Course code Biol3018

Credit points 3

Indicatorspecies of Environmental Quality

Total Hours in Course81

Number of hours for lectures16

Number of hours for laboratory classes16

Independent study hours49

Date of course confirmation27.03.2018

Responsible UnitInstitute of Forest Management

Course developer

author prof.

Inga Straupe

Dr. silv.

Prior knowledge

VidZ1003, Environmental Chemistry

VidZ3006, Ecology and Environmental Protection

Course abstract

Study course examines the assessment of environmental quality and monitoring using vegetation. The research methods of vegetation are described. Students obtain knowledge about classification of plants by life forms, strategies, funcional groups and ecological indicatorvalues of Ellenberg. The characterizing species and indicatorspecies of forests, biologically valuable grasslands and mires are described. The method of lichenoindication for assessment of air pollution is described. The methods of phytoremediation and their use in improvement of environmetal quality are inspected.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge- to know the characterizing species and indicatorspecies of Latvia's habitats;
skills- to describe and to characterize the environmental quality in habitats using methods of vegetation and lichenoindication;
competences- to analize and evaluate the environmental quality, to develop recommendations for its improvement, to apply the methods of phytoremediation.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. The evaluation of environmental quality and monitoring. Indicatorspecies (2 h).
2. The ecological evaluation of vegetation (2 h).
3. Ellenberg”s indicatorvalues (1 h).
4. The life forms and strategies of plants (1 h).
5. The functional groups of plants (1 h).
Test The ecological evaluation of environment (1 h)
6. Indicatorspecies of forest fertility (4 h).
Colloquium Indicatorspecies of forest fertility (1 h)
7. Indicatorspecies of woodland key habitats (1 h).
8. Forest suynantropization. Invasive species (2 h).
9. Indicatorspecies of biologically valuable grasslands (1 h).
10. Swamp indicatorspecies (1 h).
Colloquium Indicatorspecies of grasslands and swamps (1 h)
11. Lichens – the indicators of air pollution. The methods of lichenoindication (2 h).
12. The phytoremediation, classsification and methods (1 h).
13. The importance of phytoremediation, its advantages and disadvantages (1 h).
14. The phytoremediation of heavy metals (1 h).
15. The phytoremediation of pollution of oil products (1 h).
16. The phytoremediation of polluted waters (2 h). Plants for the phytoremediation in Latvia (3 h).
Seminar The phytoremediation (2 h).
Part time extramural studies
All topics specified for full time studies are accomplished, but the number of contact hours is one half of the number specified in the calendar.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Attended lectures and laboratory works in 75% volume. Successfully written 2 tests. Exam.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Colloquiums: learning of forest, grasland and swamp indicatorspecies. Seminar: the preparation of the individual presentations about “The phytoremediation”.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Studiju kursa ieskaites ar atzīmi vērtējums veidojas no studiju kursa kontroldarba, 2 kolokviju un semināra (individuālās prezentācijas) kumulatīvā vērtējuma. Atzīmes izšķiršanās gadījumā students atbild papildus jautājumus.
Kontroldarbs ir sekmīgs, ja vismaz 50% no jautājumiem atbildēti pareizi.
Semināru (individuālo prezentāciju) vērtē saskaņā ar noteikto vērtēšanas kārtību (prezentācijas saturs, noformējums, prezentēšana, diskusija un atbildes uz jautājumiem).
The assessment of the study course – the test with mark - is based on the cumulative assessment of the test, 2 colloquiums and the seminar (the individual presentation). In the case of refinement of the mark, the student answers additional questions.
The test is successful if at least 50% of the questions are answered correctly. The seminar (the individual presentation) is evaluated in accordance with the established assessment procedure (the content of presentation, presentation, discussion and answers to questions).

Compulsory reading

1.Melecis V. Ekoloģija. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2011. 352 lpp.
2.Liepa I., Miezīte O., Luguza S., Šulcs V., Straupe I., Indriksons A., Dreimanis A., Saveļjevs A., Drēska A., Sarmulis Z., Dubrovskis D. Latvijas meža tipoloģija. Jelgava: SIA „BALTI Group", 2014. 118 lpp.
3.Valujeva K., Grīnfelde I., Straupe I. Fitoremediācija. Izmantošanas iespējas Latvijā. Jelgava: Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitāte, Talsu tipogrāfija, 2016. 112 lpp.
4.Moisejevs R. Ķērpju indikatorsugu rokasgrāmata dabas pētniekiem [tiešsaiste]. Daugavpils Universitāte: Dzīvības zinātņu un tehnoloģiju institūts, 2016. 70 lpp. [skatīts 03.04.2018.]. Pieejams: https://www.daba.gov.lv/upload/File/Publikacijas/NOT_kerpji_2016.pdf

Further reading

1.ES aizsargājamie biotopi Latvijā. Noteikšanas rokasgrāmata. [tiešsaiste]. 2.izd. Rīga: LDF, 2013. 359 lpp. [skatīts 03.04.2018.]. Pieejams: http://www.varam.gov.lv/lat/publ/publikacijas/dabas_aizsardzibas_joma/?doc=10539
2.Bioloģiski vērtīgo zālāju augu indikatorsugas: iepazīsimies pļava. [tiešsaiste] 2008. [skatīts 03.04.2018.]. Pieejams: http://ldf.lv/sites/default/files/faili/Publikacijas/Brosuras/bvz_indikatorsugas-iepazisim_plavas.pdf
3.Eiropas Savienības aizsargājamos biotopus raksturojošas augu sugas Latvijā: zālāji, purvi, virsāji, meži. [tiešsaiste]. Latvijas Dabas fonds, 2016. 206 lpp. [skatīts 03.04.2018.]. Pieejams: http://ldf.lv/sites/default/files/_lielie_faili/ES_aizsargajamos_biotopus_raksturojosas_augu_sugas_Latvija.pdf

Periodicals and other sources

1.Sugu enciklopēdija: Latvijas daba. [tiešsaiste]. [skatīts 03.04.2018]. Pieejams: www.latvijasdaba.lv
Interneta resurspunkts "Latvijas daba" [tiešsaiste]. [skatīts 03.04.2018]. Pieejams: latvijas.daba.lv
Dabas aizsardzības pārvaldes portāls [tiešsaiste]. [skatīts 03.04.2018]. Pieejams: www.daba.gov.lv
2. Journal of Applied Ecology. ISSN: 1365-2664
3. Ecological Research. ISSN:1440-1703

Notes

Compulsory study course professional bachelor study program Environment and Water Management of professional higher education.