Code: | AMB335 | Acronym: | AMB335 |
Keywords | |
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Classification | Keyword |
OFICIAL | Options areas AGR / AMB / AP / B |
Active? | Yes |
Responsible unit: | Department of Biology |
Course/CS Responsible: | Bachelor in Biology |
Acronym | No. of Students | Study Plan | Curricular Years | Credits UCN | Credits ECTS | Contact hours | Total Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
L:B | 49 | Plano de estudos a partir de 2008 | 3 | - | 5 | 42 | 135 |
This discipline aims at giving the students the possibility to make an accurate assessment of the environment that surrounds them, giving them scientific information about environmental legislation; environmental economics; environmental impact assessment; nature conservation; and pollution of the different components of the biosphere. The history of the Portuguese environmental reality during the last 80 years is also presented.
When asked to evaluate an environmental situation, the student should be be able to identify the mains natural and anthropic processes taken place; correctly identify the main natural, economic, social and ethic implications associated to the situation; propose lines of action that contribute to the satisfactory solution of the problem, justifying technically and scientifically its options.
The learning outcomes of the discipline translate in the development of the skills previously defined.
Theoretical classes
1 - Environmental legislation
2 - Environmental economics - Property rights; "res nullius" and "res communis"; public goods; congestionable and non rival in consumption; externalities and the Coase theorem; exploitation of renewable and non renewable natural resources; economic consequences of pollution.
3 - Environmental impact assessment - the EIA process; the EIA legislation (European and Portuguese); case studies.
4 - Contamination and pollution of the biosphere - pollution as a breakdown of the ecological cycles; main pollutants in the biosphere: dispersion, circulation, interactions, bioaccumulation and bioamplification.
5 - Water pollution and its consequences - water quality norms in Portugal; the water framework directive.
6 - Urban residues - concepts and definitions; types of residues; incinerators and landfills; recycling and reusing.
7 - Atmospheric pollution - concepts and definitions; movement of gases in the atmosphere. Climate and weather. The greenhouse effect. Climatic changes.
8 - Bioindicators - relations between organisms and the environment; the most commonly used bioindicators; biotic indexes. Macroinvertebrates. Functional guilds. Biotic indexes IBMWP, IBB and IPTIN.
9 - Nature conservation - main European and Portuguese legislation; the Portuguese protected areas; Natura 2000 network; REN; RAN; alien species.
10 - Environmental ethics. Definitions and main schools of thought.
11 - Field biology and bioogical hazards.
12 - The history of the Portuguese environmental reality during the last 80 years.
13 - Different approaches to the problem of climate change.
Practical classes
1 - Sources of environmental information - web sites of the main national and international institutions giving information about the environment
2 - Introduction to GIS techniques - geographic and cartesian coordinates; military maps; Atlas do Ambiente; Google Earth; Quantum GIS.
3 - Calculation of the biotic indexes IBMWP and IBB.
Theoretical classes, using slide show presentations and case study analysis. Practical classes to execute several techniques related to environmental problems.
designation | Weight (%) |
---|---|
Exame | 100,00 |
Total: | 100,00 |
designation | Time (hours) |
---|---|
Frequência das aulas | 42,00 |
Total: | 42,00 |
Frequency of the classes, in the terms of the general legislation and regulations applicable. Minimum grade of 9.5 in 20 in the final exam.
Final exam - 100%
In the terms of the general legislation and regulations applicable.