XIS-30805 World Ecosystems and Agricultural Use

Course

Credits 5.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

The courses of the first year of MOA specialisation C

Continuation courses:

MSc thesis

Contents:

This course is part of the Autumn semester 'Agroecology' at ISARA, Lyon, France. In this module, students will learn in lectures and in a seminar the basic characteristics of the world's agroecosystems (climate, soils, vegetation) and their prevailing agricultural systems. This includes the presentation of different cropping and livestock husbandry systems and their interactions in the Tropics and Subtropics, but also in Temperate and Mediterranean Europe (e.g. agropastoral land use in the Sahel, shifting cultivation and tropical forest use, rangeland systems in France). In addition a critical analysis of influencing factors such as economy, politics, land tenure or social issues will also be provided. More in-depth studies on different agronomic innovations such as agroforestry will be additionally presented. Finally, students will learn which resource conservation techniques are feasible in the different agroecosystems, but also what role indigenous knowledge of farmers plays in traditional and modern agriculture.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- explain characteristics of world agroecosystems and prevailing agricultural systems;
- conduct research on different world agroecosystems, and present this in a seminar.

Activities:

Lectures, tutorial, case study.

Examination:

- towards end of this module: oral seminar presentation + written abstract (individual) 3/5 of final grade;
- end of this module: Oral exam (Individual) 2/5 of final grade .

Literature:

Will be announced.