Vulnerability Assessment of Geo-ecosystems

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

Central themes and key elements are:

1. Island biogeography with emphasis on the role of island size and isolation, geodiversity and landform evolution in influencing species richness and ecological assemblages based on: Island biogeography theory, landscape evolution modelling, habitat suitability and habitat structure inventories to support species distribution modelling (SDMs), (3D) forest inventories (using LiDAR data) dealing with soil/vegetation interactions, landscape roughness and the function of  barrancos in the landscape.
2. Vulnerability assessment of geo-ecological zones, with focus on the Corona Forestal and the agricultural zone: effects of land abandonment on soil recovery, soil erosion, native vegetation succession and competition with introduced plant species, ecosystem engineers, impact of forest fires, invasive species, species distribution or population modelling (SDMs) in the light of land use and climate change.
3. Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Change: soil recovery, native vegetation succession and competition with introduced plant species, multi-temporal remote sensing analysis, multi-criteria analysis of societal and environmental indicators for scenario development,assessing the socioeconomic drivers and impacts of land use change,erosion modelling.
4. Sustainable water management: hydrological stress factors in the landscape,changing socio-economic drivers and their impacts, nature conservation and restoration, sustainable irrigation,crop scenarios, suitability mapping, hydrological modelling, and ecosystem service provision.
5. Geo-ecological response to geomorphologic processes and hazards. Slope stability and natural hazards, volcanic and
   hydro-thermal activity in relation to soil and vegetation succession, soil animal community structure, on various substrates, (ground) water quantity and quality.

Course set-up:

Theoretical information based on literature study, preliminary GIS and remote sensing data analysis will be used to formulate research objectives and accompanying research questions that fit into one of the central research themes on Tenerife. The Dutch template of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) research proposal format will be used to write a pre-proposal that include; experimental design, innovative aspects, societal impact and relevance, theoretical framework, budget and time frame. After presenting and ‘defending’ their pre-proposal, the students will test the feasibility in a fieldwork area on Tenerife. The collected field data will be analyzed in the lab and visualized in a GIS project. The results of the case study will be included and discussed in a final proposal. A separate deliverable is a GIS geodatabase, model results or the outcome of a survey-based research, which will be finalized during and after he fieldwork. The final proposal contains updates on both theoretical background and the results of the acquired field information.

In addition, this course informs on the structure of the Master Earth Sciences, which includes:

• An overview of the (mandatory/elective) courses of the master.
• A presentation of the research groups involved and their main research topics.

Practical information on your Personal Education Programme (PEP) by the master coordinator

Study materials

Literature

• Selection of handbook chapters, research articles and PowerPoint-hand-outs on Blackboard

Syllabus

• Excursion guide

Practical training material

• GIS and RS tutorial

Software

• ArcGIS, ERDAS and other software, to be decided

Objectives

At the end of this course, the student is able to understand the role of earth and ecological sciences in geo-ecological management and research studies, in particular:

• To acquire theoretical and practical experience in studying geo-ecological problems and their management from an earth and ecological science perspective along geo-ecological gradients.
• To design and test a field sampling strategy and to analyze field observations and field samples using ArcGIS, lab-work, modelling and statistical techniques.
• To acquire skills for writing an MSc proposal using the formal proposal template of the Dutch Organization of Science (NWO).
• To facilitate the integration of the first year master student population in the Earth Science master curriculum.

Teaching methods

• Introductory lectures (18 hrs)
• Self tuition: in between other activities
• (GIS) labs (5 days before, 5 days after fieldwork)
• Working group discussions before and during the fieldwork (6 hrs)
• Excursion on Tenerife (2 days)
• Fieldwork on Tenerife (10 days)
• Reporting (5 days per group of three students)
• Presentation (20 min. per group of three students)
• Presentations by heads of the Earth Science chairs about current research structure and topics and by individual lecturers on courses in the Earth Science master (5 hrs)
• Workshop on selection of your study programme in the master Earth Science (4hrs)

Learning activities

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Assessment

The student has passed if the final mark is equal to or higher than 6. Missing grades for an partial assessment means no final grade.

Assignments

Fieldwork

• A two-days excursion will cover most geo-ecological zones during which the geological and geomorphological set-up of the island will be illustrated. Fieldwork takes place in a fieldwork area that runs from the pine forest zone (pinar canariensis) to the lower agricultural zone. Students working in groups of three have the possibility to test their pre-proposal and collect samples, descriptions and relevant information for their proposal.

Pre- and final presentation

• Students present their pre-proposal (I) and final proposal (II) before the field work and in a closing session after the fieldwork. Goal is to gain experience in presenting a research in an effective, convincing and complete way.

Pre-proposal

• A group of three students will write a pre-proposal according to the Dutch NWO format (template available on the Canvas learning environment). The topic is based on information from lectures, from a literature review and by developing ideas, research objectives and research questions that fit within the course content of this year.

Tools datasets

• This deliverable a GIS geodatabase, project files and metadata descriptions. For lab work details of lab analyses should de described. In case of model use/codes, the codes should be included and model settings explained in detail.

Fina Proposal

• Students improve their pre-proposal based on the information gained in Tenerife and post-fieldwork analyses. The final proposal includes the main results from the fieldwork and analysis campaign that supports the proposal content.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Costs

1. €175,- contribution to housing and local traffic
2. Costs of plane ticket Ams-TFS-Ams
3. Local consumables

Min/max participants

50 students

Recommended prior knowledge

Basic knowledge of earth sciences (geology / geomorphology, soil science) and ecology (ecosystem functioning,  succession,conservation, biodiversity), basic GIS skills; students should contact the course coordinator before the start of the course for updating or refreshing their prior knowledge.

Remarks

The students that enrolled for this course will receive information on logistics, timing, and other necessary information 4-6 weeks before the start of the course. Be sure that you have been officially admitted to the MSc Earth Science by September 1st and that you have finished your BSc. Having bought a flight ticket is not a reason for admission to this course. For insurance and safety issues: see the course page on Blackboard http://blackboard.ic.uva.nl

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. A.C. Seijmonsbergen

Staff

• dr. ir. J.H. van Boxel
• dr. L.H. Cammeraat
• dr. A.M. Kooijman
• dr. ir. E.E. van Loon
• Sietze Norder MSc
• Gerard Oostermeijer
• J.R. Parsons
• dr. Kenneth Rijsdijk
• A. Tietema
• dr. Coyan Tromp
• prof. dr. W.P. de Voogt