3 ECTS credits
78 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4015766FNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.
Table of contents:
The course structure follows a zoom from theoretical introduction (concepts, analytical tools) towards a global overview of SES and finally towards the mangrove forest as a model SES.
Understanding change and ecosystem management:
- definitions linked to SES, systems ecology and adaptive cycles;
- ecosystem services.
Social-ecological change, governance and stewardship:
- Ecological resilience and social-ecological resilience;
- Social-ecological governance and transformations in ecosystem stewardship;
- Adaptive management.
Ecological and socio-ecological individual-based models
Complexity at several levels in biology and ecology:
- Feedbacks and feedback networks from cells to ecology
- Dynamics and stationarity
- Hysteresis and multistationarity
- Thresholds
- Spatial patterns
- Rhythms
- Waves
- Chaos
Mathematical basis for understanding complexity and change:
- Equations
- Simulations
- Models
Complexity and resilience in social insects
Complexity and social-ecological resilience in forest systems
Complexity and social-ecological resilience in dryland systems
Complexity and social-ecological resilience in freshwater systems
Complexity and social-ecological resilience in oceans and estuarine systems
The mangrove forest as a SES, describing constituents and relationships), the links with man and integrated research.
Part I Mangrove forests and their biocomplexity Distribution of mangrove forests,; Faunal and floral biodiversity, incl. morphological, physiological and ethological adaptations to tropical environments and to intertidal and marine life; Ecological mutual benefits between between mangrove forests, and their adjacent tropical rainforests, seagrass beds and coral reefs; Food webs and trophic relationships;
Part II Ethnobiology and anthropogenical impacts on mangroves and adjacent ecosystems Social, economical and cultural values and services of mangrove forests – mangroves as a model SES; Anthropogenically induced threats on one or more ecosystems and the consequences for the other ecosystems; Local vs. global patterns of change.
Part III Scientific research tools Monitoring, modelling and experiments (incl. management, restoration and conservation); The use of remote sensing and GIS; Combinatory and multivariate analyses; Essentials of tropical habitat management Case-studies and management guidelines with respect to mangroves as a SES.
Course material, text books and further reading:
- Berkes, F., J. Colding & C. Folke, 2003. Navigating Social-Ecological Systems. Building resilience for complexity and change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 393 pp.
- Carson, W. & S. Schnitzer, 2008. Tropical Forest Community Ecology. Wiley Blackwell, Oxford, U.K. 517 pp.
- Chapin III, S.F., G.P. Kofinas, C. Folke & M.C. Chapin, 2009. Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship: Resilience-Based Natural Resource Management in a Changing World. Springer Science, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 402 pp.
- Gunderson, L.H. & L. Pritchard Jr., 2002. Resilience and the Behavior of Large-Scale Systems. Island Press, Washington D.C., US. 287 pp.
- Gunderson, L.H., C.R. Allen & C.S. Holling, 2009. Foundations of Ecological Resilience. Island Press, Washington D.C., US. 496 pp.
- Hogarth, P., 2007. The Biology of Mangroves and Seagrasses. Oxford University Press Inc., Oxford, UK. 273 pp.
- Waycott, M., K. McMahon, J. Mellors, A. Calladine & D. Kleine, 2004. A guide to Tropical Seagrasses of the Indo-West Pacific. James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. 72 pp.
and current international research publications
Course objectives:
Aims and objectives:
1. To provide an overview of the constituents and theory (conceptual, analytical) underlying large-scale social-ecological systems (SES);
2. To understand diversity, redundance, stability, hysteresis and resilience in a functional ecological context and in a sustainability context;
3. To understand the ecological and social-ecological functioning of selected SES;
4. To zoom in on the mangrove forest as a SES and:
4A. To understand the ecological and social-ecological relationships within mangroves and between mangroves and adjacent ecosystems;
4B. To understand the consequences of anthropogenic threats to this SES;
4C. To understand the scientific approaches and tools to monitor, manage and restore this SES.
Learning outcomes:
Upon completion of the course a student must be able to understand the constituents of a SES and to track down the ecological consequences on different sublevels (environment, fauna and flora) of anthropogenically induced changes on tropical coastal biodiversity and ecosystems, and must be able to situate the environmental problems in a holistic context (relationship with socio-economical factors).
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 60% of the final mark.
PRAC Teamwork determines 40% of the final mark.
Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Within the PRAC Teamwork category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Oral assessment: 60% (theory, paper discussion, model discussion, each of which should reach the minimum requirements)
Role-play assignment: 40%
If certain parts/questions of the exam do not reach the minimum requirements, the weakest part will serve as a ceiling for the total mark.
Partial marks for the oral exam and for the role play assignment, if the student obtains at least half of each part, are transferred to the second session or the next academic year.
Students may not relinquish partial marks.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biology: Education (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management: Standaard traject
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: biologie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)