GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY

“Global change biology” is a required course for the first year of the master program in Environmental Sciences. This course will provide the knowledge of the impact of the global changes on the living organisms, from individual to the population level. The educational objectives of the course are to understand:
a) changes on the global and local level and how those influence living organisms (both plants and animals),
b) ways in which living organisms respond and adapt to global change and
c) approaches available for managing and/or adapting to impacts of global change.
Particular attention will be directed towards changes caused by human activities and the ways for their mitigation. Students who complete the course will have an advanced understanding of the influence of global change on the biodiversity. They will be able critically to analyze the effect of everyday decisions and actions on different stakeholder levels.

1. Knowledge and understanding
a) Knows the basic terminology used to address global change biology and understand the texts that use it.
b) Knows the different influential factors of global change and understand their impact on living beings.
c) Knows the strategies for adaptation to or mitigation of global change on the biological level, including humans.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
a) Have learned how to properly use the terminology in all the processes of application and communication of the acquired knowledge.
b) Can recognize different factors in the analysis of the causes of global change and evaluate their impact on living beings.
c) Can see the applications of learned strategies in everyday life and to suggest the best possible strategies for different stakeholders.
3. Judgment skills
a) Will learn to choose a subject for independent work.
b) Will learn to formulate scientific hypotheses.
4. Communication skills
a) Know how to communicate the specificities of global change biology using appropriate terminology.
b) Knowing how to interact with peers and with the tutor, in a critical and respectful way.
5. Learning skills
a) Have improved presentation skills by presenting literature review.
b) Have improved reviewer skills by reviewing fellow students works.
c) Have developed skills for critical reading of scientific publications.

Adequate knowledge in general Biology is recommended as background for the course.

1. Introduction to the course, organization, requirements, and deadlines; overview of the subject
2. Global change from the historical perspective: what we know and how it can help us now.
3.-4. Biodiversity: what do we know and what should still be learned. Theories and approaches.
5.-6. Methods for assessment of biodiversity, how to evaluate short and long-term changes; modeling biodiversity.
7.-8. Climate change and its effects on plants and animals; ways for preventing and/or smoothening of the outcomes.
9.-11. Human impact on the environment, plants and animals
12-13. Biocultural diversity: a combination of biological and cultural diversity; how they are interrelated and why adding cultural factor is essential.
14.-15. Two last meetings will be reserved for reporting the independent study.

In the case of a non-attending specific lecture, students will have access to the pdf of the lecture slides and will be required to submit a 1-page referenced (min. 4 references) essay on the subject covered in the missed class, as every class requires active participation.

Required reading:

Selected chapters from:
Newman, J. A. (2011). Climate change biology. CABI.
Maffi, L., & Woodley, E. (2012). Biocultural diversity conservation: a global sourcebook. Routledge.
Goudie, Andrew S. The human impact on the natural environment: past, present, and future. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.

Optional reading:
To be provided during the lectures

The grading:

Active participation in the seminars or essays due to absence – 30 %
Independent study and presentation – 30%
Reviewing two independent studies and debates – 10%
Written exam – 30%

The frontal meetings will be designed in the way that four hours will be split between lecture and discussion approximately in proportion 2/3 and 1/3 respectively. The discussion section will be grounded on the required text for every lecture. There will be fifteen meetings lasting two academic hours.
The independent study will be in the form of a literature review on the chosen subject within the scope of the subject of global change biology. The study will need to lead to a hypothesis or two for prospective future research. Each student will present his or her study to the class; presentation will be accompanied by the disputation with two reviewers from the class.

English

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development