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Plants and the Urban Environment (HORT90003)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Burnley)

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Overview

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Semester 1
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This subject explores the relationship between the urban environment and the plants that grow in urban landscapes. It examines how urbanisation alters the physical and climatic environment of cities and the influence of these changes on urban vegetation and the ecosystem services they provide. Topics include: the ecology and characteristics of remnant, spontaneous and designed vegetation in cities, identification of species typical of these communities, designed systems that use plants to provide ecosystem services, the effects of urbanisation on climate, air, water and soils and the response of plants and animals to these changes.

Intended learning outcomes

Students will be able to critically evaluate urban vegetation and understand why different urban plant communities grow where they do, the characteristics of species that comprise them, the ecological processes maintaining or threatening their persistence and the ecosystem services they provide.

Generic skills

At the conclusion of the subject students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of the urban environment, its effect on plant performance and how vegetation can be used to ameliorate some of the effects of urbanisation.

Last updated: 3 November 2022