Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA Urban Studies programme.
Description
Biodiversity is the diversity of life on earth and one of the most important resources for human society. Habitat destruction by agriculture and urbanization is the major cause of decline of biodiversity nowadays worldwide. An increasing part of Earth’s terrestrial surface is becoming urbanized, making it also increasingly important to look, besides the negative effects of urbanization on biodiversity, into the chances for biodiversity and novel ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity for the urban society through its ecosystem services.
In this course we will introduce these aspects through ecological “glasses”, so studying:
the interrelationships between biotic (native and introduced plants and animals, as well as humans) elements themselves, between biotic and abiotic (buildings, pavements, walls, soils, water, climate etc.) elements and the major ecological processes within the urban ecosystem (e.g. nutrient cycles and evolution);
how to manage all these elements to get an optimal green urban environment for both biodiversity and society.
A proper understanding of biodiversity in the urban areas is needed to optimize diversity and profit as much as possible from its natural values and ecosystem services. An adequate management include attention to existing values, green corridors, green walls and roofs, nature inclusive building, proper spatial planning and management (mowing etc.) and good (psychological) communication with companies and public.
Teaching materials and methods includes short lectures, field excursions in The Hague, reading books and articles, assignments including some field work.
This is the Sustainable City Thematic Elective.
Course objectives
The student has acquired:
1) Deepening knowledge on urban landscapes, biodiversity, ecology and evolution
2) Basic skills a.o. biodiversity identification, monitoring and data
3) Basic building blocks solutions e.g. : green services, psychology, building with nature
Timetable
The timetable is available on the Urban Studies website
Mode of instruction
Work group (compulsory attendance)
This means that students have to attend every session of the course. If a student is unable to attend a workgroup, they should inform the lecturer in advance, providing a valid reason for absence. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If they are absent from a workgroup without a valid reason, they can be excluded from the final exam in the course.Excursion
Course Load
Total course load for this course is 10 EC (1 EC equals 28 hours), which equals 280 hours, broken down by:
Attending lectures: 12
Practical work: 90
Attending work groups: 12
Study of compulsory literature: 100
Completing assignment(s), preparing for classes and exams: 62
Assessment hours (exams): 4
Assessment method
Assessment
Mid-term exam
Written exam consisting of short open questions and closed questions (e.g. multiple choice)Final exam
Written exam consisting of short open questions and closed questions (e.g. multiple choice)Abstract and oral presentation
Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Work group grade: abstract and presentation | 40 |
| Mid term exam | 30 |
| Final exam | 30 |
End grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note of the following:
The end grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of the work group grade, midterm exam grade, and final exam grade.
The weighted average of the midterm exam grade and the final exam grade needs to be 5.50 or higher.
This means that failing exam grades cannot be compensated with a high work group grade.
Resit
If the end grade is insufficient (lower than a 6.0), or the final exam grade is lower than 5,50, there is a possibility of retaking the written examination material, replacing the previous exam grade(s). No resit for the work group grade is possible.
Faculty regulations concerning participation in resits are listed in article 4.1 of the Faculty Course and Examination Regulations.
Exam review
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Exam review
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for:
programme
announcements (excursions)
feedback on assignments
.pdfs of introductory lectures
Reading list
Vink. J. et al, 2017, Making urban nature/Stadsnatuur maken, nai010 uitgeverij, Rotterdam
Schilthuizen, M., Darwin comes to town
The additional reading list for the course will be contained in the course syllabus which will be posted on Blackboard before the start of the course.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
Remarks
None.