Educational goals: Introducing students to major concepts in ecology and providing evidence for applications to the resource management planning and analysis, in order to develop the systemic perception of biosphere, understand the origin of global change and develop the skills necessary to manage and preserve ecosystems.
Syllabus: Firstly, the composition, structure and function of ecosystems will be analyzed, and the main components of productivity will be defined. Secondly, the pattern of change of ecosystems over space and time in response to availability of resources will be examined, analyzing the response ability of ecosystems to stress conditions. At the end, the tools and techniques to quantify environmental modifications will be analyzed, as well as their implications for conservation planning.