Forestry and Dynamics of Forest Systems

Recommended Background Knowledge 

It is recommended that students take the RADRN CU first, because the project they develop in the SDSF CU uses the data collected in the RADRN CU.

Teaching Methods

To achieve the objectives of the course unit and to provide the students with the expected competences, the teaching learning process is based on the organization of the contents to be taught in: 1) Theoretical-practical type classes in which the theoretical concepts will be presented, illustrated with practical applications, 2) Analysis and discussion in classes of scientific and technical documents, with emphasis on the dynamics of forest ecosystems shaped by disturbances (natural and anthropogenic) or in the framework of the use of time in this UC, it is established that the student will have to develop group work, relying on guidance from the teacher, which materializes in a semester work.

Objectives and Skills to be Developed

The objectives of this course unit translate into the acquisition of 3 fundamental skills: 1) Has knowledge to adapt the uses and functions of forest ecosystems, in order to act with high technical and scientific competence in their use, protection, maintenance and conservation; 2) Establishes appropriate programs, in an ecological and socio-economic context of sustainability for sensitive areas and urban spaces; 3) Establishes restoration programs, in an ecological and socio-economic context of sustainability, of degraded forest ecosystems;

Programme

This Curricular Unit will enable to understand and to evaluate the development of the structure and the specific functions of forest stands, the role of disturbance (natural or anthropogenic) in the change of forest stands and the use of this knowledge in the application of silviculture in the search for varied solutions, considering the various forms of life, within the objectives of forest stand management. The programmatic contents for the acquisition of the 3 competences described are the following:

1.1) Introduction to disturbance and development patterns of forest stands;
1.2) Tree interactions and growth limitation;
1.3) Temporal and spatial invasion patterns of forest species;
1.4) Successional trajectory – initial stand states;
1.5) Tree exclusion states in pure and mixed even-aged stands;
1.6) Development of uneven-aged stands;
2.1) Forest stand development in urban areas.
3.1) Forest recovery at different spatial-temporal scales;
3.2) Evaluation of forest stand development;

Evaluation Methods

Continuous assessment

The assessment is carried out with a theoretical / practical test that has a weight of 50% and a report will be made by group on the proposal of a plan of silvicultural interventions of the forest stand, in which the field information was collected in the UC of RADRN. This component has a weight of 50%, the minimum mark is 7.5 values to determine the final note and the student will be successful if he obtains the minimum final classification of 9.5 values.

Final examination

Assessment by examination includes a theoretical/practical part with a weighting of 50 per cent and an exclusively practical part with a weighting of 50 per cent. The student will be successful if they obtain a minimum final mark of 9.5, where the mark in any of the components can never be less than 7.5 values.

NAO