Introduction to biosphere engineering
[BIR1230]
[45h + 15h] 5 credits
This course is taught in the 1st & 2d semester.
Teacher(s): Philippe Baret, Pierre Defourny, Bruno Delvaux, Joseph Dufey(coord.), Sophie Opfergelt(supplée Bruno Delvaux)
Language: French
Level: First
Aims
- understant the technical and scientific acts of a bio-engineer in a framework of wich's dimentions go beyond those of the engineer sensu stricto.
- acquire the basic concepts of the analysis of the air-water-soil interactions and of the global functioning of ecosystems.
- understand the bio-geochemical cycles (water, carbon, nitrogen) and the global funtioning of their compartments, especially the soil.
Main themes
- the bio-geochemical cycles of the biosphere (water, carbon, nitrogen); enrgetic flows.
- notions of bio-climatology, classification of climats, climatic indicators.
- basic notions of ecosystems (biotopes and biocenoses, trophic chains); food chains; production and productivity.
- sustainable development; notions of equilibrium and imbalance; notions of vulnerability; biodiversity and the conservation problematic; pollution and tracability problems.
- role of the soil as a reactor in the functioning of ecosystems: water and mineral elements storage, alteration and acidification; notions of resilience, mobility of biogenous elements and bio-pedological cycles; storage and mobility of contaminants.
- impact of the human being on the functioning of the ecosystems and on the soil.
Content and teaching methods
The learning process wiil be based on a problem-approach, where the basic concepts are acquired through an analysis of the stakes and a perspective view of the concepts.
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)
Support : P.J. Jarvis (2000) Ecological Principles and Environmental Issues. Pearson Education Ltd., Limbourg, 303 p.