insects. It builds on the knowledge gained in Animal Biology 1 (BSS020N204), Animal Biology 2 (BSS020N211) and Ecosystems (BSS020N235).

*Course content subject to change