ENVS6525
Sustainability and Ecosystem Health
10 Units
Available in 2014
| WebLearn GradSchool | Trimester 2 |
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Previously offered in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
Sustainability and Ecosystem Health offers a systematic examination of an emergent paradigm in environmental management, ecosystem health. It explores ecosystem health (also known as 'ecoheath') via the theoretical perspectives and methodologies of complexity and transdisciplinarity. The ecosystem health paradigm examines environmental issues using key indicators of system health such as integrity, resilience, vigour, diversity, stability and adaptability. Major environmental issues are analysed from a complex adaptive systems perspective with humans and their institutions seen as integral parts of socio-ecological systems, i.e. a 'humans in the ecosystem' approach. The Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia provides a rich setting for case studies at the regional level. Other case studies are explored, including human induced climate change and global warming at the biosphere scale. Links between complex adaptive socio-ecological systems at varied scales are also explored. All case studies are used to highlight interdependencies and opportunities for diagnosing, maintaining or restoring ecosystem and human health.
| Objectives | On completion of the course students will be able to: 1. Explain the relationship between complexity, transdisciplinarity, ecosystem health and ultimately, sustainability 2. Critically evaluate key components of ecosystem health theory 3. Use ecosystem health theory to interpret, understand and analyse real world case studies in complex adaptive systems 4. Apply ecosystem health theory to a scenario with which they have personal experience as a practical example of how to maintain or restore ecosystem health. |
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| Content | Theme 1: Basic Concepts - Critical perspectives on sustainability - Ecosystem health: An indicator of sustainability Theme 2: Sustainability and Ecosystem Health within Complex Adaptive Systems - Ecological and social systems as linked complex adaptive systems - Feedback, thresholds and flip points - Panarchy and scale - Resilience, adaptability and vulnerability - Sustainability indicators: a systems approach Theme 3: Case Study in Sustainability, Ecosystem Health and Transformation - Social learning, adaptive management and governance for ecosystem health and sustainability - The Hunter region of NSW, Australia Theme 4: Creating Sustainable Futures - Individual case studies as identified by students |
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| Replacing Course(s) | ENVS6520 - Sustainability | ||||||
| Transition | Not to count with ENVS6520. | ||||||
| Industrial Experience | 0 | ||||||
| Assumed Knowledge | NA | ||||||
| Modes of Delivery | Distance Learning : IT Based | ||||||
| Teaching Methods | Email Discussion Group
Problem Based Learning Forums Self Directed Learning |
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| Assessment Items |
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| Contact Hours | Self Directed Learning: for 10 hour(s) per Week for Full Term | ||||||
| Timetables | 2014 Course Timetables for ENVS6525 |