Introduction to Landscape Ecology and People

This course integrates landscape ecological processes with the impacts that humans have on their environment. It examines environmental management from biological perspectives, but nevertheless recognizes that in order to manages one's environment and its resources one must manage and educate people. Many of world's environmental problems are caused by poverty and a lack of education in environmental issues, whereas in the developed world human greed can also be included as a factor. The philosophy of the course is to explore the evolution of humans and their ever increasing ecological footprint on the world culminating in a review of climate change. As a currency to managing our environment we use "Biodiversity" and this concepts figures predominantly throughout the course. Practical aspects of this course includes introduction to management tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Environmental Legislation.

Cours Topics

Human Evolution
Extinction
Ecological footprints and sustainability
Climate Change
Biodiversity
Population biology - management of natural resources
Disturbance Ecology
Invasive species and GMOs
Restoration Ecology
Conservation Biology - especially conservation planning
Environmental management and legislation
Ecotourism and Green Politics