UGA Bulletin

Course Description

Landforms, geology, hydrology, soils, and biotic communities, with an examination of ecological concepts and their application at the landscape scale.

Athena Title

Ecology Materials and Process

Semester Course Offered

Offered fall

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student learning Outcomes

Students will define central ecological concepts within the landscape planning context: environment, biomes, energy exchange, ecosystems, connectivity, and biodiversity. Measurement: Discussion, exams
Students will recognize how disturbance processes shape the structure of natural ecosystems and the challenges that disturbance regimes pose for urban and regional planning. Measurement: Discussion, exams, field exercises
Students will describe the processes in which land use relates to environmental health and biotic diversity and the central role of land use planning in the protection of these societal values. Measurement: Discussion, exams, essay
Students will develop a working definition and philosophy of sustainability that integrates multiple perspectives at local, regional, and global scales. Measurement: Discussion, exams, essay
Students will recognize and evaluate ecological concepts and landscape theory in designs, policies, and plans that better maintain environmental integrity at a variety of scales, from single sites to watersheds and regions. Measurement: Discussion, exams, field exercises, essay
Students will develop a sense of our responsibility, as citizens and as professionals, for preserving biotic diversity. Measurement: Discussion, essay
Students will understand the impact of resource consumption on future generations and develop a sense of our responsibility to act as stewards of natural and social resources. Measurement: Discussion, exams, essay
Students will gain an understanding of central ecological concepts: environment, biomes, energy exchange, ecosystems, and ecotypes.
Students will gain an understanding of processes of disturbance and recovery in ecosystems.
Students will gain an understanding of the relationship of land use and land use planning to environmental health and protection of biotic diversity.
Students will understand the concept of sustainability, with local, regional, and global implications.
Students will be able to apply ecological concepts in the establishments of policies and plans which will preserve environmental integrity at a variety of scales, from single sites to watersheds and regions.
Students will gain a sense of our responsibility, as citizens and as professionals, for preserving biotic diversity.
Students will gain a sense of our responsibility to future generations in terms of resource use.

Topical Outline

Weeks 1-16 Foundation Concepts: environments, system, and hierarchy Considering the University of Georgia as an ecological system- Ecological units: agriculture, suburban, urban, natural Gaia concept as a premise for decisions on how to integrate human needs with those of nature The biosphere, global dynamics, human influence on global dynamics Biosphere subsystems Concept of the biome or ecoregions Concept of the landscape and the watershed Concept of the ecosystsem and ecotope Food chains, food webs, species diversity Primary production, organic decomposistion Soil structure and function Structure of a pond and stream ecosystem Ecological succession Population growth Community interactions, communitiy assembly rules Island biogeography and its relationship to land planning Concept of the niche Patches, corridors, and connectivity Spatial scales for planning and restoration: macro, meso, and micro Consequences of habitat fragmentation Disturbance and recovery: vegetation Disturbance and recovery: biodiversity Land conservation Land classification for land use planning Land qualities and land limitations Environmental impact statements Agricultural landscapes Urban areas as cultural ecosystems Wetlands Concept of sustainability Economics of sustainability: ecology and real estate Politics of sustainability: local, regional, and global considerations Project presentations

Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes

Analytical Thinking

The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.

Critical Thinking

The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.

Social Awareness & Responsibility

The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.

Syllabus

publish

Landscape Ecology: Materials and Processes