Course code: 503209 | Subject title: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENT | ||||
Credits: 6 | Type of subject: Mandatory | Year: 2 | Period: 2º S | ||
Department: Ciencias | |||||
Lecturers: | |||||
IMBERT RODRIGUEZ, JUAN BOSCO (Resp) [Mentoring ] |
General ecology. Ecology applied to agricultural ecosystems. Ecological factors. Cycle of matter and flow of energy in ecosystems. Ecology of populations. Human influence on ecosystems. Contamination of water, soil and, air. Changes in natural and agro-ecosystems. Global change. Sustainable development. Ecosystem services. Environmental legislation. Introduction to the evaluation of environmental impact (EEI)
- R1. To know in theory and practice the structure and function of natural and agricultural ecosystems
- R2. To analyze and interpret the characteristics of living beings and their interaction with biotic and abiotic factors
- R3. To know in theory and practice the conceptual and applied principles of Environmental Impact
- R4. To know the guidelines and procedures of Environmental Impact Assessment of plans, programmes and projects
LEARNING OUTCOMES ENAEE:
ENAEE-4: To become conscious about the multidisciplinary dimension of engineering
ENAEE-16: To become conscious about the implications, technique or not technique, of the practical applications of engineering
ENAEE-19: To show conscience about the responsability needed when working on practical aspects of engineering, the social and environmental impact of engineering, and the commitment to professional and ethical standards such as those involved in practical works
Methodology - Activity | Face-to-face hours | Not face-to-face hours |
A-1 Lectures and participatory teaching | 18 | 45 |
A-2 Practical works | 20 | 20 |
A-3 Discussions, ideas-sharing session, tutoring groups | ||
A-4 Project-based learning work | 18 | 25 |
A-5 Reading materials | ||
A-6 Individual study | ||
A-7 Examinations, assessment tests | 4 | |
A - 8 Individual tutoring | ||
... | ||
Total | 60 | 90 |
Learning outcome |
Assessment activity |
Weight (%) | It allows test resit |
Minimum required grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
R2, R3, R4 | Individual and group written reports. Group work in PBL format. Group oral presentations and written reports | 60% | Partially Up to 25% corresponding to individual and group written reports. For the rest will not be resit | |
R1, R2, R3, R4 | Written exams. The minimum grade in these tests to pass the course will be 5. In case of not reaching this grade, the maximum score in the overall computation will be 4.9 | 40% | Yes | 5 |
If the student did not get the minimum grade to weigh in any of the activities, the grade of the subject would be 4.9 out of 10 at most (fail).
THEORY OUTLINE
Lesson 1. Introduction to ecology and environmental impact. Relationship with other sciences. The scientific method and its application to the resolution of environmental problems.
MODULE 1. INTRODUCTION AND CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM
Lesson 2. The ecosystem. Ecosystem concept. Concepts related to the definition of ecosystem. Examples of ecosystems. Stratification of ecosystems.
Lesson 3. Agricultural ecosystems. Agricultural and livestock farms as ecosystems. Special features of the agricultural systems. Agricultural landscapes.
MODULE 2. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND AGRO-ECOSYSTEMS
Lesson 4. Primary production and plant biomass. Concepts of primary production. Transformation of radiant energy and organic matter in organic matter. Net primary production in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Plant biomass in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Stress and disturbance.
Lesson 5. Secondary production and animal biomass. Trophic webs. Transformation of food in secondary production. Secondary production in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Biomass and biomass pyramids. Stress and disturbance. Animal biomass in agroecosystems. Energy flow on natural and agricultural ecosystems.
Lesson 6. The dead organic matter and its decomposition. Dead organic matter in terrestrial ecosystems. Dynamics of dead organic matter. Factors that control the decomposition of organic matter. Role of organic matter in terrestrial ecosystems. Impact of agriculture on soil organic matter.
Lesson 7. Circulation of matter in the ecosystem. The materials of life. Cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. External and internal cycles of nutrients in ecosystems: agroecosystems, forests and rivers. Examples of alterations in the cycles at the local level.
Lesson 8. Diversity and biodiversity. Definitions. How to measure diversity? Types of diversity. Some relationships between species richness and abundance. Factors that determine the diversity in an ecosystem. Diversity gradients. Spectra of diversity and species loss. Diversity, agriculture and biodiversity.
MODULE 3. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Lesson 9. Introduction to environmental impact. Factors of degradation of the biosphere. Regulation systems. Feedback. Pollution and its ecological implications. Dispersal and movement of polluting substances. Accumulation of pollutants in the food chains.
Lesson 10. Water pollution. Nature and importance of the chemical and biological pollution. Ecological consequences of water pollution. Impact of agriculture on water pollution. Plant protection products. Fertilizers. Eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs. Organic pollution in rivers. Diagnosis of organic pollution of waters. Quality of water. Purification of water.
Lesson 11. Air pollution. Atmospheric pollutants. Mode of action. Influence of air pollution on the biocoenosis and ecosystems. Air pollution and agriculture. Consequences of increased CO2 and temperature on agricultural and forest ecosystems.
Lesson 12. Soil pollution. Soil pollution and agriculture. Phytosanitary products. Fertilizers. Salinization. Heavy metals. Solid waste. Bioremediation and phytoremediation. Use of purification.sludges.
Lesson 13. Global biogeochemical cycles and their disturbance by human activities. Impact of agriculture on the global cycles of C, N and P. Connections between global cycles. Regulation. The Gaia theory.
Lesson 14. Global change. Components. Causes and effects. Changes in natural and agro-food ecosystems. Ecological footprint and sustainability. Ecological engineering. Sustainable development. Ecosystem services.
Lesson 15. International statements and conventions. The EU's environmental policy. Environmental legislation. European, Spanish and regional regulations. Introduction to the evaluation of environmental impact (EEI)
The subject has been structured into three conceptual modules with their corresponding lab sessions:
During the labs, the active participation of the students will be encouraged. Data will be generated by fieldwork, labwork, or with mathematical models. Collected data will then be described, analyzed and discussed, presenting the work as individual or group assignments. In addition, there will be sessions on mathematical problem resolution and gamification activities (role-play games or boardgames) to actively go deeper in understanding and applying the new concepts.
Access the bibliography that your professor has requested from the Library.
Basic
Hill MK. 2020. Understanding environmental pollution. Cambridge
Molles MC, Sher AA. 2018. Ecology. Concepts and applications. McGraw-Hill Education
Weathers KC, Strayer DL, Likens GE. 2020. Fundamentals of Ecosystem Science. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Complementary
Fernandez Alés R, Leiva M. 2003. Ecología para la agricultura. Mundi-Prensa
Houghton J. Global warming. 2018. The Complete Briefing. (5TH edition). Cambridge University Press.
Lovejoy TE, Hannah L.2019. Biodiversity and Climate Change: Transforming the Biosphere. Yale University Press. New Haven.
Orozco C, Serrano A, González MN, Rodríguez FJ, Alfayate JM. 2002. Contaminación ambiental. Una visión desde la química. International Thomson Editores