Environment and Biophysical Planning

Objectives

a) Know the human impact on the natural environment;
b) Know the past and present of these impacts and their nature;
c) Understand future impacts and their consequences;
d) Distinguish the domains and frame of impacts;
e) Relate biophysical limitations to territory planning;
f) Discuss and present the legal support to biophysical planning;
g) Discuss and present measures of human activity impact reduction;
h) Apply and analyze methods of biophysical impact assessment using GIS practical exercises.

Concepts

Use, function
Aptitude, capacity
Impact, potential
Sustainability

 

General characterization

Code

01100682

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Pedro João Cruz Cortesão Casimiro

Hours

Weekly - 4

Total - 168

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

Not Applicable

Bibliography

GOUDIE, Andrew, The Human Impact on the Natural Environment, 6ª ed, Oxford, Blackwell, 2009, 357 p.
SIMMONS, I.G., Changing the Face of the Earth – Culture, Environment, History, Oxford, Blackwell, 1991, 487 p.
MANION, A.M. Global Environmental Change, Londres, Longman, 1991, 404 p.

 

Teaching method

In class teaching:
-Theory, expositive and participative classes.
-Practical classes with GIS exercises on environmental hazards related to human impacts.

 

Evaluation method

Evaluation method - Attendance control(5%), Continuous evaluation on practical classes(35%), Written test(60%)

Subject matter

Past and Present

Human impact on the vegetation
Human influence on animals
Human impact on the soil
Human impact on waters
Human agency in geomorphology
Human impact on the climate and atmosphere

The future

Coastal environments
Hydrological impacts
The cryosphere
Drylands

Impacts and planing
Legal context
Impact reduction measure

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: