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2020　Introduction to global and local ecology

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Academic unit or major
Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Instructor(s)
Nakamura Takashi 
Class Format
Lecture    (ZOOM)
Media-enhanced courses
Day/Period(Room No.)
Mon1-2(H136)  Thr1-2(H136)  
Group
-
Course number
TSE.A312
Credits
2
Academic year
2020
Offered quarter
1Q
Syllabus updated
2020/9/18
Lecture notes updated
-
Language used
Japanese
Access Index

Course description and aims

Multiple environmental stresses including global environmental changes, e.g. global warming and ocean acidification, and local anthropogenic stresses, e.g. water pollution, are seriously affecting various ecosystems. In order to understand these effects quantitatively, it is necessary to understand the sustaining mechanisms of global and local environmental systems and ecosystems, and the processes of ecosystem responses to various environmental stresses. Moreover, understanding the actual situation concerning the effects of global/local-scale environmental stresses on ecosystems, and elucidating the relationship between the causes and the socio-economic structure are also needed. Then, to develop a sustainable social system by conserving ecosystems, it is important to elucidate the interactions between the social-system, which has two dimensions as a stress source and a stress controller, and the ecosystem, and to consider the entire system as a socio-ecological system.
The aim of this class is to understand the sustaining mechanisms of global and local environmental systems and ecosystems, to understand ecosystem dynamics under multiple environmental changes and environment-ecosystem interactions, and to understand the importance of understanding environmental problems in a socio-ecological system framework. For this purpose, the necessity of integrating various/broad/comprehensive points of view is shown through several case studies. Through lectures and group discussions on selected themes, students are expected to acquire the abilities to understand problem structures from such various viewpoints and propose solutions.

Student learning outcomes

By the end of this class, students will be able to:
(1) understand the sustaining mechanisms of global and local environmental systems and ecosystems,
(2) understand ecosystem dynamics under multiple environmental changes and environment-ecosystem interactions,
(3) understand the importance of understanding environmental problems from various/broad/comprehensive points of view in a socio-ecological system framework,
(4) acquire the abilities to understand problem structures from various viewpoints and propose solutions.

Keywords

ecology, global environments, regional/local environments, ecosystem, environmental conservation, socio-ecological system

Competencies that will be developed

✔ Specialist skills Intercultural skills Communication skills ✔ Critical thinking skills Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

From class 1 to class 8 of this course, lectures about each topic are scheduled. In the later 5 classes, group work is conducted for developing education material for the understanding ecosystem and its conservation or rehabilitation. At the end of this course, presentations and demonstrations of the products will be made to summarize the group works.

Course schedule/Required learning

  Course schedule Required learning
Class 1 Introduction, basic feature of ecosystems/ecosystems in danger Understand the overview of characteristics about global/local ecosystems, and recent critical situations on ecosystems.
Class 2 Global climate change and its driving forces Understand the overview of recent situations on global climate change, and its driving forces.
Class 3 Global carbon cycle Understand global scale carbon cycle and its driving forces
Class 4 Basics of mathematical ecology and ecosystem modeling Introduce the basics of mathematical ecology, explain basic equation for expressing ecosystem, and understand the basics of ecosystem modeling.
Class 5 Features on coastal environments Understand several environmental factors affecting coastal ecosystems, such as tide, current, upwelling, and understand these driving forces
Class 6 Environmental features and problems of coastal ecosystems Explain environmental problems with case studies on tidal flats, seaweed/seagrass bed, mangrove ecosystems.
Class 7 Environmental features and problems of coral reef ecosystem Explain environmental problems with case studies on coral reef ecosystems.
Class 8 Ecosystem conservation strategy based on socio-ecological system framework Explain the importance of understanding environmental problems from the viewpoint of socio-ecological system framework, and discuss about how to implement resilient and sustainable systems.
Class 9 Group work (1) Conduct theme selection for group work and literature searching.
Class 10 Group work (2) Develop an education material for the understanding ecosystem and its conservation or rehabilitation
Class 11 Group work (3) Develop an education material for the understanding ecosystem and its conservation or rehabilitation
Class 12 Group work (4) Develop an education material for the understanding ecosystem and its conservation or rehabilitation
Class 13 Group work (5) Develop an education material for the understanding ecosystem and its conservation or rehabilitation
Class 14 Group presentation Make a presentation and demonstration of the developed environmental education material through the group works

Out-of-Class Study Time (Preparation and Review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

Nothing

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Handout will be distributed before the beginning of class via OCW-i.

Assessment criteria and methods

Learning achievement is evaluated by combining results from quizzes/short reports in every class (60 %), group presentation (20 %), and products of the group work (20 %).

Related courses

  • GEG.E401 ： Global Environmental System and Ecosystem Dynamics
  • TSE.A335 ： Basic theory of regional and global environment 1
  • TSE.A336 ： Basic theory of regional and global environment 2
  • CVE.B310 ： Coastal Engineering and Oceanography

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

Nothing

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