1. DEFINE AND DEMONSTRATE AN ADVANCED AND CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF KEY CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE DPSIR MODEL
Knowledge & Understanding;
Enquiry

2. UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE’S INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS AND COLLECTIVE IMPACT OF THOSE ACTIONS ON THE BIODIVERSITY AND PHYSICAL SYSTEMS OF THE PLANET.
Knowledge & Understanding;
Enquiry

3. BE ABLE TO APPLY THE DPSIR FRAMEWORK TO A CASE STUDY OF A NATION STATE
Application

4. ANALYSE AND CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE ROLE THAT CONSERVATION SCIENCE PLAYS IN HALTING AND REVERSING ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
Analysis, Enquiry

5. ANALYSE AND CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PARAGDIGM AND THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS IN CONSERVATION PRACTICE
Analysis

6. EXPRESS AND COMMUNICATE KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS CLEARLY IN A SUBSTANTIVE REPORT Communication, Reflection

This assessment links directly to Learning outcomes 2, 3 and 6 though draws upon all the other Learning Outcomes for successful completion. This assessment has been revamped in response to external examiner suggestions and will take the form of a series of reflective questions. Students will be asked to research and evaluate an example of a conservation success story not covered in the course content.

This module discusses human responses to contemporary environmental change. Making use of the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses) framework it evaluates the impact of human society on the physical systems of the earth. It starts by discussing humans as drivers of change in the environment, exploring the role of population growth, rapid urbanisation and growing consumption. Then the pressures placed on the environment with respect to food and fuel are considered. The State of the land surface of the globe is then assessed using forests and deforestation as a case study for change. This is followed by a detailed discussion of the impacts of human exploitation on planet earth through two case studies. The first on the marine environment will explore environmental impacts associated with overfishing, ocean warming and ocean acidification. The second case study will focus on the terrestrial environment and will evaluate the impact of human exploitation of the soil. In the final part of the module, societal responses to these challenges will be discussed. Two avenues will be explored: traditional nature conservation approaches based on species and habitat; followed by more recent attempts to use environmental economics to value ecosystem services.

The module will be delivered through a combination of:

(a) classes that will combine, on a flexible basis, lectures with workshop exercises and be used to introduce theoretical concepts and to explore case studies.

(b) independent learning through guided reading from core texts and the use of web-based materials to develop a detailed knowledge of selected at UK, European and global scales.

(c) Assessment Preparation for planning, researching and writing

Balmford, A., et al., (2002) Economic Reasons for Conserving Wild Nature. Science, 297: 950-953
Balmford, A. (2012) Wild Hope: On the Frontlines of Conservation Success. University of Chicago Press: Chicago.
Butchart, S. H. M., Walpole, M., Collen. B., et al., (2010) Global Biodiversity: Indicators of Recent Declines. Science, 328: 1164-1168
Swartz W, Sala E, Tracey S, Watson R, et al. (2010) The Spatial Expansion and Ecological Footprint of Fisheries (1950 to Present). PLoS ONE 5(12): e15143.
Thompson, K (2010) Do we need pandas? The uncomfortable truth about biodiversity. Green Books: Totnes, UK.

PLUS – up to date journal papers set as reading each week.

High quality teaching space with usual audio-visual facilities.
Library resources both physical and online.

Completed 120 credits at Level 4 and 120 credits at Level 5