• Offered for Year: 2026/27

• Module Leader(s): Dr William Reid
• Lecturer: Dr Theresa Rueger, Dr Mark Shirley

• Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

• Capacity limit: 90 student places

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

This module provides Stage 3 zoology and marine zoology students with an integrative understanding of how animals are responding to the unprecedented environmental changes associated with the Anthropocene. Drawing on examples from both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, the module adopts a whole-organism approach to explore the links between individual responses, population processes and species distributions. Students will examine how major anthropogenic pressures including climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, overexploitation, species introductions, and other human-driven selective pressures are altering the biology and ecology of animals worldwide.

A central aim is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms that allow species to persist, adapt, shift their ranges, or decline in the face of environment and anthropogenic alterations to habitats adn ecosystems.The module will highlight how these contemporary issues are reshaping animal populations across timescales and biological levels of organisation.

Through engagement with current research, students will develop the ability to critically evaluate scientific evidence, assess the impacts of multiple interacting stressors, and think about biological responses to current and future challenges. The module ultimately aims to equip students with the knowledge and analytical skills needed to understand and address how animals are responding to change in an increasingly human-dominated world.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus will be split into two parts: (1) concepts and theory and real world-perspectives from researchers, industry or consultancy and (2) skills development in communicating information.

The concepts and theory lectures along with the guest lectures will cover the following themes based on the specific research areas and expertise of the academic member of staff. Each year a set of themes will be selected from the list below:
1. Climate change
2. Habitat loss and fragmentation
3. Pollution (e.g. chemical, plastic, light, and noise pollution)
4. Overexploitation and harvesting
5. Species introductions and biological invasions
6. Ocean acidification
7. Scientific fraud

The skills development will cover:
1. Finding statistical and policy related information
2. Communicating complex information to non-specialists
3. Preparing for careers using your zoological training

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Teaching comprises of lectures, guest speakers, small group activity and computer workshops. Lectures will present contemporary, research-focused material includes theories, concepts and real-word examples. These will be augmented by guest speakers who will highlight how zoological knowledge is important in research, industrial and consultancy settings. The small group activity will allow students to develop their critical analysis and presentations skills while gaining peer-to-peer feedback on interpreting research papers before transitioning to the independent piece of summative coursework. The students will develop written communication skills, self-management, critical thinking and the ability to convey scientific information through the production of an infographic that communicates to a scientific audience. The infographic assessment will be supported by a series of computer workshops with help from the Academic Skills and Academic Engagement teams. The infographic will allow the student to focus on a zoological aspect of their interest within specified boundaries related to the themes covered in that year.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

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.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessments give the students the opportunity to demonstrate a thorough understanding of how animals are responding the anthropogenic changes. The formative exercise allows students to start developing critical thinking within a small group environment sharing their understanding and analysis of a scientific paper which complements the taught material that will be delivered concurrently. The infographic allows the students to develop a question, within specific boundaries, to develop their own areas of interest based on themes covered in the lecture content. Students will work on their infographic in timetabled computer workshops and in their own time. The computer workshops will be supported by the Academic Skills and Academic Engagement teams who will introduce infographic design concepts and advanced literature searching skills. The infographic will be submitted with answers to a series of quesitons related to design, how information was sourced and the scientific importance of the work. This will allow the process of making the infographic to be assessed along with the product. The assessments balance skill development in critical appraisal, communication to differing audiences and synthesis of diverse information sources (formative and summative coursework) with understanding important theorical and concepts related how animals are responding to anthropogenic changes in the environment (summative coursework).

Reading Lists

• NES3314's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• NES3314's Timetable