ECTS
ECTS Course Catalogue
Course details
Course code: ROSS20090o13Semester: 2013/2014 winter
Name: Nature conservation
Major: Horticulture
Study Type: second cycle
Course type: compulsory
Study Semester: 2
ECTS points: 2
Hours (Lectures / Tutorials / Other): 15 / 15 / 0
Lecturer: Dr hab. Ludwik Żołnierz
Language of instruction: Polish / English
Learning outcomes: The student acquires knowledge about the theoretical issues regarding biodiversity and its relationship to the functioning of ecosystems, the causes of threats in different spatial scales (from local to global) and the biological fundamentals and modern methods of nature conservation. The student learns basic legal regulations and organization of nature conservation in Poland, as well as the principles of cooperation in the implementation of international conventions and programs.
Competences: After completing the course the student: 1) can evaluate the threats of the main types of Polish ecosystems and is familiar with the basic methods for their conservation, 2) knows the rules of the legal forms of nature conservation, 3) knows the basics for planning procedures of nature conservation in areas of the cultural landscape in the local spatial scale.
Prerequisites: botany, zoology, meteorology and climatology, soil science, ecology.
Course content: During lectures, students learn about: • the legal system and the organization of nature protection in Poland; • ecological problems related to threats of biological diversity at the level of population, biotic community and landscape; • current and future threats and problems of biodiversity conservation at a global scale; • methods of active protection of species and restoration of habitats. In the classes: • students learn about the issues concerning the specificity of the main types of ecosystems and the Polish and conservation techniques; • present their own short lectures regarding different aspects of threats and conservation, and discuss them; • prepare a project which is a conservation plan for a specific area of cultural landscape.
Recommended literature: Groom M. J., Meffe G. K., Carroll C. R. 2006. Principles of Conservation Biology, Third Edition. Sinauer Associates,.Inc. Sunderland, 793 pp. Primack R.B. 2006. Essentials of Conservation Biology, Fourth Edition. Sinauer Associates,.Inc. Sunderland, 585 pp. Begon M., Townsend C. R., Harper J. L. 2006. Ecology. From individuals to ecosystems. Fourth edition. Malden, Oxford, Carlton, Blackwell Publishing, 738 pp.
Assessment methods: Class: presentation – short lecture (20%), test (30%), project work (50%). Written examination – credit after earning min. 55% points possible to get.
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