Teaching Responsibility
LJMU Schools involved in Delivery:
Learning Methods
Lecture
Practical
Seminar
Module Offerings
7514CATSCI-SEP-PAR
Aims
a) Study and understand research-based methods which have been developed to assess key concepts in sustainable ecology, such as biodiversity and forms of ecosystem functioning.
b) Understand concepts of ecosystem health and functioning and carry out an assessment of habitat function, habitat quality and health.
c) Practice the use of, and evaluate the value of, identification techniques for flora and fauna which focus on different taxonomic levels and morphological-functional groups.
d) Show critical awareness of the value of local, national, international and traditional information on ecology, ecological health and ecological change.
e) Use multivariate data and expert knowledge to assess ecological health and to suggest management plans for ecosystems or habitats where appropriate.
Learning Outcomes
Module Content
Ecological surveys, functional habitat mapping, use of Geographical Information Systems. Definitions of ecosystem health and how this might be determined. Recognizing habitat values such as biodiversity and regulating services. The value of local, national and international data sets, value of citizen science, local and traditional environmental knowledge.
Indicative References:
Berkes, F., Colding, J. and Folke, C. (2000) Rediscovery of traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecological applications, 10(5), pp.1251-1262.
de Bello, F., Lavorel, S., Díaz, S., Harrington, R., Cornelissen, J.H., Bardgett, R.D., Berg, M.P., Cipriotti, P., Feld, C.K., Hering, D. and da Silva, P.M. (2010) Towards an assessment of multiple ecosystem processes and services via functional traits. Biodiversity and Conservation, 19(10), pp.2873-2893.
Barker T & Fisher J (2019) Ecosystem health as the basis for human health’, published with revisions as Chapter 19 in: Selendy J.M.H (editor), Water and Sanitation Related Diseases and the Changing Environment: Challenges, Interventions and Preventive Measures. Second edition, Wiley-Blackwell and Horizon International
Rapport D J, Costanza R, McMichael A J. (1998) Assessing ecosystem health. Tree 13(10) 397-402
Raymond, C.M., Fazey, I., Reed, M.S., Stringer, L.C., Robinson, G.M. and Evely, A.C., (2010) Integrating local and scientific knowledge for environmental management. Journal of environmental management, 91(8), pp.1766-1777.
Silvertown, J., (2009). A new dawn for citizen science. Trends in ecology & evolution, 24(9), pp.467-471.
Wheater, C.P. (2020) Practical Field Ecology. Second Ed. Paperback. Wiley-Blackwell’s.