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Training

Eco Services Group
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ASU Courses

SOS 535/BIO 598: Biodiversity and ecosystem services

Spring 2008 Outline (PDF)

Semester hours: 4

Course instructors: John Briggs, Ann Kinzig, Les Landrum and Charles Perrings

Teaching assistant: Clea Senneville

Assessment: Term paper (25%), Presentation (25%), Mid term exam (50%)

Pre-requisites: No formal pre-requisites, however students will be expected to have demonstrated competence in basic microeconomics, ecology and mathematics at the undergraduate level.

Aims: To enable students to understand the characteristics of biodiversity, its role in ecosystem functioning and the supply of ecosystem services, and its importance for human well-being. To identify options for the sustainable and efficient use of biodiversity.

Learning Outcomes
Students are expected to develop the following skills:

  • to understand the principles of taxonomy and to be able to identify Sonoran desert plants
  • to understand the relation between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services and human well-being
  • to be able to derive the value of biodiversity under different land uses
  • to be able to identify the regulatory, policy and management options for the sustainable use of biodiversity

In the field work/lab component of the course students will learn:

  • to recognize a range of plants as well as some species from other taxonomic groups
  • to measure plant cover
  • to make observations on the impact of different land uses on plant distributions and abundances
  • to do some soil analysis.

Outline: The course comprises lectures, field work, labs and seminars. Lectures provide essential information the concepts, methods and techniques required. Field work at sites in the upper Sonoran desert provide practical experience in species identification, and observations on the relation between biodiversity and measures of ecosystem services (water, grazing, recreation). Labs are used to process and analyze material/data obtained in the field. Student term papers are presented and discussed in seminars.

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