GG361: Aquatic Environments: Problems and Management

Module Provider:

Geography

Number of credits:

20 [10 ECTS credits]

Level:

H (Honours)

Terms in which taught:

Autumn

Module Convenor:

Professor PJ Johnes

Pre-requisites:

GG2TP

Co-requisites:

Modules excluded:

Module version for:

2007/8

Aims:
The aim of this module is to examine the problems experienced by aquatic environments caused by past and present human activities, and to discuss potential environmental management strategies designed to restore water quality

Assessable learning outcomes:
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to answer the following:
• Is this water body polluted and what has caused the pollution
• What would be the effects of environmental change on this system ?
• How could we manage this system to improve water quality, and conserve or restore species diversity and community stability?

Additional outcomes:
Students will also have learned to critically assess information derived from publications, web resources, group field work and from briefing provided by environmental management professionals at the study sites. They will also have gained experience of practical problem solving in field and class based situations, and the practical employment of IT skills including simple spreadsheet modelling using MS Excel.

Outline content:
Aquatic Environments are subject to immense pressures as a result of human activity. Located at the base of catchment systems, all activities in the catchment will ultimately have an impact on waters draining from the land to the water body, whether it is a small pond, a stream, river, estuary or the open ocean.
The focus in this module, is to examine how human activities, past, present and future impact upon the physical, chemical and ecological status of water bodies, and thus impact upon the intrinsic environmental and societal value of these waters. The four topics covered are eutrophication of lakes and rivers; acidification of upland waters; estuarine zone management and oil pollution in the marine environment.
The objective is for students to gain an insight into how aquatic environments ‘work’, and how management strategies can be and are being devised to minimise this impact and address societal concerns over water quality, and the availability of water bodies as a resource.
The module has a high proportion of time allocated for practical learning through a short residential field trip based at a Field Studies Centre in Pembrokeshire. Teaching and learning takes place through a programme of linked lectures and field excursions at the Field Centre, where students will plan and execute field site visits linked to the four lecture topics to allow practical application of theory in field locations. Back at Reading, students will take part in an Oil Spill Simulation Exercise (role play), based on environments visited in the course of the field trip.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Lectures, practicals, field trip, role play exercise.

Contact hours:

Assessment:
Assessment for the module comprises a 3000 word report, made up of three 1000 word briefing notes on the water quality problems and management of a eutrophic lake, an acidified lake and an estuary studied in the course of the field trip. This provides 35% of the assessment for this course. Students also take part in an Oil Spill Simulation Exercise, which is assessed as 15% of the course.
Relative percentage of coursework : 50%
Examinations
2 hour unseen written examination
Relative percentage of examination: 50%.
Requirements for a pass
A mark of 40% overall
Reassessment arrangements
Re-examination in August/September