Sustainability Ecology: Food, forests, cities and climate.

Additional course evaluations for BI1374

BI1374 Sustainability Ecology: Food, forests, cities and climate., 7.5 Credits

Hållbarhetens ekologi: Maten, skogen, staden och klimatet.

Syllabus approved

2019-12-18

Subjects

Biology Environmental science

Education cycle

First cycle

Advanced study in the main field

First cycle, entry requirements only from upper secondary school(G1N)

Grading scale

Language

Swedish

Prior knowledge

Knowledge equivalent to general entry requirements

Objectives

The course aims at providing basic knowledge about the role of ecology in understanding and solving the global challenges facing society, especially regarding land use, biodiversity, food production, agriculture and forestry.

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- Describe the basic ecological processes that form the basis for the production of food, biofuels and the delivery of other ecosystem services.
- Describe and give examples of how global environmental changes affect ecological processes.
- Describe the links between production, ecosystem services, biodiversity and climate.
- Describe and give examples of how global environmental changes affect ecological processes and what role knowledge concerning different ecological processes plays in order to solve global challenges and achieve different sustainability goals.
- Describe and understand conflicts between different societal goals from an ecological perspective.

Content

Teaching on basic ecological processes and concepts, ecological dimensions of sustainability goals, sustainable use of biological natural resources, land use and environmental impact in the form of lectures, exercises and discussions in seminars. The questions are highlighted from different interests and perspectives, both spatially (from local to global) and temporal (from history to the future).

Excursions to different habitats and production systems (forests, agriculture, urban green spaces) near the university will be used to highlight and facilitate understanding of basic ecological processes and to better understand land use conflicts in practice.

In introductory lectures, sustainability goals and basic ecological concepts, such as population, ecosystems, evolution, nutrients, ecosystem services and ecosystems are presented based on production systems. During lectures, seminars, exercises and case studies, synergies and trade-offs (goal conflicts) between food production, forest utilization, urbanization, biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate effects are discussed and explained based on different land use perspectives. Lectures, seminars and project work concerning conflicts between different societal goals, and how multifunctional production systems can be developed with due knowledge in ecological processes.

Compulsory parts of the course are excursions, exercises, projects and seminars.

Formats and requirements for examination

Approved written examination on basic ecological processes and sustainability goals. Approved individual case studies in the form of a poster, approved accounting of exercises and participation in compulsory seminars and excursions.

• If the student fails a test, the examiner may give the student a supplementary assignment, provided this is possible and there is reason to do so.
• If the student has been granted special educational support because of a disability, the examiner has the right to offer the student an adapted test, or provide an alternative assessment.
• If changes are made to this course syllabus, or if the course is closed, SLU shall decide on transitional rules for examination of students admitted under this syllabus but who have not yet passed the course.
• For the examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the student to add supplemental information after the deadline. For more information on this, please refer to the regulations for education at Bachelor's and Master's level.

Other information

• The right to take part in teaching and/or supervision only applies to the course date to which the student has been admitted and registered on.
• If there are special reasons, the student may take part in course components that require compulsory attendance at a later date. For more information on this, please refer to the regulations for education at Bachelor's and Master's level.

Additional information

Some lectures, exercises and excursions may be in English.

Responsible department

Department of Ecology

Further information

There are no Grading criteria posted for this course