BSc Plant Science / Course details

You will examine how humans impinge on the biosphere through an examination of the impact of key topics including: envrironmental impacts of mineral extraction and radioactive wastes, enironmental impact of agriculture, urbanisation on water quality, and environmental impact of air pollution from road transport.

To provide a knowledge and understanding of

How humans impinge on the biosphere through an examination of the impact of key anthropogenic stressors arising from resource exploitation and use, agriculture and urbanisation on selected ecosystems and biomes.
Methods and approaches - from molecular to community level - used in the assessment and prediction of human impacts on ecosystems.

Students should gain an understanding of:

• The impact of natural resource exploitation and pollution on populations and communities through the study of important human activities, specifically resources utilisation (metal ores from mining); agriculture; urbanisation; transport
• Methods and approaches used in the assessment and prediction of anthropogenic impacts on key ecosystems and biomes

And be able to:

• Appreciate the importance of connecting and integrating knowledge regarding human impacts, including on the whole biosphere and not only one sector
• Appreciate the importance of field and laboratory studies in understanding and solving environmental problems arising from human activities
• Critically appraise and discuss research literature regarding contemporary and controversial issues related to human impacts on the environment

•       Introduction: Population pressure and resource utilization; pollutants of land, water and air; acute and chronic pollution; standards and guidelines

•       Environmental impact of mineral pollutants - metals and radioactivity: the legacy and risks of radioactive pollutants; bioaccumulation and toxicity; treatment and bioremediation of inorganic pollutants with particular reference to radionuclides and heavy metals.

•       Environmental Impact of agriculture: Impacts on biodiversity; potential conflicts with productivity; chemical inputs and the ‘green revolution’; irrigation and salinization

•       Urbanisation: Impact of sewage on urban water quality and ecology; role of planning in pollution control and enhancing biodiversity; urbanisation and terrestrial biodiversity

•       Environmental impact of air pollution from road transport: Sources and monitoring; air pollutants from transport; impact of ozone and nitrogen dioxide on vegetation and food security

Open Book Written examination (75%), poster coursework assignment: case study of a human impacts challenge (25%)

Performance in workshop questions; written feedback on coursework assignment; questions/answer session in final session.

Mostly primary research literature based with articles and links provided on Blackboard. The following are also recommended.

• Williams, A E, Waterfall, R J, White, K N & Hendry, K (2010) Manchester Ship Canal and Salford Quays: industrial legacy and ecological restoration. In: Ecology of Industrial Pollution (ed: Batty, L C and Hallberg, K B). Cambridge University Press, 276-308.
• Paul, M.J. and Meyer, J.L. (2001) Streams in an urban landscape. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 32, 333-365.
• Wilkiins et al (2012) How is ozone pollution reducing our food supply? J. Exp. Bot. 63 (2): 527-536.
• Lee et al (2012) Effects of roads on adjacent plant community composition and ecosystem function: An example from three calcareous ecosystems Environmental Pollution 163 (2012) 273e280
• Peralta-Videa JR, Lopez ML, Narayan M, Saupe G, Gardea-Torresdey J. (2009) The biochemistry of environmental heavy metal uptake by plants: implications for the food chain. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 41(8-9):1665-77
• Conesa HM, Evangelou MW, Robinson BH, Schulin R. (2012) A critical view of current state of phytotechnologies to remediate soils: still a promising tool? Scientific World Journal. 2012:173829
• Tscharntke T, Clough Y, Wanger TC, Jackson L, Motzke I, Perfecto I, Vandermeer J, Whitbread A. 2012. Global food security, biodiversity conservation and the future of agricultural intensification. Biological Conservation 151(1): 53-59.