2023
Sustainability of Agroecosystems
Name: Sustainability of Agroecosystems
Code: FIT13898L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Agronomy
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
Global vision about the phenomena and objectives of agricultural systems. Merge the principles of ecology into the sustainability of cropping and livestock production systems. Understand the processes of desertification in the different earths biomes and their relationship with the impact of human and agricultural activities. Understand the causes of the differentiation of rural areas and the concept of agro-ecological zoning. General vision of the main agricultural systems on global and national level. Study and comparative analyse of land use systems.
Linking natural and anthropological factors with the different types of production systems. Identify and analyse unsustainable forms of land use in their ecological, economic and social dimensions. Capacity to design forms of cropping and livestock production systems that minimize environmental impact. Know how to apply a holistic vision of the productive process based on environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Linking natural and anthropological factors with the different types of production systems. Identify and analyse unsustainable forms of land use in their ecological, economic and social dimensions. Capacity to design forms of cropping and livestock production systems that minimize environmental impact. Know how to apply a holistic vision of the productive process based on environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Contents
Relationship between the biophysical structure and the functional processes that characterize agroecosystems and the Ecological Services, or Ecosystem Services, that they provide.
Carrying capacity of agroecosystems. Conversion of conventional land use systems into agroecosystems; opportunities and steps to go.
Structural analyse of the rural space & Causes of the differentiation of rural areas;
Historical evolution of agriculture; Classification of Land Use Systems;
Land Use Systems (at global and national level);
Silviculture: methods and techniques: Silviculture in transition; Composition and structure of forest stands; Methods of reproduction the theory of regeneration cuts.
Production regulation: The wood production process and the productive potential; Management of the settlements and the theory of the redistribution of productive potential; Production regulation.
The main forest production systems of Portugal.
Group work and report on the sustainability of the land use
Carrying capacity of agroecosystems. Conversion of conventional land use systems into agroecosystems; opportunities and steps to go.
Structural analyse of the rural space & Causes of the differentiation of rural areas;
Historical evolution of agriculture; Classification of Land Use Systems;
Land Use Systems (at global and national level);
Silviculture: methods and techniques: Silviculture in transition; Composition and structure of forest stands; Methods of reproduction the theory of regeneration cuts.
Production regulation: The wood production process and the productive potential; Management of the settlements and the theory of the redistribution of productive potential; Production regulation.
The main forest production systems of Portugal.
Group work and report on the sustainability of the land use
Teaching Methods
Classical lessons on the concepts and other relevant subjects for the analysis of agroecosystems. Elaboration of a group work based on the analysis of an area provided to each of the students working groups. The students are continuously accompanied during the collection of data and the execution of the report in practical classes.
All relevant generic resources are made available via Moodle.
Evaluation of the written group report(50%), and exam about the subject matters taught (50%).
All relevant generic resources are made available via Moodle.
Evaluation of the written group report(50%), and exam about the subject matters taught (50%).
Teaching Staff
