Environmental protection

elementary

BI1_W01, BI1_W03,BI1_W04,BI1_W06

Discussion of the problems related to environment degradation on the global and country scale and methods of environment protection.

Discussion of the problems related to habitat degradation and biodiversity decline.

Forms and methods of nature conservation.

Preliminary requirements: basic knowledge on botany, zoology and ecology

Lecture topics:

1. Basic terminology. Impact of man on the environment in the historical perspective.

2. Why is the protection of nature and environment worth and necessary? Renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Usefulness of nature. Ethical, esthetical and cognitive reasons for the protection of natural environment.

3. Global environmental problems: air pollution, water pollution and deficiencies, soil degradation, problem with wastes, ozone layer depletion, greenhouse effect, threats for biodiversity.

4. The state of natural environment in Poland.

5. Biodiversity: landscapes and ecosystems.

6. Biodiversity: species and genetic diversity.

7. The causes of biodiversity decline.

8. Protection of species. Assessment of the threats for species, red lists and red books.

9. In situ forms of nature conservation: protected areas (national park, nature reserve, landscape park, Natura 2000 protected areas), natural monuments.

10. Review of national parks and selected nature reserves in Poland.

11. System of Natura 2000 protected areas in Poland.

12. Ex situ nature conservation (botanical and zoological gardens, substitute sites and transplanted populations) and other forms of active protection (reintroductions, restitution).

13. Conservation of anthropogenic habitats and cultural landscapes, old races and varieties of domestic animals and cultivated plants, agro-environmental schemes.

14. Protection of nature in the international scale: international conventions and agreements, global networks of protected areas, international organizations on nature conservation.

15. Legal, organizational and financial system of the protection of nature and environment in Poland: legislative acts, administrative organs, advisory organs, NGOs, funds.

Basic literature:

1. Symonides E. 2008 – Ochrona przyrody. Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

2. Pullin A. S. 2007 – Biologiczne podstawy ochrony przyrody. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.

3. Dobrzańska B., Dobrzański G., Kiełczewski D. 2009 – Ochrona środowiska przyrodniczego. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.

Supplementary literature:

1. Wilson E. O. 1999 – Różnorodność życia. PIW.

2. Wilson E. O. 2003 – Przyszłość życia. Zysk i S-ka.

3. Leńkowa A. 1988 – Oskalpowana Ziemia. Wydawnictwo „Śląsk”.

1. Knowledge

a. Student understands basic ecological processes and phenomena that provide scientific fundamentals for the protection of nature and environment

b. has a knowledge on the most important problems of the protection of nature and environment and knows their connections with various disciplines of natural science

c. knows the basic terminology on the protection of nature and environment, the development of this discipline and the methods used in it

d. understands relationships between the achievements of the protection of nature and environment and the possibilities of their socio-economic utilization, including sustainable exploatation of biodiversity resources

2. Skills

a. understands the literature on the protection of nature and environment in Polish; can read with comprehension simple scientific texts in English

b. makes use of available sources of information, including electronic ones, on the protection of nature and environment

c. draws conclusions based on data from various sources

d. can learn individually in a purposeful manner

3. Competence

a. understands the need of permanent learning

b. correctly identifies and solves professional dilemmas

c. understands the need of raising professional and personal competences

d. shows the necessity of permanently updating the topical knowledge

ECTS description:

participation in the lecture - 30 h

preparation to the examination - 20 h

total - 50 h

ECTS scores - 50/25 = 2