832339 Habitat suitability and biotop management

Type
Lecture and seminar
Semester hours
3
Lecturer (assistant)
Kunz, Florian , Nopp-Mayr, Ursula
Organisation
Offered in
Wintersemester 2024/25
Languages of instruction
Deutsch
Content

In the course, basic wildlife-habitat-relationships in both terrestrial habitats habitats are presented. Thereby, basic principles of habitat suitability as well as referring changes in the course of phenology, succession and various disturbances (both natural and human-induced) are discussed. Subsequently, protection of habitats via habitat-networks and other aspects of habitat conservation are outlined. A big issue of the course are different habitat evaluation procedures, comprising general (multivariate) stats as well as wildlife-specific, partially mechanistic procedures. During the presence phase of the course, a mechanistic habitat modell is developed by the students. The seminar of the course is held via elearning in BOKUlearn, where groups of students write a scientific paper on a given wildlife-habitat-question. The referring seminar papers are then reviewed within the group of students.
Previous knowledge expected

basic statistics
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

After passing the course, a student recognizes the meaning of different biotopes/habitats in terms of biodiversity and he/she is able to outline human impact on habitat suitability. The student has he competence to depict different options in habitat management, e.g., the creation and promotion of habitat networks (including stepping stones and corridors). Additionally, the student can specify a selection of important procedures, ranging from general, multivariate (explanatory or prognostic) stats up to wildlife-specific, partially non-parametric approaches. After passing the seminar, the student is able to identify relevant specialist literature and to cite and reflect it correctly. The student has the ability to interpret wildlife-habitat-relations causally, to contrast different habitat evaluation procedures and to question them in a critical way. In newly evolving questions of habitat modelling, the student can make a substantiated choice within a palette of available procedures; he/she can partially further develop existing approaches and interpret them comparatively. Based on this, the student is able to give a generally valid judgment of wildlife-habitat-models, which allows him/her for decision-making in management questions and in multiple-use-problems.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.