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11569-01 - Lecture: African Ecology (2 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Every 2nd fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Johanna von Holdt (johanna.vonholdt@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Africa is home to extraordinary ecological diversity, encompassing a wide range of ecoregions and ecosystems - from ancient deserts and tropical forests to savannas, montane systems, and coastal and freshwater habitats. These landscapes have been shaped by long-term geological and geomorphological processes, as well as by interactions between climate, topography, soils, biotic communities, and human activity. This course offers an introduction to the physical geography and ecology of Africa, with an emphasis on understanding the ecological principles that underpin landscape diversity, species adaptation, ecosystem function, and human-environment interactions. We also critically examine African conservation models, including protected areas, community-based conservation, and ecosystem service approaches, situating them within broader debates about equity, effectiveness, and ecological resilience. We begin with three online sessions spaced across the semester, followed by a two-week block with a 2-hour in-person lecture for 8 days. It concludes with a handwritten, in-person essay exam written during the last-session based on the course content and a reflective learning journal prepared throughout the semester. |
| Comments | online and in-person lectures |
| Weblink | Physiogeographie und Umweltwandel |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| täglich | See individual dates | ||
| Comments | combination of online and in-person lectures |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 22.09.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Monday 06.10.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Monday 20.10.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Monday 03.11.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Tuesday 04.11.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Thursday 06.11.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Friday 07.11.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Monday 10.11.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | Botanik, Hörsaal 00.003 |
| Tuesday 11.11.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Thursday 13.11.2025 | 16.15-18.00 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Friday 14.11.2025 | 14.15-18.00 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Modules |
Modul: Fachkompetenz Globaler Wandel (Master's degree subject: Geography) Module: Basics: Environment (Master's degree program: African Studies) Module: Fields: Environment and Development (Master's degree program: African Studies) Module: Landscape Systems (Master's Studies: Geosciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | written exam, 2h, at the end of the course The learning journal will count 40% of the mark and the exam 60%. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Science, studiendekanat-philnat@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Geowissenschaften |