Postgraduate Course: Ecosystem Services 2: Ecosystem Values and Management (PGGE11169)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences) |
Other subject area | Environmental Courses |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course focuses on the concept of ecosystem services, its history and rise to prominence. We explore the ways in which ecosystem services can be valued, measured and monetized by society, across the spectrum from intrinsic values (aesthetics, inspiration, cultural) to extractive (e.g. fisheries, forestry, mining). Both theoretical and practical applications of ecosystem valuation are explored through case studies of policies and projects, as well as fieldwork in Edinburgh.
Real-world examples of ecosystem services being valued are presented, including payment for ecosystem services projects, biodiversity offsets, certification schemes and REDD+. Students have the opportunity to explore a case study in depth.
The course concludes with a critique of the idea of valuing ecosystem services, looking at the importance of governance and power structures, the difficulties in valuing complex and unpredictable ecosystems, and the trade-offs between efficiency and equity that often occur.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2012/13 Semester 2, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | Main session: Crew Annex 5 | 1-11 | | | | 14:00 - 18:00 | |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1. An appreciation for the role that core ecosystem functions and dynamics play in terms of underpinning critical services for sustainable humanity;
2. Examples by case studies of services e.g. food, coastal protection, carbon capture, water supplies, recreation.
3. Distinctions and diversities of environmental governance mode related to common property and private resource regimes.
4. Capacity to construct and model different applications of non-monetary and monetary economic assessment to ecosystem components and services.
5. Ability to do interdisciplinary scenario analysis examining application of different ecosystem service concepts for different habitat and cultural contexts. |
Assessment Information
| Assessment modes: 'Short response' essays to assigned papers; Fieldwork practical; Group presentations. |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Indicative course outline:
W1. Ecosystem processes, functioning, services and values
W2. Instruments and policies for incorporating Ecosystem services
W3. Practical valuation techniques 1: introduction to concepts
W4. Practical valuation techniques 2: revealed preferences
W5. Practical valuation techniques 3. stated preferences and other appraoches
W6. Fieldwork
W7. Critiques on ES 1: governance and power
W8. Critiques 2: Can we managing complex ecosystems
W9. Critique 3: Trade offs in ES
W10. Presentations
W11. Summary, review
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Timeframe (4 hours class contact time / week)
Indicative delivery mode: a) 1 hour lecture on concepts; b) group presentation of case study, c) interactive lecture or practical around case study.
We will also undertake fieldwork to practice various valuation techniques. |
| Keywords | ecosystem services, valuation, PES, REDD |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Casey Ryan
Tel: (0131 6)50 7722
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Christine Wilson
Tel: (0131 6)50 4866
Email: |
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