Restoration Ecology: Theories
and Applications U4790
(99-1)
Overview
Sustainablility
has become an increasingly important issue in planning for our future. Since the Industrial Revolution, the
extensive economic development and expansion of human population have given
rise to many environmental problems resulting in the degradation of many
ecosystems. Today, many of the
fundamental fucntions and features of the ecosystems of our Earth are either at
or beyond breaking point. The most
important challenges we face include (1) insecurity of food, water and energy,
(2) loss of biodioversity and (3) global climate change. With the increased global
awareness of the ecological degradation and the importance of sustainable
environment, international efforts have been made to eliminate these
threats. The science of restoration
ecology and the practice of ecological resotarion are the major tools available
for mitigating and recovering the adverse effects of human activities for the
Earth system. The ultimate goal of
ecological restoraion aims to achieve sustainable ecosystems with high
resilient capacity to provide goods and services to humans and support the
well-being of biodiversity.
This
course will start from the introduction of the concepts of restoration ecology
followed by the thorough discussion of ecological theories at population-,
community-, ecosystem- and landscape-levels and their applicability on
restoration practices. The course
will be ended up with a lecture series of restoration plans and practices using
real-world examples so as to help students to identiy the current threats and
limitations for restoration or rehabiliatation and to understand the causes of
success and failures of ecological restoration.
Schedule:
Lectures for Restoration Ecology will be held at 2:20pm on Monday throughout the second semester (Week1 – 18). The lecture will take place in BSE Lecture Room 10 (農工十). The course schedule is given below.
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Download |
|
1 |
09.13 |
|
|
|
2 |
09.20 |
Reconciliation ecology: Disturbance and
recovery in ecosystems I. |
|
|
3 |
09.27 |
No lecture. Group discussion and essay preparation. |
|
|
4 |
10.04 |
Reconciliation ecology: Disturbance and
recovery in ecosystems II. |
|
|
5 |
10.11 |
|
|
|
6 |
10.18 |
|
|
|
7 |
10.25 |
|
|
|
8 |
11.01 |
|
|
|
9 |
11.08 |
|
|
|
10 |
11.15 |
Mid-term review. |
|
|
11 |
11.22 |
Group discussion II. |
|
|
12 |
11.29 |
|
|
|
13 |
12.06 |
|
|
|
14 |
12.13 |
||
|
15 |
12.20 |
Group project-preparation. |
|
|
16 |
12.27 |
Group project
presentation. |
|
|
17 |
01.03 |
|
|
|
18 |
01.10 |
Final examination. |
|
*Schedule
is subjected to change according to the class progress.
Key reference:
Falk D.A., Palmer M.A. and Zedler J.B. (2006) Foundations of Restoration Ecology. Island Press, Washington, DC, USA.
Other references:
selected research
papers.
Grading policy
Continuous
assessment (assignments & group projects)-60%; final examination-40%.
Final examination
Date:
2011.01.10
Venue: BSE
Lecture Room 10 (農工十)
Starting time: 2.20pm
Exam format: One-hour exam containing 30 multiple-choice questions