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Catchment and aquatic ecosystem health (WATR7100)

Challenges in sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems, using methodology of hydrological regimes and environmental flows, and principles and practical tools for implementing riparian restoration projects.

Course description
The Catchment and Aquatic Ecosystem Health course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the issues and challenges relating to the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems. The study of aquatic ecosystem health is a relatively new field that brings together biophysical understandings of how natural systems function with societal goals and human values. A major challenge for society is to satisfy the growing demands for water without degrading aquatic ecosystems and the ecological goods and services they provide. The course will focus on three key components: 1) an understanding of hydrological regimes and environmental flows methodology, including the basic principles relating hydrology to aquatic ecosystems and the design of environmental flows regimes, 2) theory and methodology behind the assessment of aquatic ecosystem health, including the development and validation of costeffective techniques for the ecological assessment of river health; and 3) principles and practical tools for implementing riparian restoration projects across a range of aquatic ecosystems. A parallel Integrated Water Management project will run through the semester which will develop skills that complement the content delivered in the 4 co-requisite courses. (On-campus students, including international students, are required to enrol in the internal offering. Part-time domestic students may enrol in WATR7100 & WATR7400 in 2nd semester 2009. These require attendance in intensive mode comprising a 3 day block of classes (9am-5pm) followed immediately by a 10 day field trip. The remainder of the the course will be taught externally on line.)

General Course Information

1.1 Course Details
Course Code: WATR7100 Course Title: Catchment & Aquatic Ecosystem Health Coordinating Unit: School of Chemical Engineering Semester: Semester 2, 2010 Mode: External Level: Postgraduate Coursework Location: External (administered at St Lucia) Number of Units: 2 Recommended Pre-Requisites: WATR7001 and WATR7002 and WATR7003 and WATR7004 Recommended Companions: WATR7200 and WATR7300 and WATR7400 Restrictions: MIWM, GDipIWM Course Description: The Catchment and Aquatic Ecosystem Health course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the issues and challenges relating to the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems. The study of aquatic ecosystem health is a relatively new field that brings together biophysical understandings of how natural systems function with societal goals and human values. A major challenge for society is to satisfy the growing demands for water without degrading aquatic ecosystems and the ecological goods and services they provide. The course will focus on three key components: 1) an understanding of hydrological regimes and environmental flows methodology, including the basic principles relating hydrology to aquatic ecosystems and the design of environmental flows regimes, 2) theory and methodology behind the assessment of aquatic ecosystem health, including the development and validation of cost-effective techniques for the ecological assessment of river health; and 3) principles and practical tools for implementing riparian restoration projects across a range of aquatic ecosystems. A parallel Integrated Water Management project will run through the semester which will develop skills that complement the content delivered in the 4 co-requisite courses. (On-campus students, including international students, are required to enrol in the internal offering. Part-time domestic students may enrol in WATR7100 & WATR7400 in 2nd semester 2009. These require attendance in intensive mode comprising a 3 day block of classes (9am-5pm) followed immediately by a 10 day field trip. The remainder of the the course will be taught externally on -line.) Assumed Background: This is a postgraduate course in ecosystem health and catchment management offered as part of the International Water Centre Masters of Integrated Water Management. Students are expected to have basic background knowledge through undergraduate science or engineering programs, however this is not essential.

1.2 Course Introduction

The aim of this course is to take a whole of water-cycle approach to ecosystem health and catchment management. Students will gain an understanding of catchment hydrology, riparian restoration and ecosystem health. This stream has four modules: Hydrology: The key driver of pattern and process in rivers is flow. This theme will explore the science of hydrology as it pertains to rivers. It will include measurement of hydrology, linkages between catchment and hydrology and the analysis of hydrological regimes. Environmental Flows: The alteration of hydrological regimes is often claimed to be the most serious and continuing

threat to ecological sustainability of rivers and their associated floodplain wetlands. A major challenge for society is to satisfy the growing demands for water without degrading aquatic ecosystems and the ecological goods and services they provide. This theme focusses on environmental flows and will provide students with background to understanding environmental flows technologies and methodologies to natural research management. Riparian Restoration: Many of our streams, rivers and floodplains are in a degraded state and millions of dollars are spent annually on their restoration. This theme will provide biophysical information to guide sustainable management and restoration of riparian lands and associated riverine systems. Ecosystem Health: Ecosystem health is a relatively new field that brings together our biophysical understanding of how natural systems function with societal goals and human values. Its central theme is the essential services provided by ecosystems that are vital to human welfare and draws on a mix of medical, social and ecological disciplines. This theme will explore the development and validation of cost-effective techniques for the ecological assessment of river health including indicators which focus on organisation (biodiversity, food web structure), vigour (rates of production, biogeochemical cycling) and resilience (ability to recover from disturbance).

Course Changes in Response to Previous Student Feedback The majority of this course takes place during an intensive over in Albany, WA. It has changed slightly for this year in that students will undertake aquatic ecology field sessions which were originally undertaken in the semester 1 course, Science of Water. Assessments have changed per previous student feedback.

1.3 Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Professor Paul Lant

1.4 Timetable
Timetables are available on mySI-net. Additional Timetable Information
A detailed timetable for the course showing lectures, tutorials, field trips and assessment deadlines can be downloaded from the course Blackboard web site. You will be given an introduction to Blackboard in the first class session. WATR7100 is delivered alongside one other co-requisite (WATR7200). Students must be enrolled in both co-requisites. Students undertaking these co-requisite courses will be required to participate in a Problem Based Learning Project comprising roughly 50% of the total contact time and assessment weight for the Integration Semester. The Problem based component of the semester relates to a group project. Through participation in the Project, students will have a chance to integrate their learning from the co-requisite courses by applying this knowledge and skills to specific water-related problems. Note: Problem based learning projects run across all integrated water management co-requisites: WATR7100, WATR7200. Please see other co-requisite course profiles to cross-reference.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES UNIT I : Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies: Definition, Scope and Importance Need for Public Awareness. UNIT II :

Natural Resources : Renewable and non-renewable resources Natural resources and associated problems Forest resources Use and over exploitation, deforestation, case studies Timber extraction Mining, dams and other effects on forest and tribal people Water resources Use and over utilization of surface and ground water Floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams benefits and problems - Mineral resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources, case studies. - Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing, effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, case studies. Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and nonrenewable energy sources use of alternate energy sources. Case studies. Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification. Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources. Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles. UNIT III : Ecosystems : Concept of an ecosystem. - Structure and function of an ecosystem. Producers, consumers and decomposers. - Energy flow in the ecosystem - Ecological succession. - Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids. - Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the following ecosystem: a. Forest ecosystem b. Grassland ecosystem c. Desert ecosystem d. Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries) UNIT IV : Biodiversity and its conservation : Introduction - Definition: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. - Bio-geographical classification of India - Value of biodiversity: consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values - . Biodiversity at global, National and local levels. - . India as a megadiversity nation - Hot-sports of biodiversity - Threats to biodiversity: habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, manwildlife conflicts. - Endangered and endemic species of India - Conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and Exsitu conservation of biodiversity. UNIT V : Environmental Pollution : Definition, Cause, effects and control measures of a. Air pollution b. Water pollution c. Soil pollution d. Marine pollution e. Noise pollution f. Thermal pollution g. Nuclear hazards Solid waste Management : Causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial wastes. Role of an individual in prevention of pollution. - Pollution case studies. - Disaster management: floods, earthquake, cyclone and landslides. UNIT VI : Social Issues and the Environment : From Unsustainable to Sustainable development -Urban

problems related to energy -Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management -Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concerns. Case Studies -Environmental ethics: Issues and possible solutions. -Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust. Case Studies. Wasteland reclamation. -Consumerism and waste products. -Environment Protection Act. -Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. -Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act -Wildlife Protection Act -Forest Conservation Act -Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation. -Public awareness.

UNIT VII : Human Population and the Environment : Population growth, variation among nations. Population explosion - Family Welfare Programme. -Environment and human health. Human Rights. -Value Education. -HIV/AIDS. -Women and Child Welfare. -Role of information Technology in Environment and human health. -Case Studies. UNIT VIII : Field work : Visit to a local area to document environmental assets River /forest grassland/hill/mountain -Visit to a local polluted site - Urban/Rural/industrial/ Agricultural Study of common plants, insects, birds. Study of simple ecosystems-pond, river, hill slopes, etc. TEXT BOOK: 1 Textbook of Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses by Erach Bharucha for University Grants Commission. 2 Environmental Studies by R. Rajagopalan, Oxford University Press. REFERENCE: 1 Textbook of Environmental Sciences and Technology by M. Anji Reddy, BS Publication For more details, visit http://www.jntu.ac.in/ 3.