BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS FORESTRY SAVANNA AND WILDLIFE ECOLOGY (HFSWE)
| Module Code | Module Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| HFSWE101 | Animal Biodiversity | The course aims to briefly outline the grade of organisation in the Animal Kingdom. It also explains the evolution of the 2 main lines of animals (vertebrates and invertebrates). |
| HFSWE103 | Introductory Genetics | The purpose of this course is to provide an in-depth background in all areas of classical Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics and population and evolutionary genetics. Students who successfully complete this course will gain sufficient basic knowledge to master advanced topics in genetics. |
| HFSWE102 | Plant Biodiversity | The course provides an understanding of plant biology through critical examination of facts and principles of organismal biology, and relates this to everyday life. It also lays the framework for specialized course options in plant biology. The content of this course will lay the foundation for later courses in plant biology and provide the basic understanding of plant biology. The course aims at developing students’ understanding of plant biology through critical examination of facts and principles. Students will be expected to practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and learn theoretical and practical approaches to understanding origins, diversification and speciation of plants |
| HFSWE105 |
Microbiology |
Fundamentals of microbiology, including microbial structure and function, nutrition and growth, death and control. Importance and applications of major microbial groups: Viruses and Monera – the diversity among the viruses and in the kingdom monera.Fungi – the diversity among the fungi including the division eumycota and the lichens. |
| HFSWE106 | Methods in Biology | Methods in Biology is a course in the Biological Sciences Program dedicated to train students to apply sound experimental investigation and analyses to biological questions. The course provides students with a sound foundation of what it takes to become a good scientist. It inculcates scientific thinking and culture, invoke awareness of the natural environment and how to use powers of observation to formulate research questions, develop research proposals, execute the proposals, write-up the results and present them to a scientific audience. |
| HFSWE107 | Molecular Biology | This course looks at how inorganic atoms and molecules affect the structures and functions of macromolecules in found in living organisms. It also looks at the how the basic subunits of macromolecules affects the overall structure and functions of their respective. How the four macromolecules DNA, RNA, proteins and Lipid form organelles. |
| HFSWE108 | Ecology | This course covers interactions among organisms and the environment in which they live. It covers five main ecological components namely; the species concept and models of speciation, interactions amongst organisms, population ecology, community ecology, and ecological effects of anthropogenic activities and natural resource conservation. |
| HFSWEC201 |
Biometrics |
This course will provide a practical introduction to analysis of biological data. Basic statistical techniques will be addressed, including descriptive statistics, elements of probability, hypothesis testing, sampling, analysis of categorical data and estimation, linear regression, multiple regression, ANOVA and non-parametric tests. Emphasis will be on how to choose appropriate statistical tests and how to assess statistical significance. Other statistical techniques will be addressed, including. To visualize data and carry out statistical testing, students will learn R, a powerful programming language for statistical computing and graphics. No previous knowledge in statistics or programming is required, although those with no programming experience will be expected to devote extra time. The class format will be a combination of lecture and computer lab exercises. |
| HFSWE401 | Plant Conservation Biology | The course will examine the factors that cause plants to be rare or imperilled, and the strategies employed to improve their long-term viability. It is anticipated that the students will have an appreciation that “conservation involves the management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to present generations, while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspiration of future generation” (IUCN 1980). The course will cover aspects on preservation, maintenance, sustainable utilization, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment. Throughout the course emphasis will be on the relevance of plant conservation in Zimbabwe using local examples and where possible case studies. |
| HFSWE404 | Savanna Ecology & Wetlands Ecology | The course will provide students with a broad understanding of the wetlands with an emphasis on ecological principles required to understand how they function and how they are affected by human activities.The course will and the savanna ecosystems focus on synthesising science and ecological principles that drive the dynamic nature of savanna ecosystems. Topics will include the history of range management, ecological drivers of savannas, grazing management, vegetation management and management of rangelands for multiple ecological services |
| HFSWE403 | Wood Science, Forest Products and Forest Management | Commercially important tree genera; introduction to tree growth; Common characteristics of wood macroscopic and microscopic anatomy and identification of types of woods; descriptions of cell wall ultrastructure, wood variability; wood quality. Properties controlling the technical performance of wood. Natural growth phenomena affecting wood quality. Effect of site and silviculture on wood quality. The genetics of wood. Sawmilling and wood drying. Composite wood products. Deterioration of wood and wood products and methods of protection. This course develops students' understanding of: modern concepts of sustainable forest management (SFM), the criteria and indicators used to determine whether or not forests and woodlands are being managed sustainably, and the operation of forest certification schemes to provide independent verification of SFM. Particular emphasis is placed on two of the criteria of SFM: (1) maintenance and enhancement of forest resources; (2) maintenance and encouragement of productive functions of forests. Students will be able to develop and apply their theoretical understanding of and practical skills in remote and ground-based methods of forest inventory and will also be able to propose forest management interventions that comply with relevant standards, guidelines and legislation. Course outline includes Introduction to key aspects of forest and woodland management, including forest economics, landscape design, forest valuation and timber markets. Sustainable forest management: history, modern concepts and definitions; criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management; sustainable forest management. Forest resource assessment: desk-based, remote sensing and ground-based methods; inventory planning and forest sampling. Productive functions of forests: estimation of standing timber resources and growing stock. |
| HFSWE207 | Plant Physiology | This course provides an introduction to basic principles of plant function, primarily covering physical processes in plants, metabolism, secondary products, cell physiology, and introducing principles of growth and development. Knowledge about principles of plant physiology is critical to understand how plants work and what happens between planting a seed and picking up a flower or a fruit. Lecture topics include: plant-water relations, mineral nutrition, photosynthesis and respiration,plant metabolism, signalingand hormones, growth and development, and plant-environment interactions |
| HFSWE202 | Animal Physiology | This course provides students with an understanding of how animals adapt physiologically to environmental challenges and addresses the basic physical and chemical principles that underlie physiological processes. Several biological systems are considered, including respiratory, circulatory, digestive and metabolic, thermoregulatory, osmoregulatory, renal, nervous, musculoskeletal, hormonal, sensory and reproduction. |
| HFSWE203 | Vertebrate Biology | The training course is intended to make students aware of the diversity in vertebrates while highlighting the similarities and differences in their body structure and functioning. Highlighting adaptive traits will enable students to understand the importance of habitat type to the success of tetrapod animals. After the course the students will be able to identify some of the key and adaptive features of the various groups of vertebrates. They will also be able to state the evolutionary linkages within and between the vertebrate’s groups. The student would also be able to identify major the internal and external organs of the vertebrates. |
| HFSWE204 | Invertebrates Biology | The purpose of this course is to introduce under graduate students to the diverse field of invertebrates. Students will learn about the structure and function of different types of invertebrate and understand the relevance of invertebrates within ecological systems. Focus will be in the on the field of entomology and others that have significance in agriculture, medicine and veterinary. The emphasis of this course will be on the evolution, classification, ecology, structure, and function of this group. After successfully completing this course, you should have an understanding of the biology and evolution, diversity, role in natural ecosystems, the basic physiology, development, and behaviour of selected invertebrates. |
| HFSWE208 | Plant Ecology and Agroforestry systems |
Trees are a major component of most terrestrial ecosystem and are important in the habitat of many other species, which will in turn have a major influence on the ecosystem. The Plant Ecology Course introduces students to major conceptual issues and areas of current research in plant ecology. The course focuses on factors that influence distribution and abundance of plant populations, factors that contribute to the composition and diversity of plant communities across the landscape and in the same community over time and ecosystem ecology (global change). Topics to be covered include: distribution and abundance of plant populations, life history strategies, competition, herbivory, population growth (demography, models), vegetation and climate, succession, community composition and dynamics, structure of plant community, plant –water relations, biological invasions, disturbances (fire), regional and global diversity patterns, global change and vegetation. Current ecological research will be related to climate change issues and exotic species invasions. The history, definition, concepts, and principles of AF. Examples of existing AF systems. Classification of AF systems. Improved AF technologies in the tropics: Improved fallow; contour planting home gardens; alley cropping; mulching/green manuring; fodder banks. AF species; multipurpose trees, fodder- and firewood trees; N2-fixing trees; herbaceous species; Plant management in AF; soil/environmental aspects of AF Nutrient cycling; biomass decomposition; soil productivity management; soil conservation; environmental amelioration. Social aspects: Sociocultural linkages, land tenure, gender, institutional aspects of AF. Design and evaluation of agroforestry systems. |
| HFSWE205 | Plant Form and Function, and Plant Taxonomy | The course provides introductory knowledge on the theory and methodology of plant naming and basic floristics to allow them to do independent research in the field of taxonomy and ecology. |
| HFSWE206 | Plant Pathology and Wildlife Diseases | The course aims at providing students with an understanding of plant and wildlife disease causing agents and forest and woodland pests. The importance of animal welfare, hygiene and quarantine control for preventing the spread of animal disease will be explained. Problems organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, fungal like organisms, arthropods and mammals and parasitic plants will be studied. Historical and current problems will be examined and their causes for wide-scale spread and high levels of disease will be explored. Future scenarios for forest health in line with climate change predictions will be explored. |
| HFSWE405 | Wildlife and Management | The aim of the course is to give students a theoretical and conceptual foundations for contemporary understanding of wildlife ecology and its application in wildlife conservation and management. |
| HFSWE402 | Fisheries Management | The course will course will also provide an introduction to the systematics, biology and ecology of fish. It will provide basic skills in fisheries management by studying the essential aspects of fisheries biology and the management issues and tools. |
| HFSWE406 | Restoration Ecology | The course aims to train students in planning and research relevant to the achievement of sustainable vegetation cover and wildlife habitats. The goal of ecological restoration is a stable and functioning ecosystem that can withstand stresses and provide ecosystem services, such as clean water, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and more. Students who have the skills to evaluate and manage these issues can help maintain and improve our natural resource environments, help prevent extinction of species, and maintain healthy hunting and fishing environments. Course outline includes understanding key concepts and theories pertinent to ecological restoration including: genetic theory, metapopulations, habitat fragmentation, dispersal, succession, demographic parameters, competition, and population growth and regulation. Common stressors to ecosystems (changing climate, fire, arrival of a non-native species, disease outbreaks, etc. and the relationship between multiple stressors) and human disturbances. |