LNAK10099U Biodiversity in Urban Nature

Volume 2013/2014
Content

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
Learning Outcome
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
Literature
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.
None
None
The course will comprise lectures, excursions, practical exercises and seminars/colloquia on essential papers. Group work will focus on a specific selected topic and writing an essay about a specific case or theme is included in the course. Several invited guest lecturers will give first hand presentations from their field of work.
Take notice that excursions may include own transportation by bike
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 30
  • Exam
  • 30
  • Excursions
  • 30
  • Guidance
  • 11
  • Lectures
  • 40
  • Lectures
  • 30
  • Practical exercises
  • 15
  • Project work
  • 20
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30
Written assignment
Description of Examination: The individual oral exam lasts about 25 min. It consists of a short presentation of the essay (8 min) followed by questions on the essay (6 min). In addition the student will draw a question in relation to lectures and exercises (10 min).

During the course the student will choose a subject on which to write a small essay. The essay will be delivered to the course responsible at least one week before the final exam. The essay will be use as a part of the final examination.

The essay, the individual oral presentation of essay 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 essay 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.


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