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ENVB40120

Academic Year 2026/2027

Freshwater Resources Assessment (ENVB40120)

Subject:
Environmental Biology
College:
Science
School:
Biology & Environment Science
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Marcin Penk
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The aim of this module is to facilitate the development of the theoretical background, policy context and practical skills to carry out water quality assessment in freshwater ecosystems, particularly in relation to human activities. Main focus of the module is on biological assessment, exemplified by the use of freshwater invertebrates as bioindicators, and there is a strong emphasis on developing practical skills.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completing the module, students should be able to:
• Recognise key human pressures on freshwater resources
• Demonstrate familiarity with Water Framework Directive and its implementation
• Conduct appropriate freshwater survey techniques
• Identify common freshwater invertebrates used in biomonitoring
• Calculate and interpret biological indicators of water quality
• Evaluate the survey results in the context of existing information
• Communicate scientific findings

Indicative Module Content:

Fundamentals of limnology
Monitoring approaches, survey programmes, techniques
Invertebrates, Bioindicators
Water Framework Directive and its implementation
Pressures on water quality
Water quality status and trends
Frontiers in freshwater resource assessment
Survey data processing and reporting

Conducting freshwater surveys (fieldwork)
Processing and identifying invertebrate samples (practicals)
Calculating bioindicator metrics (practical)

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

24
Autonomous Student Learning

60
Lectures

16
Practical

12
Field Trip/External Visits

8
Total

120

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
active/task-based learning; peer and group work; lectures; critical writing; lab work; enquiry & problem-based learning

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Catch up / refresh on the following topics:
General limnology
Freshwater ecology
Environmental assessment
(Particularly important if you don't have any natural sciences background!)


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Lab notes (individual) Week 5 Graded No
25
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Bioindicator presentation (individual) Week 7 Graded No
15
 No
Exam (In-person): Final exam End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
60
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on continuous assessment components will be provided within 20 days of submission.

• Lecture slides on Brightspace
• Jones, I. D. and Smol, J. P. (2023) Wetzel’s Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems, 4th ed. Academic Press. (UCD library, online)
• Lecturer will recommend additional reading

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 21, 23 Fri 09:00 - 11:50
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 22, 24 Fri 09:00 - 11:50
Spring Field Trip Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Fri 09:00 - 14:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 Tues 13:00 - 14:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21, 23, 24 Wed 12:00 - 13:50
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