Agriculture and Environment

Objectives of the course

The objective of this subject is the introduction of complexity of environmental phenomena and their tight interrelation with human activities as well as with the relations and development of our society. Strong emphasis is on the relation between the environment and agriculture, and viticulture in particular. In addition to the basics of ecosystem functioning, the students learn about the most important pollutants and their impact, activities which contribute most to the environmental pollution, major global phenomena, impacts of agriculture on the environment as well as the consequences of pollution for agriculture, and the basic approaches to reduce the impacts of pollution.

Prerequisites

Not required.

Assessment methods

Practice written examination, lecture oral examination.

Course contents

Lectures

• Ecosystems
  • Basic structure of ecosystems
  • Cycling of energy and matter in the environment
  • Characteristics of natural and man made ecosystems
• Environment and human society
  • Needs for energy and minerals
  • Needs for food and water
  • Growth of population in developed and nondeveloped countries
• Major pollutants, sources and methods of removal
  • Pollution of the atmosphere
    • Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, ozone, CO, CO2, CFC
  • Pollution of waters
    • Nutrients, pesticides, detergents, organic matter
  • Soil pollution
  • Nutrients, pesticides
• Global phenomena
  • Acid rain
  • Ozone depletion
  • Greenhouse effect
• Agriculture and environment
  • Important pollutants in agriculture
    • Chemicals for crop protection
    • Fertilizers
    • Organic compounds
  • Solid waste in agriculture
  • Erosion
  • Use of land and landscape architecture
  • Impact of global phenomena on agriculture
• Modes for reduction of environmental impacts in agriculture
  • Waste water treatment
  • Reuse and recycling of packaging and containers
  • Integrated production and environmental friendly agriculture
• Case studies

Field work

Field work and excursions are selected to demonstrate specific cases of environmental impacts in agriculture and viticulture on the environment: impacts on natural waters, use of land and consequences for landscape, erosion, use and impacts of pesticides.

Recommended reading

• Kupchella, C. E.; Hyland, M. C. 1993. Environmental Science - Living with the system of nature (3rd edition), ISBN-0-13-282740-9, Prentice Hall, N. Jersey.