Biosphere reserve: Darien,Panama
ENVR 1000
Ecosystem Management Assignment (out of 50 marks)
Due: Friday November 6th, 2020 11:59 PM
Introduction:
As described in your on-line course materials in Unit 3 and textbook, Ecosystem Management is being used extensively across the world to enhance sustainable decision-making by government agencies, industries, NGOs, indigenous organizations, and others. The IUCN/UN has developed the 5-Step guide to Ecosystem Management implementation (available on the course UM Learn site). Several case studies were reviewed illustrating how this process is being utilized, and Chapter 13 of the textbook provides an example for a residential subdivision in Winnipeg.
This assignment has been designed to test your understanding of the Ecosystem Management concepts and processes as well as associated ecological principles (i.e., Information from Units 1-3 of the course) by examining and researching a specific Biosphere Reserve. You have been randomly assigned a World Biosphere Reserve that will represent an ecosystem that is being managed. See below for instructions on how to obtain the name of this Biosphere Reserve.
Your task is to provide answers to the following questions for the specific Biosphere Reserve. Information on the Biosphere Reserve is available through Internet sources, United Nations documents, and other information sources. A good reference document that provides a summary of information for all of the World’s Biosphere Reserves is available at https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/wnbr. A main component of the assignment is for you to access the available information, summarize details in your own words in answering the questions below, and list the sources of information that you used. And be sure to use the 5-Step guide to support your answers.
Your assignment answers should be submitted to the UM Learn site as a file, and should include your name and student number, be a maximum of 6 pages, and MUST include in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your assignment. You can use paragraphs/full sentences or point form to answer each question.
Remember that the assignment is worth a significant value (20% toward your course total) and therefore you will be evaluated on the completeness of your answers. You should therefore spend time to ensure that you have provided a complete and robust answer to each question, and include at least 5 references based on your own independent research. (Note that the textbook, recommended websites listed in the assignment, and on-line class notes do not contribute to these 5 references).
In completing the assignment, be sure to avoid plagiarism by using a standard citation system as described in the following:
- http://umanitoba.ca/student/resource/student_advocacy/cheating_plagiarism_fraud.html
- https://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/citingandwriting
- http://tim.thorpeallen.net/Courses/Reference/Citations.html
Note that scientific style in writing does not include quotations. You must summarize technical information in your own words.
Assignment Instructions:
- How to Retrieve Your World Biosphere Reserve:
You have been randomly assigned a biosphere reserve to complete this exercise. In order to obtain your specific World Biosphere Reserve, follow these instructions:
Step 1: Log on to the ENVR 1000 UM Learn site;
Step 2: Go to the Assessments pull-down tab, then Quizzes (we are using the quizzes function because it will randomize the assignment of your biosphere reserve; this is not a quiz or a test so don’t worry!)
Step 3: Enter/start the quiz where you will be taken to the page containing the name of the biosphere reserve you have been assigned (don’t hesitate to open the quiz);
Step 4: Once at this page with the name of your biosphere reserve, write down or take a picture of the name of this reserve. You need this to complete the assignment questions.
Step 5: After you have the name of your biosphere reserve, you can then close the quiz (and no need to hit submit; it is no longer useful to the remainder of the assignment)
- Answer the following questions
What is the name of the biosphere reserve you were assigned _________________.
Based on your assigned Biosphere Reserve, answer the following questions (each worth 10 marks toward your grade):
- What is the official name of your Biosphere Reserve? When and why was the Biosphere Reserve (Ecosystem Management Area) created? What parameters were used in determining the boundaries of the Management Area? Provide a map from the Internet to support your answer.
- Who were the stakeholders that were involved in the establishment of the Biosphere Reserve and what were their specific interests? Have they all remained involved to the present – have any new stakeholders become involved? Be sure to identify whether they are primary, secondary, or tertiary stakeholders.
- What are the main biotic and abiotic factors that were deemed to be significant for the Biosphere Reserve? Are there any special ecological features or interactions that have been identified for the area?
- What are the Management Objectives for the Biosphere Reserve? Are these short- or long- term Objectives? Identify any Adaptive Management changes that have taken place over time.
- What are the most important issues currently facing the Biosphere Reserve and how do you believe they are being addressed?
Once you have answered all questions (and by the due date of November 6th 11:59 PM) submit your answers as a file to the UM Learn drop box available under assessments; assignment 1.
