BB903: Technologies and tools used in climate adaptation

Study Board of Science

Teaching language: Danish
EKA: N150012112, N150012102
Assessment: Second examiner: None, Second examiner: Internal
Grading: Pass/Fail, 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Master(s)

STADS ID (UVA): N150012101
ECTS value: 7.5

Date of Approval: 12-04-2021


Duration: 1 semester

Version: Archive

Comment

The course includes a trip to Svanninge Field Station from Saturday in week 43 to Thursday in week 44. Registration for the course is therefore associated with a small participant payment to cover the field trip. The trip is with an overnight stay at the station.  

Entry requirements

The course cannot be taken as an elective on bachelor or master programmes.

Academic preconditions

Students who follow the course are expected to have an academic level at least equal to a 3rd-year bachelor student.

Course introduction

The purpose of the course is to provide the students with a thorough knowledge of dynamic and static hydrological and ecological models as well as GIS as key professional tools within climate adaptation. Students need to understand the impact of climate-based changes in cities and the countryside, be able to process and analyze the derived impacts, and analyze and unravel opportunities for climate adaptation tools.

Furthermore, the aim is to give the students practical experience in using the tools to evaluate the effects of climate change in essential ecosystems, agricultural land and cities, design specific tools for climate adaptation, run scenarios to predict possible outcomes on existing climate adaptation solutions under different conditions in the future, and develop action plans and spatial planning. This will be done through multidisciplinary thematic teaching.

The course is built on knowledge about climate change and adaptation as well as possibly already known technologies and provides an academic basis for a wide range of models and tools the students can use in the future, including in their later projects in the education. 

In relation to the competence profile of the degree, it is the explicit focus of the course to:
  • give knowledge about different statistical and mechanical modelling techniques (static and dynamic) 
  • give competencies in GIS 
  • give practical experience in the new tools and specific models used for climate adaptation in Denmark
  • give an understanding of model results, including their limitations, and the impacts in the environment, cities, etc. within climate change and climate adaptation.

Expected learning outcome

In order to achieve the purpose of the course, the learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to: 
  • make models for comparing naturally slow water flow via infiltration (Darcy) and surface run-off due to impermeable surfaces (flow, roughness) in different precipitation scenarios (Powersim)
  • model the runoff (streams) of intensive precipitation events – static (VASP) as well as dynamic (Mike) 
  • explain and analyze semi-urban hydrodynamic regulations (pumping station, overflow structure) in catchment areas with common and separate sewer systems (small exercise)
  • analyze and assess the design and efficiency of stormwater ponds as hydrological buffers and the retention of xenobiotics and nutrients (medium exercise)
  • model and analyze precipitation pressure and elevation models – (GIS, SCALGO) – as well as doing calculations of the effects on land use (agricultural land, nature, cities) (large GIS analysis)
  • identify lowland areas - hydraulic buffers (new wetlands, reservoirs in the landscape) (small exercise)
  • analyze the pressure on nature, agricultural land and cities at elevated sea levels (SCALGO, GIS), as well as assess nature loss on land and production and habitat losses in shallow coastal areas (Large GIS exercise) 
  • model N and P substance cycles in water action plans including climate change effects 
  • make energy models e.g. life cycle emission reduction in SUDS.

Content

The course contains the following main academic areas: 
  • Understand the consequences of climate-based change in cities and the countryside 
  • Process/analyze the derived consequences 
  • Analyze/unravel opportunities for climate adaptation tools. 
In weekly assignments, the students will process GIS themes and data from public and private databases, research projects, etc. that exemplify the data collection and use of the state, regions and municipalities in environmental management and climate adaptation. 

The themes are: 
  • Mapping our protected nature areas, analyzing nature and habitat fractionation
  • Land use and its impact on nutrient load are analyzed in catchment areas in relation to compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive 
  • Climate-related runoff problems due to increased precipitation intensity are analyzed using altitude models; where the effect on stream condition is calculated 
  • Use of GIS for marine environmental status assessment 
  • Introduction to climate and environmental modelling 
  • Classification of models: empirical, statistical, static and dynamic models 
  • Numerical methods in dynamic modelling 
  • Terrestrial models 
  • Water quality models 
  • Impact modelling of xenobiotics 
  • Environmental management models 
  • Climate and climate adaptation models 
  • Coupling of models and GIS tools.

Literature

See itslearning for syllabus lists and additional literature references.

Examination regulations

Prerequisites for participating in the exam a)

Timing

Autumn

Tests

Reports

EKA

N150012112

Assessment

Second examiner: None

Grading

Pass/Fail

Identification

Full name and SDU username

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Examination aids

To be announced during the course.

ECTS value

0

Additional information

The prerequisite examination is a prerequisite for participation in exam element a)

Exam element a)

Timing

Autumn and january.

Prerequisites

Type Prerequisite name Prerequisite course
Examination part Prerequisites for participating in the exam a) N150012101, BB903: Technologies and tools used in climate adaptation

Tests

Submission of project report, presentation and defense of report

EKA

N150012102

Assessment

Second examiner: Internal

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Full name and SDU username

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Examination aids

Allowed, a closer description of the exam rules will be posted in ItsLearning.

ECTS value

7.5

Additional information

The examination form for re-examination may be different from the exam form at the regular exam.

Indicative number of lessons

75 hours per semester

Teaching Method

At the Faculty of Science, the teaching is organized according to the three-phase model, ie. intro, training and study phase. 

Activities during the study phase:

  • Finishing analysis 
  • Weekly report writing
The course includes a 5-6 day trip with mandatory overnight stay at the Department of Biology's field station in Svanninge Bjerge from Saturday week 43 to Thursday week 44. Here, the focus is on tasks. The rest of the course is structured in lessons of 1-hour introductory lecture followed by 3 hours of exercises.

Teacher responsible

Name E-mail Department
Paula Canal-Vergés canal@biology.sdu.dk Biologisk Institut

Additional teachers

Name E-mail Department City
Mogens Flindt Mrf@biology.sdu.dk Økologi

Timetable

Administrative Unit

Biologisk Institut

Team at Educational Law & Registration

NAT

Offered in

Odense

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