Aims

Biodiversity & Ecosystem services is a relatively new field within the domain of ecology. Since the 1990s interest in biodiversity function has grown exponentially and meta-analyses showed that overall, there is a positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Extrapolating these relationships to ecosystem services for humankind is essential for sustainable development. After publication of the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA, 2005) and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB, 2009) reports, research quantifying ecosystem services is booming worldwide. This course aims at giving an overview of the concepts of biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services and their development, how these can be measured and how this translates into more sustainable management of ecosystems.

IMPORTANT: Students who have already followed Natuurbeheer en -ontwikkeling (I0P69A) in 2022-2023 as part of their master's programme, cannot follow Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (I0U37A) because of overlap in the course content.

Previous knowledge

Basic trainining in ecology and/or biology.

Order of Enrolment

This course unit is a prerequisite for taking the following course units:
I0U81A : Integrated Project Tropical Agro- and Ecosystems
I0V35A : Integrated Project Temperate Agro- and Ecosystems

Is included in these courses of study

• Master in de bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: milieutechnologie (Leuven) 120 ects.
• Courses for Exchange Students Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (Leuven)
• Master in de bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: landbeheer (Leuven) (Major bodem- en watersystemen) 120 ects.
• ICP Master of Science in Sustainable Development (Leuven) (Specialisation: Ecology) 120 ects.
• Master of Bioscience Engineering: Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering (Leuven) 120 ects.
• Master of Urbanism, Landscape and Planning (Leuven) 120 ects.
• Master of Geography (Programme for students started in 2021-2022 or later) (Leuven et al) 120 ects.