SYLLABUS
COURSE TITLE
FACULTY/INSTITUTE
COURSE CODE
DEGREE PROGRAMME
FIELD OF STUDY
LAND USE ECOLOGY
BIOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE
DEGREE LEVEL
FORMA STUDIÓW/STUDY
MODE
YES
COURSE FORMAT
Lectures; Field study; Workshop and seminars;
Individual meetings
SUMMER
ANDRZEJ BOBIEC
YEAR AND SEMESTER
NAME OF THE TEACHER
COURSE OBJECTIVES

explain and be able to discuss the influence of various forms of land use, with particular
respect of rural landscapes and forests, on species, communities and ecosystems;
 explain and be able to discuss the evidence of ecological trends caused by historic
changes in the use of land;
 explain and be able to discuss the processes involved in cell-cell communication,
 provide basics for the knowledge-based assessment and forecasting impacts of various
forms of land use on biodiversity;
 develop/ improve skills necessary for the effective communication of conservation
messages related to the use of land
 develop skills in performing collaborative research
PREREQUISITES
Good communication, reading and writing English;
High school ecology level
KNOWLEDGE:
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students will be aware of the effects of the particular forms
of land use on biodiversity on various spatial scales;
They will understand the way, in which agriculture and
forestry have been shaping the European biodiversity
SKILLS:
Students will be able to perform basic assessment of the
actual and potential impact of land use on ecological
processes and biodiversity
SOCIAL COMPETENCES:
Students will be able to initiate activities aimed to increase
the public awareness of benefits and hazards related with the
impact of land use on habitats and living communities
COURSE ORGANISATION –LEARNING FORMAT AND NUMBER OF HOURS
Lectures: 10 hrs
Field study: 4-days (32 hrs)
Indoor workshop and seminars: 15 hrs
Individual meetings: 1 hr
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course has been designed to introduce the students to the problems related to the influence of
various form of land use – both historic and contemporary – on terrestrial biodiversity. In particular
we will consider the following topics:
- Land use history in Europe
- Agricultural revolutions and their impact on environment and biodiversity
- Forest use vs. forest management: effects on ecosystems and living communities
- Forest protection in managed forests vs. conservation management and preservation
- Wildlife response to the use of land
- Contemporary megatrends related to changes in the use of land and their impact on
biodiversity
- Analysis of case studies representing various forms of land use and their influence on
ecosystems
- Protection vs. utilization of biodiversity: the unavoidable alternative?
- Campaigning for biodiversity-friendly land use
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
Lecture, Discussion, Critical analysis of topical
readings, Analysis of audio/video materials, Field work
(observations, assessments, questionnaire), Reporting
and presenting results
REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENTS Attendance is expected in all lectures, field study, and
indoor workshop/seminars
Assessment for this course is carried out in many
different ways. It takes into consideration both
knowledge of the lecture but also critical thinking
skills, technical skills, communication skills and
collaborative skills.
GRADING SYSTEM
Warm-up quizzes
10%
Partial assessments
20
Reporting and presenting 20
Final exam
50
TOTAL STUDENT WORKLOAD
NEEDED TO ACHIEVE EXPECTED
LEARNING OUTCOMES EXPRESSED
IN TIME AND ECTS CREDIT POINTS
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION
INTERNSHIP
MATERIALS
Grading scale: >50-60%
>60-70
>70-80
>80-90
>90
Lectures:
10 hrs
Field study:
32 hrs
Indoor wrkp:
15 hrs
Individual:
1 hr
Reading and homework: 50 hrs
In total:
106 hrs 4 ECTS
English
n.a.
PRIMARY OR REQUIRED BOOKS/READINGS:

Bobiec A (2012) Białowieża Primeval Forest as a remnant


of culturally modified ancient forest – European Journal
of Forest Research 131: 1269–1285
Hodder KH, Bullock JM, Buckland PC, Kirby KJ (2005)
Large herbivores in the wildwood and modern
naturalistic grazing systems. English Nature Research
Reports No. 648, Peterborough
Rios-Diaz M, Mosquera-Losada R, Rigueiro-Rodriguez A
(2006) Biodiversity indicators on silvopastoralism across
Europe. EFI Technical Report 21
SUPPLEMENTAL OR OPTIONAL BOOKS/READINGS:
 Bendel M, Tinner W, Ammann B (2006) Forest dynamics
in the Pfyn forest in recent centuries (Valais,
Switzerland, Central Alps): interaction of pine (Pinus
sylvestris) and oak (Quercus sp.) under changing land
use and fire frequency. The Holocene 16,1: pp. 81-89
 Bergmeier E, Petermann J, Schröder E (2010)
Geobotanical survey of wood-pasture habitats in
Europe: diversity, threats and conservation. Biodivers
Conserv 19: 2995–3014
 Bonn S (2004) Dispersal of plants in the Central
European landscape – dispersal processes and
assessment of dispersal potential exemplified for
endozoochory. Dissertation zur Erlangung des
Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. Nat.)
der Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät III – Biologie und
Vorklinische Medizin – der Universität Regensburg.
Stuttgart
 Bruun HH, Fritzbøger B (2002) The past impact of
livestock husbandry on dispersal of plant seeds in the
landscape of Denmark. Ambio 31: 425-431
 Vera FWM (2000) Grazing ecology and forest history.
CABI, Wallingford