Print Syllabus

Syllabus

PNS0164 Ecological stability in times of rapid environmental change, 3.0 Credits

Subjects

Biology Environmental Assesment,

Education cycle

Postgraduate level

Grading scale

Prior knowledge

The course is open for PhD students. Post doc researchers are welcome only if there is place.



Students should have an undergraduate degree in environmental science or related subject, ideally at an advanced level. Some sections of the course will address deeper aspects of ecological theory, and thus previous courses in basic ecology would be very beneficial, though parts of the course will also be suitable for students with a more limited ecological background who are nevertheless interested in the topic of ecological stability.

Objectives

After the course, students should be able to: ◾Discuss and evaluate different definitions of ecological stability ◾Relate these concepts to ecosystem management and conservation ◾Apply the key theoretical underpinnings of ecological stability research in developing their own research topics ◾Developing own hypotheses on ecological stability and to discuss approaches to test them ◾Identify methods for quantifying ecological stability that are appropriate for their own research topic ◾Evaluate the value of ecological stability in bioassessment, particularly in relation to their own research topic, and discuss advantages and possible difficulties of these approaches

Content

Human actions challenge nature in many ways. Ecosystems absorb and respond to multiple types of environmental change, encompassing stochastic to periodic fluctuations as well as pulse and press disturbances. Ecological responses are ineluctably complex, demanding measures that describe them. Collectively, these measures encapsulate the overall ‘stability’ of the system. Many international bodies, including the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, broadly aspire to maintain or enhance ecological stability. Ecological ‘stability’ is the core concept describing potential responses to such changes, a concept of central importance for understanding present-day and predicting future ecosystem dynamics. This knowledge is a pre-condition for ecosystem management and environmental policy in the face of rapid environmental change. The scientific approach to stability, however, has been characterised by a multitude of stability measures used, with at times blurred and often non-exclusive definitions. Disturbances and stability are multidimensional. Our understanding of them is not. We have a remarkably poor understanding of the impacts on stability. During the course we will guide course participants through the theoretical concepts and dimensions of stability across different spatial and time scales to aid discussions and hypothesis development to be able prepare you to develop your own research with the future aim to integrate results with policies and actions. The course has two parts: The first week is to prepare for the course by reading a suggested list of publications and preparing a short presentation of your own research project and thoughts of how it links to the course theme. The second week is five full day sessions, each including lectures, discussions and other exercises together with course participants and teachers.

Additional information

This course is organized by the Research School Focus on Soil and Waters and the August T. Larsson Guest Professor program by the NJ Faculty at SLU.

Course homepage:

https://www.slu.se/en/departments/aquatic-sciences-assessment/education/post-graduate-education/phd-courses/ecological-stability-in-times-of-rapid-environmental-change/

Responsible department

Department of Aquatic Science and Assessment