Study program:

Academic level and semester:

Master, 2^nd/3^rd semester

ECTS credits/workload per semester:

2 / 50

Contact hours per week/contact hours per semester:

2 / 25

Type/Teaching method:

Frequency:

Lecturer:

Content:

Students learn to analyze climate change scenarios and assess the potential impacts of future climate change in relation to historical and prehistoric climate fluctuations. They evaluate consequences for humans and biodiversity in urban and rural ecosystems.

They gain knowledge of landscape development from the post-glacial period to the emergence of cultural landscapes and understand its relevance for interpreting current climate change scenarios. The course deepens understanding of landscape and freshwater ecology, as well as urban ecology—focusing on urban climate, biodiversity, and the effects of climate change on flora and fauna.

Students study the causes of high biodiversity among native and invasive species, reasons for biodiversity loss in cities, and methods for site and landscape analysis, environmental data collection, and evaluation. They conduct independent vegetation and fauna surveys.

Content:

• Cultural landscape development in relation to past climate fluctuations

• Effects of climate change on ecosystems (forests, agricultural systems, running waters)

• Urban habitats, biodiversity, and invasive species

• Climate change impacts on species interactions (e.g., pollination)

The module highlights how historical land-use systems adapted to climatic variation, offering models for sustainable transformation today, such as sustainable forestry and multifunctional ecosystems like traditional orchard meadows.

Textbooks:

Breuste et al. (2016). Stadtökosysteme – funktion, -management und -entwicklung. Berlin: SpringerHenninger, s. (hrsg.) (2011): Stadtökologie. Utb-band-nr. 3559. Paderborn: Ferdinand schöningh.Ineichen, S., Klausnitzer, B. & Ruckstuhl, M. (2012). Stadtfauna. 600 Tierarten unserer Städte. Bern: Haupt Verlag.Kegel, b. (2013). Tiere in der Stadt. Eine Naturgeschichte. Köln: Dumond-Verlag.

Basics in either Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning or Landscape Planning

Restrictions:

Assessment: