GV2EEENU: Ecological Engineering of the Environment

Module code: GV2EEENU

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Steve Robinson, email: j.s.robinson@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Elizabeth Shaw, email: e.j.shaw@reading.ac.uk

NUIST module lead: Adharsh Rajasekar, email: adharsh.r@nuist.edu.cn

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module addresses so-called ‘soft engineering’ solutions to environmental challenges, such as the restoration or creation of wetlands, woodlands or grasslands in order to preserve and protect rural ecosystems or to prevent flooding of urban areas. 

The module will improve the students’ appreciation and understanding of ecological functions and their role in ecosystem services in different landscapes. An emphasis will be placed on the fundamental importance of soil ecology as well as sustainable design principles in understanding and delivering practical solutions to managing environmental challenges both within and for our rural and urban landscapes. Skills in critical thinking and problem solving around mankind’s place in the environment will also be developed. 

Raphinos Murava (bapaul@nuist.edu.cn) will also be teaching this module.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Understand ecological functions, and how to use those functions to meet the joint needs of mankind and ecosystem functioning. 
2. Appreciate the connectedness and interaction among ecosystem structures, functions, and landforms. 
3. Describe the processes in the design of systems that replicate, restore, or at least mimic ecosystems, with a clear understanding of the three axioms of Ecological Engineering and the fundamental importance of soil biology. 
4. To understand a set of explicit design guidelines for non-built ecosystems.  
5. Work across cognate disciplines in environmental management, and communicate effectively to the public. 

Module content

• Ecology and Sustainable Development: Axioms of Ecological Engineering, Sustainable Design Principles, Human-Dominated Earth, Increasing Demands for Ecosystem Services, Human Impacts through Urbanization, Land Use Change, Agricultural Production, Water Resource Demands. 
• Rural Space and Rural Development: Endangering the Environment, Types of Threats to the Environment, Impact of Agriculture on Degradation of Environment, Conversion of Natural Forest and Grassland into Agricultural Ecosystems, Degradation of Forests, Grassland Ecosystems, Floods, Droughts and Wetland Buffer zones. 
• Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services, and Biodiversity: the fundamental role of life in the soil for their provision and protection:  Soil Macro, Meso and Microfauna (Structure, Phenetic classification, contribution to the soil ecosystem). 
• Designing Ecosystem Services: from the building blocks of soil ecology to sustainable design (e.g., Agricultural Lands, Forests, Grasslands, Wetlands, Urban Areas). 
• Short-term and long-term changes in soil microbiota in artificial landscapes.  
• Understanding soil microbial functions in agricultural ecosystems. 
• Exploring the dynamic changes caused by seasonal events towards soil ecosystem. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures describe and explain the concepts, key structures, functions and their interactions. Seminars discuss case studies and design of ‘soft engineering’ solutions. 

Field classes provide group work and student-centred investigation of specific landscapes and ecosystem services.   

Study hours

At least 96 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Seminar sessions and field work will provide opportunities for instructor- and peer-led feedback.  

Reassessment

Additional costs