Wetlands - biodiversity and change (ERASMUS)

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The course is directed to students with an interest in natural and human environment interactions with the emphasis on wetlands ecosystems. English is a prerequisite for students participating in the course.

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The lecture gives general and detail information about the nature of wetlands, also in the realtion to climate change and human influences.

The lectures (15 hours) present information about following characteristics and processes related to wetland ecosystems.

1. The nature of wetlands, classifications, types and main processes.

2. The importance of wetlands in the natural and human environment.

3. The biodiversity of wetlands as the effect of natural and human processes.

4. The vulnerability of wetlands on internal and external processes with the emphasis on climate change and human activities.

5. Temporal and spatial changes of wetlands as the consequence of local and global environmental changes.

6. Wetland management and protection systems.

7. Case studies exampling the main issues connected with the wetland functions, importance and human influences.

Books:

Haslam S.M. 2003. Understanding Wetlands: Fen, Bog and Marsh. Taylor & Francis, London.

Keddy P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation. Cambridge University Press, New York.

Middleton B.A. (Ed.). 2012. Global Change and the Function and Distribution of Wetlands. Springer Science & Business Media, New York.

Mitsch W.J, Gosselink J.G. 2015. Wetlands, fifth edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken.

Websites:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/index_en.htm

http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/pub_wetlands_restore_guide.pdf

http://www.ipcc.ch/

http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/

https://climate.nasa.gov/

https://europe.wetlands.org/

https://www.eea.europa.eu/

https://www.ramsar.org/

https://www.wetlands.org/

The student knows and understands the following:

1. The basic concept of wetlands and their characteristics.

2. The importance of wetlands in the natural and human environment.

3. The relations between natural and human processes according to wetland ecosystems.

4. The wetland management, conservation and protection problems.

5. The place of wetlands within the changing world.

Participation in the lectures and/or an essay on a topic chosen by the student, and connected to the course content.