Ecosystems and Biodiversity Courses

View the Ecosystems and Biodiversity competency profile here

PLEASE NOTE: The below curriculum is provided for reference only, pending final approval from the relevant study board at each university. Updated December 2024.

The specialisation in Ecosystems and Biodiversity is offered by  BOKU and UHOH. If you choose to specialise in Ecosystems and Biodiversity there are six ways to combine the Basic Semester Package (BSP) and the Advanced Semester Packages (ASPs) in your Master Programme.

You just have to take the BSP and the ASP-1 at one of the universities (the Home university), and the ASP-2 at another of the universities (the Host university). The Masters thesis must be conducted at your Host university. 

ASP-1 at BOKU: Ecosystems and Biodiversity 1

You will find the BOKU courses (LV) in our teaching information system BOKUonline: https://online.boku.ac.at

Further information on how to look for courses at BOKU in general: http://www.boku.ac.at/int-in-boku-howtolookforcourses-en.html

30 ECTS

Semester 2

(summer)
  • Urban ecology SE (3 ECTS)
  • Ecology, restoration and conservation of aquatic and riparian vegetation VU (2 ECTS)
  • Biodiversity and conservation of mountain forests VS (2 ECTS)
  • Agroforestry in mountain regions VS (3 ECTS)
  • Recreation in riverine landscapes SX (3 ECTS)
  • Ecologically oriented methods and monitoring in river engineering VU (3 ECTS)
  • Environmental chemistry SE (4.5 ECTS)*
  • Soil and water bioengineering - principle and applications VS (3 ECTS)
  • Valuation methods for natural resources VO (3 ECTS)
  • Soil fertility and soil ecology in organic agriculture VU (3 ECTS)
  • Conservation genetic analysis methods VO (1 ECTS)
  • Conservation genetic lab PR (2 ECTS)
  • Systems science for participatory management of dynamic socio-ecosystems SE (2 ECTS)
  • Ecology of algae VU (2 ECTS)
  • Biology, chemistry and microbiology for civil engineering VU (3 ECTS)
  • Biocultural diversity in rural landscapes VS (3 ECTS)
  • Possible impacts of climate change on water resources VO (3 ECTS)
  • Participatory methods in development research and practice SE (3 ECTS)
  • Fire management in mountain forest ecosystems - prophylaxis and control VS (2 ECTS)
  • Soil management in tropical and subtropical developing regions VO (3 ECTS)
  • Plant populations and conservation genetics VS (1 ECTS)**
  • Remote sensing and image processing VU (6 ECTS)
  • Scientific writing SE (1.5 ECTS)
  • Project management VU (3 ECTS)
  • Ecology of aquatic plants VU (2 ECTS)
  • Free elective course(s) (6 ECTS)

 
NOTE: Highlighted courses are compulsory study activities while the rest are elective study activities

* Please note that there are only two places in this course for EnvEuro students.

** Offered every second year (2022, 2024, 2026, ....)

ASP-1 at UHOH: From Genes to Landscapes

30 ECTS
Semester 2 (summer)
  • Combining Ecological Models and Data (7.5 ECTS, Block 1)
  • Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (7.5 ECTS, Block 2)
  • Landscape Change, Resilience and Ecosystem Services (7.5 ECTS, Block 3) 
  • Agroecology and Biotic Resource Conservation (7.5 ECTS, Block 3)
  • Intensive Course Landscape Ecology (7.5 ECTS, Block 4)
  • Plant Ecology of Cultural Landscapes (7.5 ECTS, no fixed date, but by arrangement)

ASP 1 consists of blocked modules - these run for four weeks in either of the block periods (1, 2, 3, 4).  No two blocked modules can be taken during the same block period.

 NOTE: Highlighted courses are compulsory study activities, in addition students have to select two of the semi-elective modules plus one elective module. The elective module may be freely chosen from the module catalogue of all master courses of the Faculty of Agricultural Science and the Faculty of Natural Science. 

Module descriptions can be found in the module catalogue at UHOH

ASP-1 at WU: Ecosystems and Biodiversity (preliminary list of courses)

 

Semester 3

(autumn)
  • Complexity in Ecological Systems, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Quantitative Ecohydrology (this course may move to period 6 in the coming year; then it will be replaced by a new course Soil Hydrology) RO2 6 ●
  • Models for Ecological Systems, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Integrated Fire Management, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Water Quality, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Applications in Soil and Water Chemistry, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Nutrients in a Circular Agriculture, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Trending Topics in Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Field Training Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interactions, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Practical Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality, RO4 (6 ECTS)
  • Plant, Vegetation and Systems Ecology, RO4 (6 ECTS)

NOTE: 18 ECTS have to be covered from above restricted elective courses. 
Ask at enveuro@wur.nl for course details

ASP-2 at BOKU: Ecosystems and Biodiversity 2

You will find the BOKU courses (LV) in our teaching information system BOKUonline: https://online.boku.ac.at

Further information on how to look for courses at BOKU in general: http://www.boku.ac.at/int-in-boku-howtolookforcourses-en.html

30 ECTS

Semester 3

(winter)
  • Plant and Environment VO (3 ECTS)
  • Ecology of Aquatic systems VS (3 ECTS)
  • Master's Thesis Seminar SE (2 ECTS)**
  • Computer Based River Modelling VU (3 ECTS)
  • Multiple criteria decision making in natural resource management VS (3 ECTS)
  • Air pollution effects on forest ecosystems VS (3 ECTS)
  • Mountain forest climatology and headwater hydrology VU (4.5 ECTS)
  • Ecology and management of the rhizosphere in ecological engineering UE (3 ECTS)
  • Modelling of mountain forest ecosystems VS (2.5 ECTS)
  • Assessing diversity in forest stands VU (3 ECTS)
  • Innovations for sustainable forest management VS (4 ECTS)
  • Rhizosphere processes and application to agriculture and soil protection VO (3 ECTS)
  • Geo-data management VU (3 ECTS)
  • Soil ecology VO (3 ECTS)
  • Conservation biogeography and genetics VS (3 ECTS)
  • Human impacts in riverine landscapes VO (2 ECTS)
  • Ecological river landscape management VO (2 ECTS)
  • Farmland ecology VS (1 ECTS)
  • Field camp I - introduction to mountain forestry & forest sciences VX (2 ECTS)
  • Mountain hazard processes VX (6 ECTS)
  • Seminar in global change and ecosystems SE (2 ECTS)
  • Ecology and population biology of plants in agro-ecosystems VX (5 ECTS)
  • Multivariate analysis of ecological data sets VO (3 ECTS)
  • Multivariate analysis of ecological data sets - exercises UE (1,5 ECTS)
  • Gender, food systems and Natural Resources VS (6 ECTS)
  • Formulation of questions and experimental design in ecological research VS (4.5 ECTS)
  • Decision support systems SE (3 ECTS)
  • Free elective course(s) (6 ECTS)


NOTE: Highlighted courses are compulsory study activities while the rest are elective study activities

** Associated with the Master's Thesis in the 4th semester -- compulsory

ASP-2 at UHOH: 

For this specialisation in ASP2 at UHOH, you can choose between two different semester packages: ASP2(1) OR ASP2(2)

ASP-2(1): Alternative 1

30 ECTS
Semester 3 (winter)
  • Project in Landscape Ecology (6 ECTS)
  • Ecology and Agroecosystems (6 ECTS)
  • Environmental Modelling (6 ECTS)
  • Population and Quantitative Genetic (6 ECTS)
  • Ethical Reflection on Food and Agriculture (6 ECTS)

ASP-2 – Alternative 1 consists of unblocked modules that run throughout the entire lecture period

NOTE: Courses listed above are semi-elective. Students have toselect at least two of the semi-elective modules. Additional elective modules may be freely chosen from the module catalogue of all master courses of the Faculty of Agricultural Science and the Faculty of Natural Science so that a total of 30 credits is reached.

Module descriptions can be found in the module catalogue at UHOH

ASP2(2): Alternative 2

30 ECTS
Semester 3 (winter)
  • Landscape Ecology (7.5 ECTS, Block 1)
  • Community and Evolutionary Ecology (7.5 ECTS, Block 2)
  • Conservation Biology (7.5 ECTS, Block 3)
  • Plant Ecology (7.5 ECTS, Block 4)
  • Methods in Landscape and Plant Ecology (7.5 ECTS, four weeks in March)

ASP-2 – Alternative 2 consists of blocked modules – these run for four weeks in either of the block periods.”

NOTE: Courses listed above are semi-elective. Students have to select at least two of the semi-elective modules. Additional elective modules may be freely chosen from the module catalogue of all master courses of the Faculty of Agricultural Science and the Faculty of Natural Science so that a total of 30 credits is reached.

Module descriptions can be found in the module catalogue at UHOH

ASP-2 at WU: Ecosystems and Biodiversity (preliminary list of courses)

 

Semester 3

(autumn)
  • Academic Consultancy + modulal skills training RO1-1 (12 ECTS) 
    • or 
  • Design of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies RO1-2 (12 ECTS)
  • Interdisciplinary Topics in Earth and Environment, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Environmental Data Collection and Analysis, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Complexity in Ecological Systems, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Models for Ecological Systems, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Integrated Fire Management, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Water Quality, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Applications in Soil and Water Chemistry, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Nutrients in a Circular Agriculture, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Trending Topics in Biology and Chemistry of Soil and Water, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Field Training Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interactions, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Practical Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Plant, Vegetation and Systems Ecology, RO8 (6 ECTS)
  • Quantitative Ecohydrology (this course will move to period 6 coming academic year), RO6 (6 ECTS)

NOTE: 18 ECTS have to be covered from above restricted elective courses. 
Ask at enveuro@wur.nl for course details