LNAK10099U Biodiversity in Urban Nature
MSc Programme in Agriculture
WHY BUN: Legislation, psycho-social effects, education and other ecological services close to every-day life
WHAT is BUN: Biological diversity at different levels from
genome to ecosystem level. Increasing biodiversity and supporting
wild life of all sorts in urban surroundings.
HOW to increase BUN: Presentation of scientific knowledge on how
effects of deliberate manipulation of surroundings can increase
diversity of flora and fauna in urban environment
Keywords from the course plan:
• Historical perspective: Urban development and development in
biodiversity – the world goes urban
• Enhancing urban diversity close to everyday life
• Value of nature: Ethical, historical, cultural and economic
• Urban wastelands – a chance for biodiversity
• Introduced and invasive species – their bridge head is often the
urban environment. The role of non-native plants in urban
environment
• Living roofs and walls – habitat for ground nesting birds,
insects and wild plants?
• Seeding wild plants? Enrichment or falsification of nature?
• Walls as habitat for specialists among plants and nesting birds
• Challenges from climate change for diversity in urban environment
• Biodiversity of public and domestic gardens
• Green “corridors” and “step stones” – life savers for urban
organisms
• Urban forest – permaculture that favours flora and fauna
• Practical methods for enhancing diversity and abundance of invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
• Urban agriculture, urban gardening – impacts on diversity?
• Citizen involvement, school children, social acceptance in
relation to biodiversity
When the course have been completed, the participants are
expected to have achieved the following -
Knowledge:
- Identification of elements and conditions that promote and
increase diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects
and other arthropods, plants including trees and fungi in the urban
environment
- Expected consequences on diversity of practical actions taken
- Interactions between plants, herbivores and organisms on other
tropic levels
- Methods on quantification of biological diversity
Skills:
- Abel to suggest which actions that in a given situation will
result in increased, reduced or orientated development in the
biological diversity.
- Abel to explain relationships and interactions among organisms in
a given location and situation and the reasons for absence or
presence
- Ability to analyse and evaluate the potential for development in
biological diversity among the organisms in a given locality
- Measures to put up a goal for development of diversity in a given
area and for evaluation and documentation of fulfilment of the
ambition.
Competences:
- Transform theoretical knowledge to practical action in a
situation given limited frames
- Judge biological elements, potential, and possible developmental
issues of nature areas in urban environment
- Discuss biological aspects in connection to management and
mediating biological issues of nature in urban environment –
authenticity, aesthetical values, aspects of recreation and
first-hand nature experiences
Course literature will consist of selected book chapters and papers. There will be no single text book. Compulsory readings will be uploaded to Absalon during the course.
- Category
- Hours
- Colloquia
- 30
- Exam
- 30
- Excursions
- 30
- Guidance
- 11
- Lectures
- 40
- Lectures
- 30
- Practical exercises
- 15
- Project work
- 20
- Total
- 206
As
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Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 24Written assignmentDescription of Examination: The individual oral exam consists of a short presentation of the assignment (8 min) followed by questions on the assignment topic (6 min). In addition the student will draw a question in relation to lectures and exercises (8 min).
During the course the student will choose a subject on which to write a small assignment. The assignment will be delivered to the course responsible at least one week before the final exam. The assignment will be use as a part of the final examination.
The assignment, the individual oral presentation of the assignment and the oral examination on drawn, general question will each count one third respectively - Exam registration requirements
- The student should have attended the course and the assignment must be submitted in due time before the final examination
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Flere interne bedømmere
Criteria for exam assesment
The examination will focus on to which extend the student have gained the intended learning outcomes.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- LNAK10099U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 1
- Schedule
- A (Tues 8-12 + Thurs 8-17)
- Course capacity
- 30
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Geosciences and Management
Contracting department
- Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
Course responsibles
- Hans Peter Ravn (3-777f814f78767d3d7a843d737a)