Management of Aquatic Resources in the Tropics

About this programme

The course has a multidisciplinary focus and stretches from biology and ecology of tropical aquatic organisms and interactions between ecosystems on a seascape and catchment scale, to human dependence on nature for essential benefits (e.g. through fisheries) and impacts of local and global human stressors. This is done by gradually following the pathway of water from tropical mountain ranges to the open sea. A common theme throughout the course is to what extent detailed biological and ecological knowledge and modern principles in natural resource management can help reduce trade-offs and increase synergies (win-wins) between nature conservation and human development. Consequently, the course contains aspects of subjects as landscape ecology, environmental economy, ecotoxicology and conservation biology, alongside an ecosystems ecology approach. The education relies on a diverse set of teaching methods including classroom and video lectures, literature seminars, group discussions, case studies, interactive games, critical film analysis, and roleplay. Active participation in most of these activities is compulsory. A list of the learning outcomes can be found in the syllabus. Please find the link to the syllabus on the right side of this page. Measurement of knowledge takes place through written and/or oral examination, activity at seminars as well as written and oral presentations. We use papers from the scientific literature and there is no mandatory course book. Papers will be provided during the course.