701-0324-00L  Rain Forest Ecology

SemesterFrühjahrssemester 2016
DozierendeC. Kettle, J. Ghazoul, C. D. Philipson
Periodizitätjährlich wiederkehrende Veranstaltung
LehrspracheEnglisch


KurzbeschreibungTropical rain forests contain most of the world's terrestrial biodiversity as well as immense carbon stores, and support the livelihoods of 1.5 billion people. This course addresses the ecology and management of tropical rain forests with a view to understanding the impact of land use change on their biodiversity, as well as food security, carbon storage, poverty alleviation and climate change.
LernzielThe course has several learning objectives organised in three sections:

Overview of rain forest formations
1. Explore the diversity and functioning of one of the world's most important biomes: tropical rain forests.

The ecology and dynamics of rain forest systems
2. Introduce and evaluate competing ecological and biogeographic theories of species coexistence.
3. Understand how interacting ecological processes acting over multiple time and spatial scales can shape patterns of species diversity.
4. Explore how species, functional groups and environment interact to shape rain forest structure and function.

Conservation and management of tropical rain forest regions
5. Recognise and understand the complexity of threats facing rain forests and their implications to human wellbeing.
6. Apply ecological theory and ecosystem understanding to current conservation challenges.
7. Understand conservation and land management strategies in the tropics and evaluate the conditions for their success

A primary objective of the course is to encourage students to use basic ecological knowledge to infer conclusions and evaluate strategies that address more applied environmental challenges. In so doing students would be encouraged to draw upon the ecological knowledge gained from this course, but also from other courses in ecology, ecological genetics, ecosystem function, conservation, agriculture and land use.
InhaltThe course will first address the fundamental ecological processes underlying tropical rain forest form, diversity and function. Building upon this foundation, issues of more applied relevance will be introduced, including threats to rain forests and their biodiversity, and strategies for biodiversity conservation forest protection. This will gradually be developed to incorporate increasingly broader and global considerations that are highly relevant to tropical rain forests including land use in the context of increasing global food demands and the need to reduce global carbon emissions. The course will draw on ecological theory, biodiversity assessment, economic theory, remote sensing technologies, spatial modelling, environmental services, ecosystem management and land use planning, and will therefore be complementary to a variety of other courses offered at Bachelor and Masters level.
SkriptLeture notes will be provided as necessary for each session. A list of references and case studies will also be given. Several classes will incorporate class discussions of conservation-relevant issues and material will be provided in support of such discussions.
LiteraturGhazoul, J and Sheil, DS (2010) Tropical rain forest ecology, diversity and conservation. Oxford University Press. And topical papers selected from the recent literature