ASS 306: Utilization and Management of Wetland Ecosystems Course Outline

  

Date Posted: 2/4/2019 10:54:15 AM

Posted By: jim items  Membership Level: Gold  Total Points: 2112

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PROGRAMMES:
BSC.Management of Agro-ecosystems and Environment and Bsc.Water Resources Management.

Course Purpose:
The purpose of this course is to equip the learner with knowledge, skills and competencies to understand how wetland ecosystems can be managed and utilized effectively.

Expected Learning Outcomes;
By the end of the course, the learner should be able to:-
i) Identify the different types of wetlands and their origin.
ii) Describe the properties of wetland soils.
iii) Describe the bio-geochemical processes of wetlands.
iv) Outline approaches for sustainable use and management of wetlands.
v) Understand the impact of the National Policy on Wetlands on their utilization
and management.

Course Outline:
Week 1: Definition of wetlands: Types and origin.
Week 2: Wetland classification and delineation.
Week 3: Properties of wetland soils: Morphological, physical, biological and chemical.
Week 4: Water movement in hydromorphic soils – wetland hydrology.
Week 5: Soil aeration, gas transport and exchange in hydric soils.
Week 6: Pedogenic processes in hydric soils: surface and sub-surface gleying.
Week 7: Common wetland soils: organic soils: Histosols; mineral soils: Planosols, Fluvisols, Gleysols.
Week 8: Biogeochemistry of various elements in wetlands.
Week 9: Impact of wetland drainage on the environment.
Week 10: Sustainable utilization and management of wetlands.
Week 11: Management and utilization of wetlands in the East African region.
Week 12: Policies governing management of wetlands.
Week 13: Revision and wrap up.
Week 14: Finals.

Mode of Delivery of the Course;
-Lectures, Presentations, Field/lab Practicals, Reading assignments.

Instructional Materials and/ or Equipment:
Textbooks, Hand-outs, White board, Lecture notes
Materials to refer (Coomes et al., 2015; Erwin, 2009; Max Finlayson, 2018; Mitsch, Bernal, & Hernandez, 2015; Rogers, Land, William, & Alliance, 2013; Schlesinger & Bernhardt, 2013).

Assessment Mode:
Examination 70%
Continuous Assessment 30%

Core Reading Materials for the Course
1. Mitsch, W.J. and Gosselink, J.G. 2007. Wetlands, 4th Ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., NewYork
2. Coomes, O. T., McGuire, S. J., Garine, E., Caillon, S., McKey, D., Demeulenaere, E., ...
Wencélius, J. (2015). Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions.

Food Policy.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2015.07.008
3. Erwin, K. L. (2009). Wetlands and global climate change: The role of wetland restoration in a changing world. Wetlands Ecology and Management.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-008-9119-1
4. Max Finlayson, C. (2018). The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity (TEEB). In The Wetland Book: I: Structure and Function, Management, and Methods.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9659-3_80
5. Mitsch, W. J., Bernal, B., & Hernandez, M. E. (2015). Ecosystem services of wetlands. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services and Management.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21513732.2015.1006250
6. Rogers, W., Land, P., William, P., & Alliance, C. (2013). Policy Brief : Unsustainable Urban Development in Uganda ’ s Wetlands is a Time bomb. Agro-Ecology.
7. Schlesinger, W. H., & Bernhardt, E. S. (2013). Wetland Ecosystems. In Biogeochemistry.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-385874-0.00007-8

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