Wetland conservation 1400-226OEB-OG

1. Why should we conserve wetlands? Review of arguments, paradigm shift in human approach to wetlands. Ecosystem services concept.
2. What are wetlands, types of wetlands; mires and peatlands; mires as ecosystems, habitats and objects of economic interest of man; general overview of importance of wetlands for nature and their main threats.
3. Ecological and geographical diversity of mire ecosystems; Examples of various mires of the World and their threats.
4. Functional relationships of mires with other types of wetlands in the landscape; the importance of a catchment approach to the conservation of wetlands. Importance of wetlands as regulators of hydrological and climatic conditions.
5.Diversity of life on mires: anaerobic conditions as a key factor shaping the biodiversity of mires, adaptations of plants and animals to living in mires. Threats to wetland species resulting from man-made transformation of those ecosystems.
6. Peat and other wetland-related soil types. Peat production and decomposition, transformation of peat soils after drainage. The economic use of peat and associated threats to mire ecosystems.
7. Succession and development of peatlands; peat as an information archive; mires as ecosystems with alternative stable states. The concept of mire ecological resilience, hydrological feedbacks as factors controlling stability and factors disturbing it. Catastrophic shifts in the development of peatlans.
8. Reasons behind drainage of peatlands. Use of peatlands in agriculture and industry. The greatest global threats to peatlands.
9. Peatlands and climate. Peat as an organic carbon store. Greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlnds globally. Restoration of peatlands as compensation of climate change.
10. Circulation of matter in peatlands; trophic status, and peat formation. The role of wetlands in biogeochemical cycles in catchment area.
11. Conservation of pristine mire ecosystems - examples of the most valuable mires of the World and of Poland.
12. Strict protection versus active conservation - how to choose one. Paludiculture as an element of peatland conservation; counteracting succession in conditions of disturbed hydrological regime.
13. Ecological restoration of mires; restoration of peat formation - methods, examples. Concepts of target conditions: natural ecosystems (wilderness), semi-natural, utility (paludiculture).
14. A social background in wetlands conservation, local communities, conflicts related to wetlands.
15. Priorities for conservation and restoration of mire ecosystems in Poland and in the World in the times of global change.

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Course coordinators

Wiktor Kotowski
Łukasz Kozub

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course student:
• understands the role of mire ecosystems for functioning of the nature, including the importance of peatlands in regulating global climate,
• can indicate the ecosystem services of mires and the ecological mechanisms responsible for them,
• is aware of the natural and environmental consequences of man-made alteration of mire ecosystems,
• knows the adaptations of organisms to conditions occurring in mires;
• is able to list, identify and characterize the basic types of mire ecosystems - taking into account their ecological and biogeographical diversity,
• can point the aims and motives of conservation and restoration of mires,
• knows the most important areas where mires are found in Poland and in the World,
• is prepared for field course teaching the methods of assessment of the ecological status of mire ecosystems and preparation of a conservation/restoration plan of such ecosystem.

Assessment criteria

The course is graded on the basis of an oral exam.

Practical placement

not applicable

Bibliography

Joosten & Clarke 2002. The wise use of mires and peatlands. http://www.imcg.net/media/download_gallery/books/wump_wise_use_of_mires_and_peatlands_book.pdf
Joosten, H., Tanneberger, F., Moen, A. (Eds.), 2017. Mires and peatlands of Europe. Schweizerbart Science Publishers, Stuttgart, Germany.
Bonn, A., Allott, T., Evans, M., Joosten, H., & Stoneman, R. 2016. Peatland Restoration and Ecosystem Services: Science, Policy and Practice. Cambridge University Press, 402. (wybrane rozdziały)
P. Pawlaczyk, L. Wołejko, R. Stańko, A. Jermaczek. Poradnik ochrony mokradeł. Wydawnictwo Lubuskiego Klubu Przyrodników, 2001
Wołejko L., Stańko R., Pawlaczyk P., Jermaczek A. Poradnik ochrony mokradeł w krajobrazie rolniczym. Wydawnictwo Klubu Przyrodnków, 2004
www.bagna.pl

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 1400-226OEB-OG in USOSweb