Design and Analysis of Experiments in Aquaculture

Code: BIO14634M

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/162 hours

Scientific Area: Biological Sciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Presentation

Outline experiments and analysis of research results in aquaculture. Development of a critical data analysis and interpretation of experimental results using statistical techniques.

Sustainable Development Goals

Erradicar a fome - Acabar com a fome, alcançar a segurança alimentar e melhoria da nutrição e promover a agricultura sustentável.

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Trabalho digno e crescimento económico - Promover o crescimento económico sustentado, inclusivo e sustentável, emprego pleno e produtivo, e trabalho decente para todos.

Produção e consumo sustentáveis - Assegurar padrões de produção e de consumo sustentáveis.

Proteger a vida marinha - Conservação e uso sustentável dos oceanos, dos mares, e dos recursos marinhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável.

Learning Goals

- development of the capacity of identifying the logical components in the research process in aquaculture.
- development of the capacity to design and analyse experiments in aquaculture using univariate and multivariate techniques;
- development of critical thinking in discussing the suitability of an experiment for a given biological problem in aquaculture;
- development of critical thinking in interpreting the results of experiments in aquaculture based on scientific papers;
- development of English language skills through the reading of scientific articles;
- development of computer skills in data analysis and of skills in using information and communication technologies;
- development of the ability to work in a team.

1. Application of the scientific method to biological problems in aquaculture: from observations to hypotheses. Response variables and predictive variables.
2. Basic concepts of experimental design: types of variables, statistical populations and sampling; estimation and inference; sample size.
3. Problems in poorly designed experiments: lack of replication, lack of controls, pseudo-replication, confounded experiments, lack of independence.
4. Why do we need statistical analyses? Concept of statistical power.
5. Controlled experiments in laboratory and manipulative and non-manipulative experiments in the field using analysis of variance (multifactorial ANOVA with orthogonal and/or nested designs, and fixed and/or random factors).
6. Correlation, simple regression and analysis of covariance.
7. Application of multivariate analysis techniques to biological problems in aquaculture: classification and ordination; multivariate hypothesis testing.

Teaching Methods

All classes will be TP, with each consisting of a theoretical part and a practical part. Classes will be mostly in person but may also be taught in b-learning/on-line (up to 50%). The theoretical component is about basic concepts in experimental design and techniques of analysis to be used in research of biological problems in aquaculture. The practical component consists of: 1) application of theoretical concepts to practical cases, using appropriate software; 2) discussion and presentation of proposals of experimental design (group work); 3) analysis and interpretation of experiments (based on scientific papers) (individual and group work).

Assessment

Continuous evaluation will be performed by attendance and participation in class, homework (20%) and an individual theoretical and practical test (40%), or by exam (60%); and by a group work, compulsory, of designing an experiment (oral presentation and written work) (40%).
The Moodle platform or others will be used.