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Evaluation of Environmental Influence

Course developer

Course abstract

Environmental impact assessment includes questions related to environmental quality determination, the reference reaction of living organisms, bioindication methods, the structure and dynamics of the factor influence, retrospective analysis and consequences.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

During the study course students acquire knowledge about the reference reaction of forest ecosystem to the influence of various natural and anthropogenic environmental factors and its nature, intensity, structure and dynamics, factors influencing the quality of environment and determination of this influence - written test.
In solving specific tasks, students acquire skills to use dendro chronological and lichenoindicative method for quantification of influence of ecological factors - practical work.
As a result, master students are competent to independently assess the productivity of natural and anthropogenic factors in the forest and the effect of promoting or inhibiting environmental pollution - two independent papers (reports).

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Environmental impact infrastructure, basic concepts. Basic directions of environmental quality assessment. 2h lectures.
2. Bioindication: options, types, methods. Choice of indicators. 4h lectures.
3. Tree and stand reference reaction.2h lectures.
4. Dechromation. Defoliation. Destruction of lower floors. Forest monitoring. 2h lectures.
5. Dendrochronology. Dendroclimatology.4h lectures.
6. Acquisition of annual ring's bore cores in a tree stand. 5 h practical work.
7. Increment and additional increment of tree and stand, their types, determination, interpretation and ecological causality. 4h lectures.
8. Selection of indexes. Trendy changes. Fluctuations. 2h lectures.
9. Measurement of width of the annual rings of wood. Preprocessing of obtained data. 5h practical work.
10. Control problems. Types of solution. Structure and dynamics of factor influence. 2h lectures.
11. Retrospective analysis. Prediction of environmental impact. 2h lectures.
12. Method of lichenoindication. 6h practical work.
13. Concept and place of active periods in the V. Shelford Tolerance Law. 2h lectures.
14. Environmental hazards. Background problem. 2h lectures.
15. Environmental diversity. Biodiversity criteria. Environmental impact assessment. 4h lectures.
16. Test. Presentations of independent work: analysis of environmental impact.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Must have successfully passed tests, independent work and their presentations. Attendance - at least 50% of lectures and practical assignments.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1. independent work. Determination of additional tree increment due to various factors (eg, forest drainage, fire, thinnings, etc.) using tree annual ring measurements (report (Word document, volume at least 15 pages) and calculation (Excel worksheet) submitted electronically and in printed form; the results of the work are presented as a PowerPoint presentation).

2. independent work. Environmental quality characterization using the lichenoindication method (report (Word document, volume at least 15 pages) submitted electronically and in printed form; the results of the independent work are presented as a PowerPoint presentation).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The assessment of the study course depends on the cumulative assessment of the theory test and of independent work papers and their presentations.

The student can get successful degree on test if at least 50% of test questions are answered correctly and completely.
Independent work is evaluated according to the evaluation procedure specified in the independent work assignment.
The assessment degree is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the test and two independent work's degrees.

Compulsory reading

1. Liepa I. (2018) Meža taksācija: mācību līdzeklis LLU Meža fakultātes studentiem, nozares speciālistiem un meža īpašniekiem. Jelgava: “Izdevniecība Avots”, 238 lpp.
2. Kļaviņš M., Nikodemus O., Segliņš V., Melecis V., Vircavs M., Āboliņa K. Vides zinātne (2008) Red. M. Kļaviņš. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 600 lpp.
3. Schweingruber F. H. (1996) Tree rings and environment. Dendroecology. Bern, Stuttgart, Vienna. 609 pp.
4. Daugaviete M., Bambe B., Lazdiņš A., Lazdiņa D. (2017) Plantāciju mežu augšanas gaita, produktivitāte un ietekme uz vidi. Monogrāfija.-Salaspils: LVMI “Silava”, DU AA “Saule”, 470 lpp.

Further reading

1. Liepa I. (1996) Pieauguma mācība. Jelgava: LLU. 124 lpp.
2. Vienvecuma egļu meži Latvijā (2019) Red. J. Jansons. Salaspils: LVMI “Silava”, DU AA “Saule”, 202 lpp.
3. Dabas aizsardzība (2011) Red. un sast. O. Nikodemus, G. Brūmelis. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 288 lpp.
4. Vides veselība (2008) Sast. M. Eglīte. Rīga: Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte, 696 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Forest Ecology. Journal of Forest Sciences in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. ISSN: 1392-1355.
2. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. ISSN: 0282-7581.
3. Лесоведение, журнал Института лесоведения Российской академии наук. ISSN: 0024-1148.

Notes

Study course compulsory for students of specialization direction “Forest ecology and silviculture” of master study programme “Forest science”.