Ecology and Ecosystems Science in relation to Environmental Economics

Knowledge about ecosystems ecology is essential for evaluations and analyses within the field of environmental and natural resource economics. Through lessons, case studies and excursions the student will be introduced  ecosystem structures, functioning and processes in different terrestrial ecosystems (forest, agriculture, grassland etc.) that are of special importance to the practical application of economic theories, methods and instruments taught in subsequent economics courses in the M.Sc. in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics.

Topics include:

Ecosystems ecology: the ecosystem concept; climate and soil as key controlling factors of ecosystem processes; biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients; the hydrological cycle; biodiversity, ecological plant succession and disturbances.

Impacts of a range of human activities on ecosystems and their services: climate change mitigation (carbon sequestration, turnover of organic material, greenhouse gas balances and emissions of non-CO₂ greenhouse gases etc.); nutrient balances and soil fertility (fertilization, eutrophication, acidification, etc.); water availlability and quality (energy and water balance linkage, evapotranspiration, leaching to ground water and surface water bodies,etc.); biodiversity (habitats, organisms, population dynamics, etc.). Human activities include land management strategies in different sectors (forestry, agriculture etc.), including climate change adaptation; land-use changes (afforestation and deforestation, conversion to perennial crops in agriculture); bioenergy feedstock production (residues from forestry and agriculture, energy crops and plantations) and use (energy systems, greeenhouse gas emission savings, carbon neutrality and payback time); waste management (sludge, waste water, bioashes from combustion, e-waste) and recycling and phytoremediation.

Approaches to study ecological impacts: field experiments, monitoring, computer modelling, system analysis, including aspects of life-cycle assessment and footprints.

Policy: The topics are related to contextual policies, such as the UN Climate Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, the EU Water Framework Directive, the EU Habitat Directive, the Ramsar Convention, the EU Renewable Energy Directive, the EU Waste Directive, the Danish bioash legislation, and the Danish Industry Agreement on Sustainable Wood Chips and Wood Pellets.

Economics: Economist guest teachers will introduce the use of ecological knowledge in economic valuation studies and policy design.

The course focus on temperate ecosystems, but the general ecosystem processes will be relevant for other biomes, and project work will allow the students to apply their general knowledge to cases in any parts of the world.