NES8318 : Assessing the Status of Biodiversity
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Louise Mair
- Lecturer: Dr Evelyn Jensen
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The assessment of the status of biodiversity module has three overall objectives:
- To introduce students to a diversity of assessments of the status of biodiversity, spanning across different facets of biodiversity;
- To give students an understanding of the need for - and application of - assessments of the status of biodiversity in global conservation policy and planning;
- To build students’ knowledge of the scientific basis of biodiversity status assessments and develop the practical scientific skills associated with conducting assessments.
This module draws on the research and policy engagement of staff working in the School and aims to develop students’ knowledge and practical skills within a context that creates an understanding of the applicability of these skills.
Outline Of Syllabus
Global biodiversity is under threat from human activities, and the loss of biodiversity is in turn putting human livelihoods and our quality of life at risk. In response to this biodiversity crisis, there are now a multitude of global policies focussed on different aspects of biodiversity conservation. For policies to be effective, we need to understand both the scale of the biodiversity crisis and what responses are needed from a global to local level. This requires assessment of the status of biodiversity – from genes, through species, to ecosystems. Such assessments can be used to identify, for example, species on the brink of extinction, ecosystems at risk of collapse, and the major threats that need to be tackled to improve the state of biodiversity. Assessments of the status of biodiversity therefore form a critical evidence base from which conservation policy and planning are developed and implemented.
This module will draw on the research and policy engagement experience of staff in the School to introduce students to a range of assessments of the status of biodiversity and build the practical skills associated with carrying out assessments. The module will be delivered through a mixture of lectures, workshops, seminars and guided self-directed learning.
Learning material will:
- Introduce a range of biodiversity assessments - across genetic diversity, species and ecosystems – that have direct application in global conservation policy;
- Develop the practical skills associated with biodiversity assessments, including data analysis and evidence synthesis.
The module will provide students with an understanding of how biodiversity assessments contribute to and interact with global conservation policy. The biodiversity assessments introduced to students will reflect the research interests of staff in SNES, but all have global policy relevance, and possible assessments covered include the extinction risk of species (Red List of Species), the risk of collapse of ecosystems (Red List of Ecosystems), the favourable conservation status of species (Green Status of Species), and the genetic diversity of populations and species. Assessments have been selected based on their established and evolving scientific basis and policy uptake, providing students with an introduction to the dynamic nature of scientific approaches and the science to policy pipeline.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | Reviewing materials ahead of lectures |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | In person lectures also made available afterwards online |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 84:00 | 84:00 | Coursework assessment - scoping exercise |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 6:00 | 6:00 | Preparation of the formative assessment to be submitted for written feedback. |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Engagement with material taught and wider reading |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Preparation for seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Seminars requiring preparation and student participation in discussions |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 3:00 | 9:00 | Students to attend all three workshops that build practical skills and deepen knowledge |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Critical reflection & use of wider literature on tasks. Extending knowledge beyond lecture material |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Drop-in/Q&A sessions to support assessment preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Introduction to module; introduction to coursework assessment |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Teaching comprises lectures, seminars and workshops, supported by online resources, directed reading and guided independent study and reflection. The lectures will introduce current knowledge on a range of biodiversity assessments, and students will be directed to wider reading to deepen this knowledge. Seminars will provide opportunities for critical thinking and learning from group discussion. Diverse workshops will be used to expand and implement knowledge and to develop practical, problem solving and information synthesis skills, and students will be expected to attend all three workshops.
The coursework assessment will directly use the knowledge and skills developed from lectures, seminars and workshops, and so the students will have time to reflect on the material, and will be directed towards additional, optional online courses that they can use to expand their knowledge and inform their coursework.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 2 | M | 100 | Scoping report of biodiversity assessments (across genetic, species and ecosystem diversity) for a country of the students choice (2,500 words maximum) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 2 | M | The students will receive feedback during the genetic diversity workshop on an analysis that they have performed during the workshop. |
| Written exercise | 2 | M | Following the first species extinction risk workshop, students will receive feedback on a figure with short text summary of the extinction risk status of species in a particular country. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The module requires knowledge building and the development of a broad conceptual understanding to support problem solving and information literacy skills development.
The first formative assessment (practical/lab report) will test students’ knowledge and practical skills in a particular type of biodiversity assessment, and provide them with feedback in advance of their summative assessment.
The second formative assessment (written exercise) will support students' progress towards the summative assessment, ensuring they have understood the workshop and are able to create an original figure and know how to describe the data in that figure.
The summative coursework will require them to apply their problem solving and information literacy skills, and will be informed by knowledge provided in lectures, workshops and directed reading.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES8318's Timetable