Postgraduate Course: Forests and Environment (PGGE11025)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course examines the nature of forest ecosystems and their interactions with the climate system and society, nutrient cycling, and disturbances (drought, fire, pests). Forest management topics (forestry , biofuels, urban trees and woodlands, sustainable forest policy) are also explored alongside various methodological techniques (remote sensing, gas exchange, modelling) applicable to the study of forests, the environment and their interactions. Topics will include: forest ecosystem dynamics, forest biogeochemistry, forests¿ role in Earth¿s climate system, forestry and forest management, and current issues in forest science. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2014/15, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 44,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
152 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
1) A science communication piece on current issue in forest science (40%)
2) A woodland management plan (40%)
3) Group seminar (20%)
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
1. An understanding of:
a. forest processes and ecology from the leaf to global scale.
b. the importance, development and application of forest management objectives and techniques.
c. interactions between humans and forests, past present and future.
2. Familiarity with techniques and approaches used in forest research, management and policy.
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Reading List
Core Reading
The basic course content is contained in this text:
Perry, D. A., R. Oren, et al. (2008). Forest Ecosystems, The John Hopkins University Press, 2nd edition
The following texts, available in the library, are also useful. Please note you do not have to read these in their entirety, but many sections within these books complement the course content well:
1) Waring, R. H. and S. W. Running (1985). Forest Ecosystems: Analysis at Multiple Scales, Academic Press. QH541.5.F6 War.
This one is good if you are interested in biogeochemistry, forest ecosystem modelling and forest-atmosphere interactions. Note, however, that this book is somewhat out of date and does not include the latest developments in modelling and remote sensing. There is a new e-edition (2007) available on Kindle for around £35.
2) Sands, R. (2005). Forestry in a Global Context, CABI Publishing. SD131San.
This one focuses more on society-forest interactions, including a history of human forest use, valuation of forests and forest products and sustainable/social forestry.
3) Moran, E.F. and E Ostrom (2005). Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Human-Environment Interactions in Forest Ecosystems. The MIT Press. SD418 See.
An edited text rather than textbook, but contains some interesting articles on everything from theories of multidisciplinary research to remote sensing of land-use change.
Additional reading will be given for each lecture.
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Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Edward Mitchard
Tel: (0131 6)50 6708
Email: edward.mitchard@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Natasa Honeybone
Tel: (0131 6)50 2572
Email: natasa.honeybone@ed.ac.uk |
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