NES2213 : Soil and Ecosystem Science
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Professor Yit Arn Teh
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Tom Reershemius
- 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 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To develop an in-depth understanding of:
1. How terrestrial ecosystems function and the factors that underpin ecosystem processes among biomes.
2. Soils and ecosystems as complex, integrated systems with interactions and interdependencies among their biotic and abiotic components.
3. The key role that organisms play in regulating biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients.
4. How human activity and external forcings impact ecosystem processes and biogeochemistry.
5. The applications of soil and ecosystem science to sustainable management of land, including agri-food systems.
6. How innovations in technology and practice address key sustainability challenges (e.g. UN SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, UN SDG 13 – Climate Action, UN SDG 15 – Life on Land).
Outline Of Syllabus
Key topics include:
1. Primary production and its controls.
2. Plant mineral nutrition and plant-soil interactions.
3. Soil chemistry and its role in ecosystem structure and function.
4. Soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics.
5. Role of microbes in modulating ecosystem processes.
6. Role of land-use change, management practices, climate change and environmental pollution in sustainable land-use.
7. Potential for innovations in technology and practice to increase land-use sustainability.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 18 | 1:00 | 18:00 | Present in person with supplementary material available online. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 51:00 | 102:00 | Exam preparation, including research, analysis and synthesis of information from the peer-reviewed literature. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 3 | 4:00 | 12:00 | Laboratory-based exercises to develop students’ abilities to prepare and analyse environmental samples. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Computer-based data analysis and digital literacy exercises. |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 18 | 3:00 | 54:00 | Weekly reading of book chapters and journal articles. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 6:00 | 6:00 | Present in person. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
1. Lectures and Directed research and reading: The lectures, reading and directed research will Introduce key principles, theories, concepts, and information for soil and ecosystem science. Examples and detailed case studies will be presented to illustrate how this knowledge is applied to a diverse range of ecosystems to solve critical environmental and sustainability challenges [PC1-D].
2. Practicals (Computer-based): Develops students’ data and digital literacy [PC4-D, PC6-D].
3. Practicals (Laboratory) and Fieldwork: Develops students’ practical skills, including experimental design and analysis of environmental samples [PC3-D].
4. Assessment preparation and completion: Preparation for, and completion of, the summative assessment will develop and assess the students’ research skills (PC2-D, PC2-A], understanding of the fundamental subject matter [PC1-D, PC1-A], information literacy [PC2-D, PC2-A], and ability to effectively communicate complex information [PC5-D, PC5-A].
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 60 | 1 | A | 20 | Exam consisting of: multiple choice, multiple answer, short answer questions. The exam will be scheduled for one hour. |
| Digital Examination | 180 | 2 | M | 80 | Exam consisting of: (A) multiple choice, multiple answer, short answer questions and (B) an essay question. The exam will be scheduled for three hours, with approximately one hour for part (A) and two hours for part (B). |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | Five short problem-solving exercises to test and consolidate the knowledge and skills gained in the Practicals and Fieldwork. |
| Prob solv exercises | 2 | M | Five short problem-solving exercises to test and consolidate the knowledge and skills gained in the Practicals and Fieldwork. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
1. Digital Examination 1 (summative): The exam will consist of: multiple choice, multiple answer, and short answer questions (20% of the final module mark). This exam will focus on the material presented in Semester 1, and tests the students' grasp of core principles, concepts and knowledge, including the students' ability to interpret data (e.g. evaluate data presented in graphs or tables) and undertake simple numerical calculations.
2. Digital Examination 2 (summative): The exam will consist of two parts: (A) a multiple choice, multiple answer, and short answer section (20% of the final module mark) and (B) an essay section (60% of the final module mark). Part (A) will focus on the material presented in Semester 2, and tests the students' grasp of core principles, concepts and knowledge, including the students' ability to interpret data (e.g. evaluate data presented in graphs or tables) and undertake simple numerical calculations. Part (B) consists of an essay question that will require the students to integrate knowledge and information from both semesters to address a cross-cutting question in ecosystem science. The essay question will develop and assess the students' research skills, capacity for reasoned thought, ability to synthesise knowledge, and critically analyse information. Because the essay question requires the use of higher-order skills, students will be provided with several relevant review questions prior to the exam to research and critically analyse. During the exam, they will be expected to write an essay based on the knowledge obtained preparing for the review questions.
3. Problem Solving Exercises 1 and 2 (formative): Students will be provided with 10 short, formative assessments (i.e. five during Semester 1, five during Semester 2) to test and consolidate the knowledge and skills obtained during the Practicals and Fieldwork. These include exercises such as quizzes, numerical calculations, data interpretation (e.g. analysis of graphs or tables), and/or textual analysis (e.g. rapid analysis of a short peer-reviewed publication).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES2213's Timetable