A specialization in Agroforestry Systems and Biodiversity
Prague offers the specialisation in Agroforestry Systems and Biodiversity, where second-year students gain knowledge and skills for their professional missions across the world in the field of sustainable management of agroforestry systems, with a specific focus on the conservation of (agro)biodiversity. Great emphasis is on small-scale farmers and their farming systems as they dominate globally.
Main aims
The overall aim of the specialisation is to provide an integrated education in natural resource management and (agro)biodiversity conservation, combining ecological, economic and social dimensions focusing on agroforestry with connection to tropical agricultural and forest sciences.
Specific objectives are to:
- Develop students’ competence in the contributing disciplines of economics, social studies and ecology as they are applied to the sustainable management of tropical (agro)forest and agricultural systems
- Develop students’ competence in the integration of knowledge and methods from the disciplines of tropical crop and animal production, farming systems, biodiversity and ecosystems conservation, ecology, soil and water management to understand real world systems of natural resource management where trees and agriculture interact
- Develop students’ understanding of the biology, domestication and management of multipurpose trees and their roles in agroforestry practices
- Develop students’ abilities in the use of information technology, teamwork, communication skills and time management in an agroforestry context.
Semester 3
- 5 ECTS
- Prague
- Year 2
- Semester 3
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
The course summarizes the present current state of knowledge on agroforestry. The course gives students view on different agroforestry practices in the tropics and temperate zone as well. During lectures and seminars classification of agroforestry systems, their influence on soil and water (…) Read more
- 3 ECTS
- Prague
- Year 2
- Semester 3
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
The course summarizes present state of the art in scientific research in Agroforestry. Seminars target mainly research or development topics that are currently connected with agroforestry such as biodiversity, ethnobotany, influence of agroforestry systems on soil fertility and water, (…) Read more
- 4 ECTS
- Prague
- Year 2
- Semester 3
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
Subject provides general information on relationships existing between plants and people in tropical and subtropical areas, encompassing the past, present, and potential uses of plants. It allows students to be acquainted with the principles and methodology of ethnobotanical practice as well as (…) Read more
- 5 ECTS
- Prague
- Year 2
- Semester 3
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
The main aim of the course is to increase the research competencies and the professional experience of the students of the program. The course emphasizes the development of their methodological research (especially focus on data analysis and evaluation), scientific writing and results (…) Read more
- 3 ECTS
- Prague
- Year 2
- Semester 3
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
The course is devoted to familiarize students with range of tropical and subtropical woody plants, their taxonomic identification, uses, ecology, and production systems of selected species. Students will have the opportunity to study theory and practice of predetermination techniques a procedure (…) Read more
- 5 ECTS
- Prague
- Year 2
- Semester 3
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
The aim of the course is to get a profound knowledge of occurrence and movement of water (infiltration processes in unsaturated zone, surface water flow (runoff) and groundwater flow), namely in small catchment (water stream) to apply those phenomena in water resources management.
The (…) Read more
Semester 4: thesis
- 25 ECTS
- Prague, Fieldwork site(s)
- Year 2
- Semester 4
- Compulsory
- Environmental sciences
Content
In order to successfully complete the master’s studies, students must submit a thesis, the topic of which is focused on forestry or agroforestry issues in the tropics. Read more
