P01 Ecology and agroecosystems

Registration
via Mail to the module coordinator, please add your Master programme and semester

Learning methods

Lecture, Seminar

Learning outcome, core skills

Students are able to define site-specific conditions of sustainability, identify key constraints to the productivity and sustainable use of agro-ecosystems, assess the scope of human (management) interventions, determine the causes of productivity decline and chose approaches to strengthen sustainability

 

Literatur

Altieri, M. 1987: Agroecology: the scientific basis of alternative agriculture. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, USA; Gliessman, S.R. 1998: Agroecology: ecological processes in sustainable agriculture. Ann
Arbor Press, Michigan, USA.

Leistungsnachweis

Written Exam (90 min., 70%) and presentation (25 min., 30%)

Lerninhalte

Case-study based analysis and discussion of ecological framework conditions (limitations) in different arid and sub-humid agro-ecosystems of tropical and temperate zones with a particular focus on marginal soils and/or difficult infrastructural conditions where effective nutrient cycling, integration of cropping and animal husbandry systems as well as the use of biodiversity for income generation at the farm level is of particular importance. The potential/role of organic agriculture will be discussed and a more general discussion of the potential of organic agriculture to strengthen the resilience of agro-ecosystems will be presented.


H30 Crop husbandry and technology in the tropics

Anmeldung
per Mail an den/die Modulkoordinator*in mit Angabe des Fachsemesters bis 19.4.

Lehrform

Vorlesung 60h

Qualifikationsziel

Provide a basic understanding of (sub-)tropical crops as a part of integrated cropping systems with multiple uses and constraints

Deliver knowledge on ecological and more sustainable modes of production

Transmit the capability to make rational choices about agricultural equipment and production techniques taking into account the needs for soil conservation, energy efficiency and social welfare as well as infrastructural constraints.

Literatur
  • Rehm und Espig 1996: Die Kulturpflanzen der Tropen und Subtropen. Ulmer Verlag
  • Agrios, G.N. 1997: Plant Pathology, 4th Edition, Academic Press
  • Finckh, M. R.; Tamm, L.; van Bruggen, A. H. C. 2015: Plant Diseases and their Management in Organic Agriculture; APS Press: St. Paul, MN.
Voraussetzungen
  • Spezieller Pflanzenbau, Grünland
  • Pflanzenernährung, -züchtung
  • Ökologische Landbausysteme
Leistungsnachweis

Fachgespräch (ca. 30 min) 100%

Lerninhalte

The origin, botany, agronomy and economic importance of selected annual and perennial tropical food, fiber and drug crops of the Mediterranean region, tropical highlands and the arid and humid (sub-)tropics will be presented. Where possible emphasis will be placed on the chances and limitations of organic crop husbandry and the crops‘ role in small farmers‘ agricultural production systems. Aspects of pest problems, crop quality, adaptation, genetic improvement and physiology will also be considered. For selected crops particularities of agricultural technology (harvest and post-harvest technologies, irrigation management) will be mentioned. Selected pests (insects, diseases and weeds) and their natural enemies in tropical agriculture will be presented stressing the importance of bio-diversity in the management of pests