Goods and Services of Ecosystems

N/A

Not available

The students must be able to:

1.1 Define biodiversity, ecosystem services and ecology;

1.2 Enumerate and describe environmental factors (biotic and abiotic) and indicate adaptations of living beings to these factors;

1.3 Distinguish the elements that make up an ecosystem and explain the interrelationships between them;

1.4 Explain the mechanisms for maintaining and breaking the ecological balance;

1.5 Explain the flows of matter and energy along food chains;

1.6 Distinguish between food chains and webs;

2.1 Enumerate and describe the various types of biome existing on the planet and identify their typical location;

2.2 Indicate the various types of biome existing in the EU and in Portugal;

3.1 Distinguish between natural and artificial ecosystems;

3.2 List and describe the various types of ecosystem services;

4.1 List and describe strategies for conservation of nature and biodiversity and identify authorities for such conservation;

4.2 Give examples of international agreements with a view to the conservation of nature and biodiversity;

5.1 Distinguish between Environmental Impact Assessment of projects, Environmental Assessment of plans and programs and Assessment/Analysis of Environmental Impacts of actions, plans or projects;

5.2 Indicate advantages of taking biodiversity into account in environmental assessment processes;

6.1 Justify the value of biodiversity in light of the various valuation criteria;

6.2 Define externality and give examples of externalities;

6.3 List and describe methods of economic valuation of non-market goods;

6.4 Distinguish the different techniques for monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem services;

6.5 List and describe processes responsible for biodiversity loss;

6.6 Identify strategies for the conservation of nature and biodiversity;

6.7 Explain how to restore ecosystems to provide ecosystem services.

1. Fundamental concepts of biodiversity and ecosystem services;

2. Distribution of biodiversity in the EU and in the World;

3. Typology of ecosystems and their services;

4. Legislative and institutional framework and international agreements;

5. Biodiversity in Environmental Impact Assessment;

6. Biodiversity management: Economic assessment, monitoring and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services; Ecosystem Restoration for Service Delivery.

NAO

– Begon, M.;Townsend, C.; Harper, J. (2021). Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems. Cambridge (5.ª ed.). Wiley.

– Bradshaw, S., Linneker, B., Nascimento, N., Caballero, I.N.V., Costa, H., Oki, Y., Pires, R.B.W., Juntti, M., Lundy, L., Scott-Brown, K. & Wade, R. (2016). Guia para a avaliação de serviços de ecossistema para a transformação urbana. Middlesex University, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Abertay University.

– Grooten, M. & Almond, R.E.A.(Eds) (2018). Living Planet Report – 2018: Aiming Higher. WWF International 

– ICNF (2020). Descubra as nossa áreas protegidas. Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, I. P. (ICNF)

– Jeffery, S., Gardi, C., Jones, A., Montanarella, L., Marmo, L., Miko, L., Ritz, K., Peres, G., Römbke, J. & van der Putten, W. H. (eds.) (2010). European Atlas of Soil Biodiversity. European Commission, Publications Office of the European Union.

– Orgiazzi, A., Bardgett, R.D., Barrios, et. al. (Eds.) (2016). Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas. European Commission, Publications Office of the European Union.

– Pereira, H.;  Domingos, T.; Vicente, L. & Proença, V.  (2009). Ecossistemas e Bem-Estar Humano: Avaliação para Portugal do Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Escolar Editora: Lisboa

– Rodrigues, A.C., Ferraz, A.I. (2011). Biotecnologia – Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Publindústria.

– Sukhdev, P., Wittmer, H., Schröter-Schlaack, C., Nesshöver, C., Bishop, J., tem Brink, P., Gundimeda, H., Kumar, P., Simmons, B. & Neuville, A. (2010). A economia dos ecossistemas e da biodiversidade: Integrando a economia da natureza. Uma síntese da abordagem, conclusões e recomendações do TEEB. United Nations Environment Programme.