MASTER OF SCIENCE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT (MBCM)
| Module Code | Module Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MBCM501 | Measuring Biodiversity for Conservation and Management + Advance Quantitative & Spatial Methods |
The course is divided into three main parts. The first part will focus on Habitat Monitoring and Assessment Principles. The lectures and practical classes will include principles of ecological monitoring, survey and monitoring methods for research and conservation, collection, identification and classification of vegetation, plant communities, experimental design for habitat monitoring and assessment. The second part will focus on measuring biodiversity and its abundance. This will provide students with practical training in using various and current sampling methods for vegetation, terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates, as well as to explore techniques used for the measurement of biodiversity abundance. The students will also assess the strengths and weakness of different sampling methods and associated methods for estimating abundance; which techniques are most appropriate for specific taxonomic groups under particular conditions; the power of biodiversity sampling and abundance measurement for purposes of monitoring environmental quality. Additionally, the students will design and conduct a biodiversity sampling or abundance monitoring programme aimed at solving a specific biodiversity monitoring challenge.
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| MBCM502 | Ecosystem Management for Biodiversity Conservation | Emphasis will be on gaining in-depth knowledge of the philosophical and ecological principles that underpin the management of ecosystems especially for purposes of conservation. Knowledge will be imparted on methods for habitat management, tools for the assessment and development of these methods. Students will deepen their understanding of the basic ecological principles of population, community and ecosystem, learn about emerging trends in ecosystem management and how to manage global environmental changes. Problems faced by ecosystem managers will be identified and solutions will be sought. Comparative case studies of conservation management in different ecosystems such as wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, agricultural lands, national parks, conservancies and world heritage sites will be undertaken. This course will be divided into three parts. The first part will focus on the basic principles of ecosystem management. Topics will include management of invasive species, selection and management of protected areas, management outside protected areas, restorative ecology and succession. The second part will concentrate on the management of agricultural and semi-natural ecosystems. The third and final part will focus on current and emerging issues in ecosystem management including climate change mitigation and finding ways of minimizing the effects of nitrogen pollution. |
| MBCM503 | Biodiversity Conservation: Policy and Practice | This course will provide a knowledge base and an understanding of the major national and international biodiversity organisations (such as GEF, WWF, Birdlife International, Flora and Fauna, Biodiversity International) international conventions (such as Rio Convention on Biodiversity, Ramsar Convention) and how these operate. It also aims to develop understanding of how biodiversity policy is implemented at ground level through experience of site management. This course will review the policy and legislative basis for biodiversity conservation in Zimbabwe and the organisations that administer these (such as Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, Forestry Commission). External biodiversity practitioners will provide additional lectures and tutorials as well as be involved in fieldwork so as to demonstrate the importance of biodiversity conservation and how policies are implemented in protected and non-protected areas including the payments for ecosystem services. |
| MBCM504 | Terrestrial and Aquatic Resources: Assessment and Management |
This course will provide knowledge of the assessment and management of terrestrial and aquatic resources as influenced by agricultural systems, land use patterns and wildlife habitat potential. Important properties and processes for habitat, land use capability and water quality assessment will be reviewed and the influence of environmental factors on terrestrial and aquatic resources and their characteristics to support plants and animals will be assessed. Practical classes will be designed to build student skills in the assessment of land use capability; habitat potential; risks of surface and groundwater pollution; and soil quality and ecosystem services. -physical properties of the aquatic and terrestrial environments; - concepts of environmental assessment; soil forming factors and soil classification; - managing nutrients in agricultural and natural ecosystems; introduction to case studies; -soil survey and land evaluation; using information about land resources; |
| MBCM505 | Economics of the Environment and Frontiers in Biodiversity |
This course is designed to equip students with the fundamental concepts, methods and analytical tools to navigate the interface of economics and the environment across a range of contexts, scales and threats. The course is divided into two main parts. The first part will focus on the basics of economics and the environment, looking at the economic foundations of environmental problems and providing an overview of economic approaches to environmental policy ranging from pricing to property rights. In the second part, lectures and exercises will focus mainly on problem solving, thereby fostering critical examination and the application of economics to biodiversity challenges. In Frontiers in Biodiversity part of the course, students will explore the latest theories and concepts in biodiversity conservation science, develop in-depth subject knowledge, as well as advanced literature-based research and reporting skills. Most of the learning will be based on a series of group discussions, at which directed reading will be critically assessed. Students will also be expected to undertake literature reviews on relevant topics as individuals and/or groups and make class presentations. |
| MBCM506 | Social Ecology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Biodiversity Conservation and Society) | This course will underline the fact that biodiversity conservation is multidisciplinary, by elucidating how human geography contributes to our understanding of some of the cultural, historical and political aspects of nature and efforts to conserve it. The multiple natures and varied geographies of conservation policy and management will be highlighted, as well as concepts from social theory that support a critical understanding of contemporary conservation policy and practice. The course will develop students’ ability to
understand why some species attain iconic or flagship status, the relationship between power, knowledge and conservation action and why certain conceptions of nature have prominence in conservation policy. Through such understandings students will be able to engage more fully in contemporary debates in conservation. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services component will provide an understanding of the scientific principles underpinning the provision of ecosystem services, their association with ecosystem function, and the interactions with biodiversity. Important ecosystem services to be considered include provision of services such as food and water; management of floods and disease control; cultural services such as spiritual, recreational, and cultural benefits; and supporting services such as nutrient cycling. The course will examine how the production of ecosystem services can be mapped and measured; the distribution of beneficiaries; different approaches to valuation; and potential links with the green economy. Key emerging issues include potential trade-offs between different ecosystem services, and between ecosystem services and biodiversity. |
| MBCM507 | Biodiversity, Climate Change and Conservation Biogeography | Climate change is increasingly becoming the major threat to species survival as it exacerbates the negative effects of anthropogenic activities such as land clearing for agricultural activities, logging, urbanization and pollution on species diversity. The question of how species respond to climate change is one of the most salient and challenging posed to biodiversity scientists by policy-makers, not least because the configuration of protected areas represents a form of 'spatial lock-in' that requires a long lead-in time to adjust if biodiversity policy is to respond to the impacts of climate change. This course is designed to equip students with an in-depth understanding of the scientific approaches to this question, and in particular the state-of-the art models currently being developed for predicting climate-induced habitat loss and species performance, which are increasingly used as a source of information in conservation planning and management. Through participation in this course students will develop the foundations to engage in research in this field, or if they aspire to a career in policy, to critically appraise the state of scientific advice to policy. The Conservation Biogeography component is designed to equip students with a critical understanding of the science underpinning biodiversity conservation and management on the global stage mainly through the lens of Conservation Biogeography, including the use of biogeographical principles, theories, and approaches to challenges concerning the conservation of biodiversity. In this course students will be exposed to the critical examination of key biogeographical approaches to the analysis of biodiversity, and to predictive modelling of species losses as a result of anthropogenic activities. Additionally, students will critically examine biodiversity science, concentrating on problems of scale, uncertainty and scientific practice. Throughout the course, important assumptions and uncertainties within the science of biodiversity conservation, at a number of scales from landscape to global, will be examined. |
| MBCM508 | Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems |
This course will deepen students’ understanding of remote sensing and geographical information systems as it will provide the theoretical basis and practical experience required for the application of these tools in biodiversity conservation and management, particularly for students without prior experience. Key concepts of data acquisition and storage, errors and error propagation, and basic map manipulation techniques will be addressed. The practical classes will involve self-contained computer-based exercises, each building on skills learnt previously, and will include map manipulations, vector and raster data, and the classification and processing of spectral reflectance data obtained using both passive and active remote sensing. Leading commercial and/or open-source software will be utilised as students apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems in biodiversity conservation and management. The topics to be covered in this course are:
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| MBCM570 | Research Project/Dissertation | This course will cover the scientific method, Ethics in science. The research process: Problem definition and selection, Problem analysis, Study plan. The research proposal: Guidelines for writing a proposal, Planning the research, Site selection, Sampling units, Replication. Data collection: Primary and secondary data, Sources of data. Statistical and data management software: Overview of software, Choice of appropriate package, Data entry and data management. Sampling: Random number tables, Simple random sampling, Stratified random sampling, Systematic sampling, Quadrat sampling. Surveys: Planning a survey, Types of surveys, Phases of a survey, How to sample, Questionnaire design, Implementing a survey, Data management, Tabulation and further data analysis, Reporting. Modelling: Multiple linear regression, Model checking and dealing with deviations from model assumptions, General linear models, Model checking and dealing with deviations from model assumptions, comparison of means, Introduction to REML, Introduction to generalised linear models. Simple time series models: Time series plots, Components of a time series, Smoothing. Analysis of distribution of free data (non-parametrics): Ranked data, Scores, Alternative methods of data analysis. Multivariate methods: Cluster methods, Principle component analysis, Discriminant analysis, Factor analysis. Presentation of research: Logging of data entry, Validation and analysis, Data presentation, Graphs and diagrams, Report writing. |