Ecosystem-based management I

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is a new approach to manage the human activities that affect ecosystems. Students will learn the difference between EBM and a single-species approach to management, as well as the major principles for application of EBM. The scientific concepts in EBM will be contrasted to the UN principles for the ecosystem approach, and challenges for its policy making and implementation will be examined. Managing human activities also requires understanding of the underlying drivers of ecosystem change and their impacts on ecosystem services. In this regard the analytic framework of the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment will be discussed.

The course will draw on examples from the management of ocean, coastal, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.

The teacher will provide an overview of the course during 36hrs lectures

In the colloquium (48 hrs) students will either i) prepare answers to pre-defined questions which will be discussed with other students and supervised by a seminar leader, and ii) present articles. Questions discussed on seminars could be brought up on the oral exam.

The students will write one short essay (2000 words) on a theme given 14 days before delivery.

Students will work in teams to develop a plan for implementing ecosystem-based management in a specified locality. Supervision seminars will be arranged every second week (16 hr in total)

Portifolio exam

The students will be assessed on the basis of the teamwork (20%), the essay (40%) and the oral exam (40%). Students will be given questions 24 hr in advance to prepare for the oral exam. The marking scale ranges from A (best) to F (fail).

Readings will be presented at the first lecture, and articles that will be presented in seminars will be delivered one week in advance.