Wetlands - biodiversity and change 1900-WBC-OG

The lectures (15 hours) present information about following characteristics and processes related to wetland ecosystems.
1. The nature of wetlands, classifications, types and main processes.
2. The importance of wetlands in the natural and human environment.
3. The biodiversity of wetlands as the effect of natural and human processes.
4. The vulnerability of wetlands on internal and external processes with the emphasis on climate change and human activities.
5. Temporal and spatial changes of wetlands as the consequence of local and global environmental changes.
6. Wetland management and protection systems.
7. Case studies exampling the main issues connected with the wetland functions, importance and human influences.

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

The course is directed to students with an interest in natural and human environment interactions with the emphasis on wetlands ecosystems. English is a prerequisite for students participating in the course.

Course coordinators

Dariusz Woronko

Learning outcomes

The student knows and understands the following:
1. The basic concept of wetlands and their characteristics.
2. The importance of wetlands in the natural and human environment.
3. The relations between natural and human processes according to wetland ecosystems.
4. The wetland management, conservation and protection problems.
5. The place of wetlands within the changing world.

KNOWLEDGE
- The student knows basic concepts of wetlands and their characteristics.
- The student recognises main processes involving in wetlands’ functioning.
- The student knows main problems at wetlands arisen from human’s activity.

ABILITIES
- The student is able to recognise the importance of wetlands in the natural and human environment.
- The student is able to recognise the relations between natural and human processes according to wetland ecosystems
- The student is able to recognise the wetland’s management, conservation and protection problems.

ATTITUDES
- The student appreciates the role of wetlands within the changing world.
- The student is aware of the need to protect wetlands.
- The student is aware of feedbacks taking place in the nature and related to wetlands and humans.

Assessment criteria

Participation in the lectures and/or an essay on a topic chosen by the student, and connected to the course content.

Bibliography

Books:
Haslam S.M. 2003. Understanding Wetlands: Fen, Bog and Marsh. Taylor & Francis, London.
Keddy P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation. Cambridge University Press, New York.
Middleton B.A. (Ed.). 2012. Global Change and the Function and Distribution of Wetlands. Springer Science & Business Media, New York.
Mitsch W.J, Gosselink J.G. 2015. Wetlands, fifth edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken.

Websites:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/index_en.htm
http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/pub_wetlands_restore_guide.pdf
http://www.ipcc.ch/
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/
https://climate.nasa.gov/
https://europe.wetlands.org/
https://www.eea.europa.eu/
https://www.ramsar.org/
https://www.wetlands.org/

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 1900-WBC-OG in USOSweb