Objectives

Most ecosystems throughout the globe are human dominated and possess strong linkages between human actions and ecological outcomes. This course investigates the importance and complexity of human-ecological interactions on natural resource management, the flow of ecosystem services, and natural resource availability. The role of science in society, human cognition and behavior, and governance systems on these interactions will be investigated from the perspective of individuals and social organizations. Adaptive management and social learning will be emphasized as the means to guide change to maintain sustainable social-ecological systems. Resilience thinking will be presented as a means to integrate these diverse concepts and guide management under conditions of incomplete knowledge, disputed values and urgent timelines. High profile, contemporary issues within the State and Nation will be used to illustrate the consequences and relevance of these transformative concepts.

 

Learning Outcomes

Course completion will contribute to the following learning outcomes:
• Understand the importance of social-ecological systems to natural resource management, and human well-being.
• Comprehend the diverse approaches needed to manage social-ecological systems under conditions of increasing resource demand and unprecedented global change.
• Analyze the major components of human cognition, behaviors and interactions that both create and resolve natural resource management challenges.
• Recognize the importance of social institutions, policies and governance in shaping both natural resource problems and potential solutions.
• Apply course concepts to diverse, contemporary environmental issues to demonstrate their societal relevance.
• Develop skill sets and perspectives that are necessary for application of ‘resilience thinking’ to contemporary resource management.

Instructor

Dr. David D. Briske
Department of Ecosystem Science & Management

WFES Room 326
Phone: 979-845-5581

Email: dbriske@tamu.edu

Meeting Time and Location

Tuesday and Thursday 9:35 – 10:50 am

Reading Assignments

Readings will be assigned by subject matter section on the eCampus course page. These assignments represent a central component of the course by providing content with which to develop higher cognitive learning through discussion, peer surveys and reflection.

Prerequisites

RENR 205 – Fundamentals of Ecology and AGEC – 105 and Introduction to Agricultural Economics or equivalent course content.

Educational Approach

The course will emphasize collaborative learning by blending reading content acquired outside of class with in-class discussion, mini-lectures, participation activities, and reflection to promote critical thinking and creation of new knowledge. Web outlines of course content are designed to facilitate in-class participation, but they do NOT provide complete course content. Critical reading activities will emphasize comprehension, interpretation and analysis of technical scientific content. Critical reading skills will enable you to maintain professional competence throughout your lifetime. I>clicker polling will be conducted each class period to encourage active learning, provide immediate feedback, survey class perspectives, and evaluate student performance.

Discussion is the prototypic teaching method for active learning. Research has established that memory is affected by how deeply we process new knowledge1. Elaboration of knowledge by explaining, questioning, and summarizing contributes to greater cognitive learning and critical thinking skills. Students have been shown to be more attentive and think more deeply in a discussion than in a more passive learning format.

Benefits of learning through discussion:
• Practice critical thinking
• Evaluate logic and evidence
• Engage in collaborative learning
• Receive immediate feedback from peers
1Excerpt from ‘McKeachies’s Teaching Tips. 2011, 13th Ed., Wadsworth’.

Student Evaluation

Student evaluation will be based on a combination of in-class exams, quizzes, participation activities, and case analyses. Exams will consist of multiple choice and scenario analysis questions and will be scantron graded. Quizzes will evaluate student comprehension of assigned readings and in-class content. Participation activities will involve objective and subjective assessments of various concepts and topics to enhance knowledge self-assessment (two lowest participation scores will be dropped).

Exams (2 @ 100 pts)                      200 points
Final Exam (comprehensive)     100 points

Quizzes (10 @ 10 pts)                     100 points
Participation (12 @ 2 pts)               20 points
Total Points                                       420 points

Grade Distribution:
A=90%
B=80-89%
C=70-79%
D=60-69%
F=0-59%

Make-Up Examinations and Late Assignments

Make-up examinations and quizzes will be given provided that students present a documented University-excused absence within 1 week of the scheduled exam. An excused absence means that illness or some other problem beyond your control prevented you from taking the scheduled exam or quiz. There will be no make-up participations, except in the case of extenuating circumstances (two lowest score dropped). Make-up work must be completed within 4 weeks of the originally scheduled time. Instructors are under no obligation to provide an opportunity for students to make up course work missed because of unexcused absences (TAMU Regulations). These policies will be strictly enforced.

Attendance

Regular class attendance is expected and will be evaluated with i-clicker as a component of class participation. Students who consistently attend class attain the highest performance.

ESSM 318 on eCampus

ESSM 318 on eCampus (http://eCampus.tamu.edu/) will contain the syllabus, web content outlines, readings and links to videos, assignments, special instructions, and grade information for the course. It will be an important means of communication throughout the semester so check it regularly. An eCampus page will be set up automatically for each student that has registered for the course.

I-Clicker Registration and Use

I>clickers will be used regularly to promote student interaction and critical learning by providing immediate feedback and identifying topics that require further review. This includes weekly in-class quizzes and frequent participation activities to assess student understanding of content and survey class opinions on various environmental issues. Each student is required to have a functional i>clicker each class period and ensuring your i>clicker is working is your responsibility. Registration instructions for i>clickers can be found at http://www.iclicker.com/. Please note that i>clickers must be registered each academic year. Instructional Technology Services recommends that personal devices (REEF System) NOT be used for graded assessments.

Learning Environment

Please contribute to a positive and constructive learning environment throughout the semester by:

• Participating in class discussions
• Challenging your current knowledge
• Respecting comments and perspectives of others
• Muting all electronic devices
• Minimizing distracting activities, especially texting
• Attending class on time and staying through the entire session

Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact Disability Services, currently located in the Disability Services building at the Student Services at White Creek complex on west campus or call 979-845-1637. For additional information, visit http://disability.tamu.edu.

Academic Integrity Statement

“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.”

Upon accepting admission to Texas A&M University, a student immediately assumes a commitment to uphold the Honor Code, to accept responsibility for learning, and to follow the philosophy and rules of the Honor System. Students will be required to state their commitment on examinations, research papers, and other academic work. Ignorance of the rules does not exclude any member of the TAMU community from the requirements or the processes of the Honor System. For additional information please visit:  www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor/. All infractions will result in a grade of zero for the evaluation in question and it will be reported as an honor code violation.

1. Course content and goals
2. Teaching approaches and assessment
3. Knowledge and learning

II.  Natural Resource Management

1. Historical perspective
2. Management models
   1. Steady state management
   2. Ecosystem management
   3. Resilience-based management
3. Contemporary management challenges

III.  Social-ecological Systems

1. Systems thinking
2. Ecological systems
   1. Structure
   2. Function
3. Social systems
   1. Structure
   2. Function
4.  Case analysis

 

IV. Ecosystem Services

1. Definition and purpose
2. Categories
   1. Provisioning
   2. Supporting
   3. Regulating
   4. Cultural
3. Managing trade offs
4. Valuation methods
5. Human well-being

V.  Science and Society

1. Role and limits
2. Knowledge sources
   1. Management (local)
   2. Professional agency
   3. Scientific
3. Knowledge production
4. Multiple case analyses

EXAM I

VI. Human Knowledge and Behavior

1. Human cognition
2. Mental models
3. Knowledge acquisition
4. Human cultural theory
   1. Divergent views of nature
   2. Management implications
5. Attitudes, norms and behaviors
6. Environmental ethics