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Curricular information is subject to change
On completion of this course students will:
Understand the ecological niche occupied by various insect pollinators as well as the importance of insect mediated pollination to sustainable management in horticulture and agriculture;
Know the major tree, shrub and vegetative plants for sourcing pollen and nectar in Ireland (and recognise the flower sources of some of the more common honey types);
Be able to describe the social organisation of honeybee colonies;
Appreciate the practical work involved in beekeeping and where to locate resources to establish a small apiary;
Be able to describe the importance (economic and health) of honeybee products to human society.
Topics covered will include:
Evolutionary history, biology and taxonomy of pollinating Hymenoptera;
Evolution of sociality and the super-organism concept;
Pollination biology and bee botany;
The organisation of honey bee colonies including sex determination and reproduction;
Threats to pollinating insects (including chemicals, parasites and diseases);
The importance of beekeeping and beekeeping practices to human society – past and present;
Practical apiculture (colony management/manipulation, honey production, colony reproduction, queen rearing);
Products and ecosystem services of pollinators.
Student Effort Type | Hours |
---|---|
Lectures | 24 |
Practical | 2 |
Specified Learning Activities | 42 |
Autonomous Student Learning | 38 |
Total | 106 |
Not applicable to this module.
Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Assignment(Including Essay): Literature review (2 pages + references) | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 25 |
|
Exam (Online): End of module MCQ exam | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 40 |
|
Group Work Assignment: Video and presentation (group project) | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 30 |
|
Report(s): Apiary practical (lab report) | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 5 |
Resit In | Terminal Exam |
---|---|
Spring | No |
• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
Feedback on the literature review is delivered via Brightspace using a rubric as well as with personalised comments. Students are offered advice of the focus of their review essays. Students have the opportunity to work on the group video project over the course of two in-class sessions during which they receive advice and commentary regarding technical and content-related material prior to the completion of the project. Comments are also offered on one draft of the video. Afterwards, group-based comments and evaluation are delivered to the class.
Name | Role |
---|---|
Katherine Burns | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |