Course Syllabus
Synopsis
Introduction to estuarine ecology. Uses of estuaries. Human impact assessment: physical perturbation and pollution, and their effects. Management: status assessment and monitoring.
Aims
To provide an introduction to a) estuarine ecology, highlighting the estuarine naturalistic and ecosystem service values; b) the analysis of the causes and consequences of estuarine degradation; c) identification and evaluation of human pressures and d) estuarine management.
Objectives
At the end of the Unit, the student should:
- Understand the basic concepts of estuarine ecology.
- Be able to identify the important functions of estuaries, including benefits to humans, the factors that affect estuarine health and the actions that can be taken to improve the health of estuaries.
- Have gained knowledge of the procedures and tools to monitor changes in abiotic and biotic conditions and to assess the health of estuaries.
Key Skills Acquired
At the end of the Unit, studentsshould have achieved the following skills:
- Search for and access scientific information (paper and online literature).
- Write reports, give oral presentations and discuss results.
- Measure basic oceanographic water column variables.
- Use of basic data treatment methods.
Programme
- Estuarine habitats and communities: Definition and circulation in estuaries. Pelagic habitats and plankton communities. Benthic habitats and communities. Associated subsystems. Nekton. Birds.
- Socioeconomic values,human uses and impacts: Natural resources. Urbanization, industry and commerce. Tourism and recreation. Other activities.Physical changes and habitat loss. Pollution: enrichment, unhealthiness and toxins. Overharvest and overfishing. Biological invasions.
- Basics of estuarine management: Definition and goals. Social and scientific visions. Status assessment. Conservation. Recovery: cleaning, restoration and rehabilitation. Monitoring.
Practical works:
- Seminar 1: Oral presentations reporting on environmental and biological characteristics, main resources and uses, major problems and possible solutions for a particular estuary.
- Fieldwork 1: Boat work recording environmental data, to identify particular environmental problems in a humanized system: the estuary of Bilbao.
- Fieldwork 2: Visit and assessment of the status of the relatively well conserved estuary of Urdaibai through the identification of naturalistic and recreational values as well as human impacts.
- Computer session:field data treatment.
- Seminar2: Discussion of field results and conclusions.
Learning & Teaching:
- Formal Lectures: 8 h.
- Seminar sessions: (literature data search and reporting, result interpretation): 10 h.
- Boat work (recording environmental data): 9 h.
- In situ identification of naturalistic and recreational values as well as human impacts in an estuary: 9 h.
- Computer session (field data treatment and interpretation): 4 h.
Teaching Staff: A. Iriarte& I. Uriarte
Semester: 2
Timetable slot: To be advised
ECTS: 4
Level: Optional
Bibliography: Delivered during the course
Assessment:
- Oral presentation (25%)
- Fieldwork 1 (25%)
- Fieldwork 2 (25%)
- Attendance and activities during lectures (25%)
Course Evaluation
By completion of University Unit Evaluation Questionnaire by students, annual assessment by Unit Coordinator.