Module GEOG3947: PEATLAND LANDSCAPES AND MANAGEMENT

Department: Geography

GEOG3947: PEATLAND LANDSCAPES AND MANAGEMENT

Prerequisites

• Any Level 2 GEOG module

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• Peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial global carbon store and are critical for preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change, preserving biodiversity, minimising flood risk, and ensuring safe drinking water.The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the significance of peatland landscapes as a resource, their importance in regulating climate change; and discuss how they can be effectively managed.

Content

• Introduction – What is peat? Global significance of peatlands
• Hydrology of peat landscapes - Blanket peatlands
• Erosion processes, slope processes and peat landslides
• Landscape change - sediment budgets
• Importance of Carbon - erosion dynamics and carbon cycling
• Peatland drainage and burning
• Peatland restoration
• Tropical peatlands under pressure
• Arctic peatlands and changing climate

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of this module students are expected to be able to:
• Understand the key characteristics of peat and peatland landscapes
• Specify the linkages between peatland landscapes and processes
• Appreciate the importance of peatland landscapes in controlling carbon cycling
• Recognise current issues affecting peatlands and available management strategies.

• Appreciate the range of peatland research methodologies
• Critically assess scientific approaches in to peatland landscape studies
• Understand how the physical characteristics and material properties of peat influence peatland process

• Order knowledge and be able to relate and synthesise key concepts
• Read critically and make links between lecture-based knowledge and published material (advanced bibliographic skills).
• Relate lecture-based concepts to field / management examples • Small group work in the field.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This will be a lecture- based module with a one-day field excursion to the North Pennines to look at contemporary peat erosion and management on blanket peat. Lectures will enable students to gain subject-specific knowledge and understand approaches to studying peatland science.
• Guided exercises and quizzes in Learn Ultra allow students to appreciate the ‘special’ properties of peat.
• The field excursion provides practical experience of methods of peatland restoration and management. It also provides experience of small group work.
• Tutorials provide a discussion forum (review) at the end of the module where students can raise key topics and issues and prepare essay-plan answers. This will prepare students for the summative assessment (exam).
• Formative assessment is provided through weekly short tests/quizzes in lectures and the group revision tutorial at the end of the module. The tutorial reviews subject-specific knowledge and provide guidance on structuring exam question to best synthesise key concepts and published material.
• The summative assessment (written exam) will test subject specific knowledge and; the ability of students to critically assess scientific approaches in to peatland science, synthesise key conceptsand make links between lecture-based knowledge, published material and field / management examples.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

This is provided through question and answer session in lectures; guided exercises; ‘spot’ tests/quizzes; discussion on the one-day field excursion and in the group review tutorial at the end of the module.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University