Unit name | The Farm as a Natural System: Ecological Interactions and Agricultural Intensity |
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Unit code | BIOLM0013 |
Credit points | 10 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Professor. Memmott |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Biological Sciences |
Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
The intensification of arable agriculture over the last 50 years has been associated with substantial losses of biodiversity, and there is considerable concern that intensive agriculture is incompatible with the conservation of biodiversity. At the same time there is an increasing appreciation that biodiversity can be managed and exploited by humans to provide key agricultural services such as pest control, pollination and water management. The aims of this unit are: firstly, to introduce the interactions that occur between managed species (crops and livestock) and the environment, for example through pollination, pest/disease control and water and light regimes; and secondly, to explore how best to manage these interactions in order to maximize production whilst minimizing environmental impacts, looking particularly for win-win scenarios whereby both the farmer and the environment benefit.
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Lectures (12 hours), field trip (5 hours).
Formative: students present knowledge gained on the field trip to be evaluated via Blackboard by peers and academics.
Summative: a two-hour written exam (100%).