BIOL3701 Restoration Ecology - Flinders University

Overview

The world has billions of hectares of degraded ecosystems and faces a biodiversity crisis. In response, the UN has just initiated the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration this year and the global community has set aspirational targets to restore 350 million hectares by 2030 under The Bonn Challenge. Restoration ecology is a young discipline. The science of restoration is by no means settled and emerging technologies are pushing the boundaries of the very identity of what restoration is. Great debates and punctuated shifts in norms have resulted. In this topic, students will investigate why and how to restore today’s ecosystems and biodiversity. This topic will provide students the opportunity to be part of the next generation of restoration ecologists, who will ultimately be responsible for turning the global environmental tide from decline and degradation to repair and restoration.

Topic availabilities

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Tuition pattern

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Aims

This topic will evaluate the theoretical and technical scientific basis and practice of restoration ecology. Students will analyse a range of ecological processes underlying ecosystem degradation and ecosystem restoration. They will evaluate current practices of ecosystem restoration to recover degraded ecosystems (e.g. mining rehabilitation, post-agricultural restoration, marine/aquatic ecosystem restoration), as well as find solutions to unresolved issues and technical challenges in the practice of ecosystem restoration (e.g. climate change, novel ecosystems). Students will also examine the values provided by biodiversity in supplying ecosystem services and ecosystem functions, and how restoration can be used to return these valuable ecosystem components.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this topic you will be expected to be able to:

Discuss the theoretical and technical scientific basis of restoration ecology

Analyse a range of ecological processes underlying ecosystem degradation and ecosystem restoration

Examine the value of biodiversity in supplying ecosystem services and ecosystem functions

Evaluate current practices of ecosystem restoration to recover degraded ecosystems

Find solutions to unresolved issues and technical challenges in the practice of ecosystem restoration

Apply skills gained in problem solving, critical thinking, and in the development of written and oral presentations

Assessments

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Current students should refer to FLO for detailed assessment information, including due dates. Assessment information is accurate at the time of publishing.

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Requisites information

Anti-requisites:

Handbook

Restoration Ecology

BIOL3701