Run by School of Natural Sciences

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Semester 1

Organiser: Dr Lars Markesteijn

This module aims to familiarise students interested in forest ecosystems and forestry with the forest health problems that have caused and are likely to cause significant environmental, social and economic impact in the UK and globally, whether in commercial plantations or natural forest ecosystems. A series of online lectures and supporting field visits will give a general overview of the organisms causing problems, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, fungal like organisms, arthropods and mammals and parasitic plants. The module will follow a classical disease triangle approach whereby interacting factors of plant defence, organismal pathogenicity and environmental factors are considered. In case studies, historical and current problems will be examined and their causes for wide-scale spread and high levels of disease will be explored. The case studies will focus on a number of the newer exotic problems which have impacted on the UK's forests, we will examine the potential reasons for this and consider how these can be overcome and the longer-term outcomes. Distinctions and comparisons will be drawn between the pathogens and pests that have been in the UK forest ecosystems for millennia and newcomers. The in-depth focus of the module will concentrate on both fungal and insect issues and will examine future scenarios for forest health in line with climate change predictions. Some of the course content will focus on policy and social issues, as well as silvicultural practises.

1. Forest Health – What is a healthy forest?
2. Introduction to the problems in the forest: biotic, abiotic and interactions, particularly with climatic factors.
3. The Disease Triangle – a useful concept when addressing forest health
4. A systematic view of problems I: Pseudofungi - Phytophthora
5. A systematic view of problems II: Real fungi - Ascomycota
6. A systematic view of problems III: Real fungi – Basidiomycota
7. Insects - The basics
8. Insects on the move: Global trade and change
9. Acute Oak Decline: a major threat to UK oak
10. Policy and social aspects of forest health
11. Monitoring forest health
12. Immediate and future (known) threats
13. Managing for resilience of future (unknown) threats

threshold

Grade D- to D+ Have a basic understanding of tree and forest health issues, show a basic knowledge of the conditions and organisms involved in different pest and disease severity

good

Grade C- to B+ As above but at a higher level of understanding and be able to demonstrate evidence of reading original papers rather than grey literature digests.

excellent

Grade A- and above As above but extensive level of knowledge and understanding and evidence of widespread use of both current and historical literature.

1. Critical understanding of the organisms likely to harm trees and their broader significance

2. Critical understanding of the reasons for spread of, and success of, organisms causing forest health issues

3. Critical understanding of environmental factors which determine the development of pests and diseases

4. Critical understanding of different management and control options for long term tree-crops and natural forest ecosystems

5. General understanding of the likely effects of climate change on forest health

Type	Name	Description	Weight
COURSEWORK	Individual seminar write up	A 500-word limit summary of the seminar is required. The summary should include references but the reference list will not be included in the word count. The summary should be submitted via Turnitin NOT as a hardcopy.	20
INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION	Assessed individual seminar presentations	Student-led individual presentations (strict: 15 minutes long + max. 5 min discussion) will organised using Blackboard Collaborate. Presentations will be assessed and feedback will be given. You are expected to use PowerPoint (or similar) for the presentations.	20
EXAM	Written examination		60

		Hours
Workshop	1*3 hour plenary session - workshop. You will use a specific forest health case that you have familiarised yourself with during the lectures and field visits, and will use the 'six thinking hats approach' to forest health problem solving.	3
Private study	Private and guided self-study.	162
Lecture	14 * 1-hour lectures. Lectures will cover the content topics presented earlier and relate to all of the learning outcomes.	14
Seminar	6 * 2-hour individual student-led seminars. Individual seminar presentations are assessed, and students are expected to be present at all the sessions (regardless of whether they are presenting in that session or not).	12
Fieldwork	3 * 3-hour field visits.	9

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
• Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
• Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in

• Recognize the moral, ethical and social issues relating to the subject.
• Consider issues from a range of interdisciplinary perspectives.
• Prepare effective maps, diagrams and visualizations.
• Engagement with current subject developments and their application.
• Engage in debate and/or discussion with specialists and non-specialists using appropriate language.

Resource implications for students

none

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/dxx-2017.html

Reading list

In addition to the above students are led to a number of topic specific links via the Blackboard site and the lectures

Pre-requisites:

• DXX-1003: Forestry in the 21st Century

Compulsory in courses:

• D501: BSc Forestry (with sandwich placement) year 2 (BSC/F)
• D502: BSc Forestry with International Experience year 2 (BSC/FIE)
• D500: BSC Forestry year 2 (BSC/FOR)
• D512: MFor Forestry year 2 (MFOR/FOR)
• D514: MFor Forestry with International Experience year 2 (MFOR/FORIE)
• D513: MFor Forestry (with placement year) year 2 (MFOR/FORP)

Optional in courses:

• F803: BSc Geography with Environmental Forestry year 2 (BSC/GEF)
• F804: BSc Geography with Environmental Forestry year 2 (BSC/GEF4)