ECOL08002 2019 Ecological Management
Full Title
Ecological Management
Transcript Title
Ecological Management
Code
ECOL08002
Attendance
N/A %
Subject Area
ECOL - Ecology
Department
ESCI - Environmental Science
Level
08 - Level 8
Credit
05 - 05 Credits
Duration
Semester
Fee
€
Start Term
2019 - Full Academic Year 2019-20
End Term
9999 - The End of Time
Author(s)
Declan Feeney, Noel Connaughton, Dolores Byrne, Ana Vale
Programme Membership
SG_SENVI_H08 201900 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Environmental Science
SG_SENVI_K08 201900 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Environmental Science
SG_SSCIE_H08 201900 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Science
Description
This module explores the process of ecological management in order to manage ecosystem services and encourage sustainable use of natural resources. The management of a range of ecosystems and their constituent communities and populations will be explored from the environmental, policy and economic perspective. Key concepts and principles such as the ecosystem approach of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ecosystem services, adaptive management and management planning will be investigated. As part of this module students will investigate the role of ecological impact assessment and appropriate assessment in development proposals. Key policy and legislative measures designed to protect and restore ecosystems such as the Natura 2000 network, agri-environmental schemes and the EU Biodiversity Strategy will be appraised.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module the learner will/should be able to;
1.
Describe the ecosystem approach to the management of land, water and living resources
2.
Evaluate the role of adaptive management in the management of natural resources
3.
Develop an ecological management programme for the protection of a specific habitat or species of conservation concern
4.
Critique the role of key EU and national policy and legislative measures to meet the objectives of the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy
Teaching and Learning Strategies
This module will be delivered full-tme. This will include lectures and will be accompanied with both independent and directed learning. A field excursion will provide students with practical insight into ecological management decision making. This approach is expected to address student learning needs. Moodle will be used as a repository of educational resources and as a means of assessment.
Module Assessment Strategies
Module will be assessed using a combination of end of semester final exam (60%), continuous assessment and course work (40%). The continuous assessment and course work will involve two assignment where students will be required to (i) develop management proposals for a specific habitat or species and (ii) an essay topic which demonstrate the student's ability to critically evaluate an aspect of ecological management or natural resource
Repeat Assessments
Repeat Continuous Assessment and/or Final Exam
Indicative Syllabus
Content at the discretion of the lecturer to meet the learning outcomes
Introduction to ecological management
The ecosystem approach and ecosystem services concept
The ecological management of farmland and grazed ecosystems - an adaptive management approach
Ecological management of species and habitats of conservation concern - Natura 2000 network
The role of protected areas in ecological management and their context in Europe
Ecological impact assessment and appropriate assessment requirements in development planning
Economics in valuing biodiversity and mechanisms applied to value natural capital
Stakeholder engagement, consultation and participation in ecological management
Field excursion - which will highlight practicalities of ecological decision making
Coursework & Assessment Breakdown
Coursework & Continuous Assessment
40 %
End of Semester / Year Formal Exam
60 %
Coursework Assessment
| Title | Type | Form | Percent | Week | Learning Outcomes Assessed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essay | Coursework Assessment | Essay | 20 % | Week 8 | 2,4 |
| 2 | Develop a management programme for a species/habitat | Coursework Assessment | Written Report/Essay | 20 % | Week 12 | 3 |
End of Semester / Year Assessment
| Title | Type | Form | Percent | Week | Learning Outcomes Assessed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | End of semester theory exam | Final Exam | Closed Book Exam | 60 % | End of Term | 1,2,4 |
Full Time Mode Workload
| Type | Location | Description | Hours | Frequency | Avg Workload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | Lecture Theatre | Lectures | 2 | Weekly | 2.00 |
| Off-Site Activity | Offsite Facility | Field trip | 7.5 | Once Per Semester | 0.50 |
| Independent Learning | UNKNOWN | Independent Learning | 4.5 | Weekly | 4.50 |
Total Full Time Average Weekly Learner Contact Time 2.50 Hours
Required & Recommended Book List
Recommended Reading
2014-08-11 Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 1118291077 ISBN-13 9781118291078
2014-08-11 Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 1118291077 ISBN-13 9781118291078
There are several important areas of wildlife research and management that are inadequately covered in the second edition of this book. As a result, the authors have chosen to add four brand new chapters to this new edition, as well as updating several of the other chapters with more recent developments and examples. In current research there has been rapid acceptance of the non-commercial statistical software known as 'R'. In this edition the authors replace all of the programs and example code with their R equivalents. The authors have set up a server link to the textbook software examples as well as a series of modules introducing R to readers. The four new chapters cover: habitat use and selection; habitat fragmentation, movement and corridors; climate change, and; evolutionary response to disturbance. Habitat selection and use is an area with a lot of recent work. The authors have expanded the treatment of this in the third edition, to cover topics such as the ecological reasons for selective habitat use, quantitative measurement of habitat use, with particular emphasis on various approaches to resource selection, and density- resource- and risk-dependent effects on habitat use. The new chapter on habitat fragmentation, movement, and corridors discusses the historical patterns of fragmentation, the positive and negative effects of fragmentation on wildlife demography, and movement patterns in fragmented systems and the effects of corridors. Climate change is rapidly becoming a central theme in virtually all wildlife conservation plans. The new chapter provides information on the anthropomorphic effects on climate change, climate change models and variation in future scenarios, and the effects of climate change on wildlife distribution patterns, demography and behavior. Recent work has demonstrated the potential for rapid evolutionary response of wildlife populations to disturbance, whether natural or anthropomorphic in origin. The authors report on this exciting and new area of research, with particular emphasis on the evolutionary traps, measuring evolutionary response to change, and evidence of evolutionary responses to harvesting, habitat change, climate change, and ecological interactions. Brief TOC: Preface; 1. Introduction: goals and decisions, Part 1 Wildlife Ecology, 2. Biomes, 3. Ecology of individuals, 4. Food and nutrition, 5. Population growth, 6. Dispersal, dispersion, and distribution, 7. Habitat use and selection, 8. Population regulation, fluctuation and competition within species, 9. Competition and facilitation between species, 10. Predation, 11. Parasites and pathogens, 12. Consumer-resource dynamics, 13. The ecology of behavior, Part 2 Wildlife Management and Conservation, 14. Counting animals, 15. Age- and stage-structure, 16. Model evaluation and adaptive management, 17. Experimental management, 18. Conservation in theory, 19. Conservation in practice, 20. Habitat fragmentation, movement, and corridors, 21. Wildlife harvesting, 22. Wildlife control, 23. Ecosystem management and conservation, 24. Climate change, 25. Evolutionary response to disturbance
Module Resources
Non ISBN Literary Resources
FAO (2018). Biodiversity for Sustainable Agriculture. Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Mitchell, B.A., Stolton, S., Bezaury-Creel, J., Bingham, H.C., Cumming, T.L., Dudley, N., Fitzsimons, J.A., Malleret-King, D., Redford, K.H. and Solano, P. (2018). Guidelines for privately protected areas. Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 29. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. xii + 100pp.
Dudley, N. (Editor) (2008). Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. x + 86pp. WITH Stolton, S., P. Shadie and N. Dudley (2013). IUCN WCPA Best Practice Guidance on Recognising Protected Areas and Assigning Management Categories and Governance Types, Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 21, Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. xxpp.
Ausden, M. (2007). Habitat Management for Conservation. A Handbook of Techniques. Oxford University Press
Burchett, S & Burchett, S. (2011). Introduction to Wildlife Conservation in Farming. Wiley-Blackwell
European Environment Agency. (2012). Protected Areas in Europe – An Overview. EEA Report No. 5/2012
Journal Resources
Journal of Applied Ecology
Journal of Environmental Management
Journal of Ecological Management and Restoration
URL Resources
Results-based agri-environmental pilot scheme - https://www.rbaps.eu
National Rural Network European Innovation Partnerships - https://www.nationalruralnetwork.ie/
European Environment Agency - https://www.eea.europa.eu/
National Parks and Wildlife Service - https://www.npws.ie/
An Bord Pleanala -= http://www.pleanala.ie/
Other Resources
None
Additional Information
Additional resources will be made available on IT Sligo learn online system (Moodle) at the discretion of the lecturer. Will contain pdfs of powerpoint lectures and links to additional reading material for selected topics.