BI435 Landscape Ecology

Contents and structure

In this course you learn about ideas, perspectives, and questions from landscape ecology, and how one can use landscape ecology in land use planning and natural resource management. Important recurring themes are: scale, landscape structure, landscape dynamics, fragmentation, and connectivity. The contents of the course fall under: (1) fundamental ecological processes and patterns in landscapes, (2) tools for describing and understanding these, and (3) applications to preserve natural values through land use planning and natural resource management.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student shall:

• be able to explain how spatial pattern affects ecological processes in animals and plants.
• be able to explain how scale affects our understanding of ecological processes and patterns.
• be able to compare natural and anthropogenic causes of landscape pattern and dynamics.

Skills

The student shall:

• be able to analyze landscape pattern and dynamics quantitatively.
• be able to interpret results from landscape ecological studies and apply knowledge from these in land use planning and natural resource management.

General competence

The student shall:

• be able to justify decisions in land use planning and natural resource management based on landscape ecological principles and evidence.
• be able to reflect on the landscape as a complex system, and the challenges this complexity creates in land use planning and natural resource management.

Entry requirements

There are no formal prerequisites.

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge in ecology, geographic information systems (GIS), and statistics is recommended.

Teaching methods

Lectures, exercises, presentation of scientific articles, problem-based learning, case study assignment, field trip.

Compulsory learning activities

Three compulsory learning activities in the form of:

• approved compulsory attendance on one exursion and one thematic day
• group presentation of one scientific article
• approved project assignment

The compulsory learning activities must be approved by set deadlines in order to sit the exam.

Assessment

Written examination, 4 hours

Grading: A-F, where F corresponds to not passed.

Examination support material

None

More about examination support material