Postgraduate Course: Marine Infrastructure and Environmental Change (PGGE11201)
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 | It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Marine Systems and Policies (PGGE11186) OR Marine Systems and Policies (UG) (EASC10083). If students have not passed the recommended courses they should seek permission from the course organiser for entry to the course on a case by case basis.
Both in the past, present and future, coastal marine systems are and will be deeply altered and changed by marine infrastructure installations, affecting ecosystems in different ways, across a range of scales and drivers. Post-industrial cities are examples of extreme change to shorelines for ports, trade and urban settlement. Touristic shorelines illustrate an incremental creep of development and/or intentionally created zones. Renewable energy generation is being developed from tidal, wave along the shore and increasingly moving offshore with expansive wind farm arrays. This new legacy builds on already established realms of oil and gas pipeline networks. Much of the marine ream and infrastructure within is invisible to most people. Additionally permitting for projects are typically isolated in space and time, not capturing the incremental addictive picture and impacts. The built world of marine alterations is ever changing the coastal marine sea and oceanscapes, in ways little appreciated, both good and harmful. New ecologies are being formed on artificial reefs and structures, creating fish attraction structures but also stepping stones for invasive species.
This course is one of 3 core for the MSc in Marine Systems and Policies, with the first one (Marine Systems and Policies) largely focusing on marine natural systems and interplay of biophysical dynamics with marine governance and policy.
In light of the above, and to as a complement to full picture of studying marine systems as an integrated socio-ecological system, this ¿marine infrastructure¿ course therefore focuses on studying the diverse scales of human-built alterations in nearshore and offshore coastal and marine systems as drivers of environmental change over time and space, e.g.: coastal tourism, coastal defences, urban waterfronts, managed realignment, artificial reefs, nearshore and offshore energy structures. The course will be structured around a series of guest lectures from NGOs, government and industry working on different projects, and cover project process and dynamics, e.g. design goal, environmental reviews, mitigation, permitting, monitoring.
This ¿built environment¿ dimension will also, be a core input of knowledge to the 3rd MSc MSP core course on field methods described in the overall programme specification and elsewhere.
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| Course description |
This course therefore focuses on studying the diverse scales of human-built alterations in nearshore and offshore coastal and marine systems as drivers of environmental change over time and space, e.g.: coastal tourism, coastal defences, urban waterfronts, managed realignment, artificial reefs, nearshore and offshore energy structures. The course will be structured around a series of guest lectures from NGOs, government and industry working on different projects, and cover project process and dynamics, e.g. design goal, environmental reviews, mitigation, permitting, monitoring.
Week 1. Introductory Lecture around key themes across the coures, e.g.:
a) SES Connections: Ocean biophysical features, history and drivers of marine infrastructure developments from nearshore to offshore, evolving policy priorities, and roles of technology over time.
Evolutions in Project Development Drivers, Strategies, and Processes:
b) Before and after the 1970s: Paradigm shifts from exploitation to conservation; Project Review modalities, Species and Habitat Assessments, Environmental impact reviews, Strategic IAs.
c) Urbanization of the Oceans - Technological Fixes and Future Scenarios
-Hybrid habitats- Restoration, Mitigation, Biodiversity Offsets, No Net Los
- Blue Build: Infrastructure projects as living learning laboratories
- Visualizing the invisible: marine spatial planning and governance
d) Overview of assessments: A1) Group Presentations throughout course on different environmental review/project stages; A2) Individual project papers on infrastructure project process of one's choice.
(NB some of the content flow may change depending on speaker availability).
Week 2. Lecture / Case Studies: Large scale changes: Urbanized Estuaries and Coasts
Ports and cities, urban waterfronts, coastal tourism, phase shifts over time (with Guest Lecturer)
Student Group 1 Presentation: Marine Spatial Planning
Week 3. Lecture / case studies: Infrastructure and Alterations in the coastal marine nearshore:
- seawalls and coastal defences (hard engineering solutions)
- managed realignment (soft engineering solutions)
- artificial reefs (habitat creation)
- Marinas as microcosms of marine Installations
(with Guest Lecturer)
Student Group 2 Presentation: Strategic Impact Assessment Processes
Week 4. Lecture/case studies: Marine Aquaculture
Student Group 3 Presentation: Environmental Impact Assessment Processes
Week 5: Marine Policy Workshop with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Marine Alliance of Science Technology (MASTS) and MSc students from other Scottish universities.
Week 6. NO class Innovative learning week.
Week 7: Lecture / case studies: Tidal and Wave based marine energy installations
Student Group 4 Presentation: Marine mitigation strategies and Restoration
Week 8. Lecture / case studies: Marine Energy Moving offshore / Wind Farms
Student Group 5 - Presentation: Habitats and Species Assessments
Week 9. Lecture / case studies: Offshore marine installations: oil, gas, wind.
Student Group 5 - Presentation: Social Impact Assessments
Week 10: Abstracts Symposium based on Project Review Paper (Assessment 2)
- based on individual choice of topic, technology and scale and time frame.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed
Marine Systems and Policies (PGGE11186) OR
Marine Systems and Policies (UG) (EASC10083)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | If students have not passed the recommended courses they should seek permission from the course organiser for entry to the course on a case by case basis. |
| Additional Costs | 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: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2015 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities |
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
1. Group presentations throughout the course on assigned marine planning themes and processes of environmental reviews and project development stages (50%)
2. Individual project paper analysing overall project dynamics in time and space of one¿s choice. (50%) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- General critical thinking and analytical understanding of diverse drivers and impacts around coastal marine environmental assessments and project management.
- Exposure to different NGO, industry and government perspectives on marine infrastructure projects and projections.
- Organisation skills to plan, execute and report on scientific investigation and management evaluations.
- To participate in individual and team activities toward the completion of assignments and goals.
- Critical thinking with regard to the evaluation of sources of information, the feasibility of management options and interpretation of outcomes.
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Reading List
¿ Bulleri, F and Chapman MG, 2010. The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a driver of change in marine environments. Journal of Applied Ecology Vol 47 (26-35)
¿ Doney, SC et al, 2011. Climate change impacts on marine ecosystems. Annual Review of Marine Science 2012 4:4 (4.1-4.27)
¿ AIROLDI, L. and BECK, M.W. 2007 LOSS, STATUS AND TRENDS FOR COASTAL MARINE HABITATS OF EUROPE Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, 2007, 45, 345-405
¿ Naylor, L.A., Coombes, M.A., Venn, O., Roast, S.D., Thompson, R.C., 2012. Facilitating ecological enhancement of coastal infrastructure: The role of policy, people and planning. Environmental Science & Policy 22, 36¿46
¿ Levrel, H., Pioch, S., Spieler, R. 2012. Compensatory mitigation in marine ecosystems: Which indicators for assessing the ¿¿no net loss¿¿ goal of ecosystem services and ecological functions? Marine Policy 36, 1202¿1210
¿ Chapman, M.G., and Bulleri, F., 2003. Intertidal seawalls¿new features of landscape in intertidal environments. Landscape and Urban Planning 62 (2003) 159¿172
¿ Chapman., M. G., and Blockley, D.J., Engineering novel habitats on urban infrastructure to increase intertidal biodiversity, Oecologia (2009) 161:625¿635
¿ CLYNICK, B. G.. CHAPMAN, M.G. and UNDERWOOD, A.J., 2008
¿ Fish assemblages associated with urban structures and natural reefs in Sydney, Australia. Austral Ecology (2008) 33, 140¿150
¿ Jackson, S.T., Hobbs, R.J., 2009. Ecological Restoration in the Light of Ecological History Science 325, 567-568.
¿ Duarte C.M, Conley, D.J., Carstensen, J. and Sánchez-Camacho, M. 2009.Return to Neverland: Shifting Baselines Affect Eutrophication Restoration Targets. Estuaries and Coasts (2009) 32:29¿36
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Students will acquire and develop the following transferable skills:
1. General critical thinking and analytical understanding of diverse drivers and impacts around coastal marine environmental assessments and project management.
2. Exposure to different NGO, industry and government perspectives on marine infrastructure projects and projections.
3. Organisation skills to plan, execute and report on scientific investigation and management evaluations.
4. To participate in individual and team activities toward the completion of assignments and goals.
5. Critical thinking with regard to the evaluation of sources of information, the feasibility of management options and interpretation of outcomes.
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| Keywords | marine infrastructure, built environments, project development, mitigation, environmental change |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Meriwether Wilson
Tel: (0131 6)50 4311
Email: meriwether.wilson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Olivia Eadie
Tel: (0131 6)51 4657
Email: Olivia.Eadie@ed.ac.uk |
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