Land-based ecological engineering

Building on the knowledge already acquired of ecosystem functioning, this module will address the concepts of ecological engineering and species engineering in terrestrial environments, as well as the link between biodiversity and the production or restoration of ecosystem functions. These notions will be applied through integrated courses/field schools/practical work focusing on mountain, forest and agricultural post-mining systems. 

The aim is to take a practical, applied approach to the management, conservation and restoration of natural and anthropized ecosystems, using ecological engineering methods. The aim is to show how nature-based solutions can be used to design innovative management methods in the face of global change (increasing productivity of cultivated systems, destruction of natural areas, climate change and pollution). Regional examples will be used to illustrate the issue of conflicts of use. Notions covered include: concepts of ecological engineering and engineer species, plant interactions for the restoration of degraded ecosystems, phytoremediation of polluted sites.
Skills to be acquired:
- Master the basic principles of phytoremediation
- Know how to recognize the dysfunction of an ecosystem
- Be able to propose economic solutions, based on nature, to alleviate the dysfunction of ecosystems
- Master the principles of ecological restoration
- Know how to identify conflicts of use of a natural environment or resource.

Basic knowledge of ecosystem functioning is required to understand the management solutions discussed.