Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Evolution and Analysis of Plant Landscape
Code: 42917Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Terrestrial Ecology and Biodiversity Management | OP | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Moisès Guardiola Bufí
- Email :
- moises.guardiola@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Pau Carnicero Campmany
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Although it is not essential, it is advisable to have some knowledge of the diversity of Iberian vegetation communities. Basic concepts on biogeography, climatology and geography of the Iberian Peninsula.
Objectives
The concept of biodiversity appears in the fields of territory management and conservation. While this approach is species-centred, the training of researchers, managers and professionals in this sector requires a multidimensional and dynamic model that also considers habitats.
This module provides content and tools for carrying out spatial analyses, such as gradient analyses and modelling, of both habitats and the climatic, topological, edaphic, historical and anthropic variables that influence their distribution, composition and structure. For instance, species and habitat distribution and suitability models allow ecosystems to be characterised quantitatively and provide a model of their evolution in the face of global change phenomena. Furthermore, the module covers the various aspects of biodiversity (taxonomic, functional and evolutionary) and the importance of integrating these into biodiversity management. It also provides tools to measure the distribution of each aspect across the territory, thereby improving the comprehensive protection of biodiversity. Finally, this module provides practical tools for interpreting, assessing and establishing the conservation status and threat level of habitats, and illustrates their application through concrete case studies.
Learning outcomes
- Describe some of the main current advances and controversies in the study of the plant landscape.
- Present the results of a research project in poster format.
- Identify and catalogue vegetation and landscape diversity from specific cases.
- Evaluate and analyse the processes and factors that shape the plant landscape.
- Interpret and evaluate the principles and general applications of the sciences that study the plant landscape and its dynamics.
- Interpret and evaluate the principles of conservation biology applied to specific fauna.
- Assess the biodiversity of flora and vegetation in a particular area and the main factors that threaten its conservation
- Propose and evaluate management models for the conservation of plant communities and protected areas.
Contents
Analysis and habitat conservation
Habitat definition. Applications.
Classification systems
Protection and threats
Habitats of the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula
Habitat cartography
Management and conservation
Species and habitat distribution models.
Phylogenetic and functional diversity
Evolutive origins of the Mediterranean flora
Indicators of landscape changes
Case studies
Seminaries and conferences
PC sessions
Applied case studies to reinforce concepts and explore practical applications of the material covered in the theory classes, and to provide tools for the module’s final assignment: working with raster and vector layers, digitise points and polygons, geoprocessing, queries, buffers, distance maps, interpolation, the raster calculator, zonal statistics, landscape indices, calculating habitat threat categories, modelling current and future suitability, etc.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer sessions | 6 | 0.24 | 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 |
| Seminars | 5 | 0.2 | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| References search. Report writing. | 65 | 2.6 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Field practices | 18 | 0.72 | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| Report and Dissertation | 35 | 1.4 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Tutorial sessions. Report and field practices. | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 |
| Theory sessions | 11 | 0.44 | 3, 5, 7 |
1. Presential activities
1.1. Directed Activities
In the directed activities the expository method will be used accompanied by multimedia materials that reinforce the understanding. Depending on the teacher, the pre-class work will also be encouraged to develop a participatory session in the classroom where there will be room for discussion of targeted texts and seminars.
1.2. Supervised activities
The follow-up of the preparation of the different works and of the field practices will be done through specifically programmed discussion sessions.
2. Autonomous and supervised activities
Students will do tutorial work both theoretical and practical, some individually and others in group. The work will be based on the use and application of the methodologies treated in the module and other modules. These will be reflected in a document that the students will present and defend in a final session.
Distribution of activities:
Literature reading relevant to the class and seminar agenda as well as the final report for the module
Elaboration of a written report
Preparation of an oral dissertation related to the written report
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short tests | 40% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 |
| Written report and dissertation | 60% | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Attendance and active participation in classes, tutorial classes and practical activities | 5% | 1 | 0.04 | 6, 7, 8 |
The evaluation of the module will be based on two items:
i) Test type test at the end of the theoretical sessions
ii) Written and oral defence of a subject related to the module, groups of 2-3 students
The evaluation of the written report and dissertation will be assessed by:
- Use of appropriate information and tools, quality, structuring and correction of exposure
- Ability to synthesize and present information in memory and oral presentation
- Clarity, conciseness and rigor in written and oral expression
- Quality of documentary sources used
- Adequacy to space and time set
- Applicability
Single evaluation: If a student opts for the single evaluation, he/she will take a longer exam that will be worth 100% of the grade and will include four types of questions:
• Short-answer or test-type questions: aimed at assessing whether the key concepts have been achieved.
• Problems or exercises: intended to evaluate the achievement of theoretical and practical objectives.
• Questions that involve a complex answer: relating the management and conservation of habitats with models of evolutionary biogeography, modelling and palaeobotany.
• Cases: it will be assessed if the student is able to describe, model and propose management and conservation measures for vegetation communities.
Use of AI
For this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively in support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, translations, for code creation or other activitiesat the discretion of the teaching staff. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases.
The commission of any irregularity in an assessment act (academic fraud, plagiarism or improper use of AI, unless such use is expressly authorised in the course guide), which may lead to a significant change in the grade, will result in that attempt being marked with a 0. If the course guide stipulates that obtaining a minimum mark in this assessment is a prerequisite for passing the module, or if multiple irregularities occur in the assessments for the same module, the final mark for that module will be 0. In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.
Bibliography
Blanco, E., Casado, M.A., Costa, M., Escribano, R., Garcia, M., Genova, M., Gomez, A., Gomez, F., Moreno, J.C., Morla, J.C., Regato, P. & Sainz, H. 1997. Los bosques ibéricos. Edit. Planeta. Barcelona.
Braun-Blanquet, J. 1979. Fitosociología. Bases para el estudio de las comunidades vegetales. Blume. Madrid.
Burrough, P. A. & McDonnell, R. A.1998. Principles of geographical information system. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
Carreras, J. & Ferré A. 2013. Avaluació del grau d'amenaça i de l'interès de conservació dels hàbitats de Catalunya. Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Barcelona. 130 pp. [http://hdl.handle.net/2445/53346]
Carreras, J. & Ferré, A. (eds.). 2014. Cartografia dels hàbitats a Catalunya. Versió 2. Manual d'interpretació. Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat, Generalitat de Catalunya. Barcelona, 360 pp. [http://atzavara.bio.ub.edu/geoveg/docs/Manual_v2_2014.pdf]
Carreras, J., Ferré, A. & Vigo, J. (eds.). 2015. Manual del Hàbitats de Catalunya. 8 volums. Segona edició. Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat. Generalitat de Catalunya. [http://www.ub.edu/geoveg/cat/ManualCORINE.php]
Conesa, J. A. 1997. Tipologia de la vegetació: anàlisi i caracterizació. Servei de Publicacions Universitat de Lleida.
Cox, C.B., Ladle, R., Moore, P.D. 2020. Biogeography : an ecological and evolutionary approach. 10th ed. Blackwell Scientific.
Cutts, A. (2019). QGIS Quick Start Guide: A beginner's guide to getting started with QGIS 3.4. Packt Publishing Ltd.
De Bello, F., Carmona, C. P., Dias, A. T., Götzenberger, L., Moretti, M., & Berg, M. P. 2021. Handbook of trait-based ecology: from theory to R tools. Cambridge University Press.
Folch, R. 1986. La vegetació dels Països Catalans. Ketres Ed. Barcelona. [https://blogs.iec.cat/ichn/la-vegetacio-dels-paisos-catalans]
Folch, R., Franquesa, T. &Camarasa, J.M. 1984. Vegetació. Història Natural dels Països Catalans. vol 7. Ed. Enciclopèdia Catalana. Barcelona.
Franklin, J. 2010. Mapping Species Distributions. Spatial Inference and Prediction. Cambridge University Press. Isbn: 9780521700023.
Farkas, G. (2018). ractical GIS : Learn Novice to Advanced Topics Such As QGIS, Spatial Data Analysis, and More. Packt.
Guisan, A., Thuiller, W., & Zimmermann, N. E. (2017). Habitat suitability and distribution models: with applications in R. Cambridge University Press.
Gubbay, S. et al. 2016. European Red List of Habitats: Part 1. Marine habitats. Publications Office of the European Union. Luxembourg. 48 p. [https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/knowledge/redlist_en.htm]
Janssen, J.A.M. et al. 2016. European Red List of Habitats: Part 2. Terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Publications Office of the European Union. Luxembourg. 40 p. [https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/knowledge/redlist_en.htm]
Loidi, J. (ed.). 2017. The Vegetation of the Iberian Peninsula. Vol 1. Plant and Vegetation series, 12. Springer. 676 p.
Loidi, J. (ed.). 2017. The Vegetation of the Iberian Peninsula. Vol 2. Plant and Vegetation series, 13. Springer. 640 p.
Lomolino, M.V., Riddle, B.R., Whittaker, R.J. 2016. Biogeography. Fifth Edition. Oxford University Press.
Lovelace, R., Nowosad, J., & Muenchow, J. (2025). Geocomputation with R. Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Lwin, K. K., & Murayama, Y. (2025). Handling of Geospatial Data with QGIS : A Basic and Practical Visual Learning Material for Geospatial Data Processing, Analysis and Visualisation (1st ed. 2025.). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-2424-9
Masalles, R.M., Carreras, J., Farràs, A. & Ninot, J.M. 1988. Plantes superiors. Història Natural dels Països Catalans. vol. 6. Enciclopèdia Catalana. Barcelona.
MAPAMA. 2017. Resolución de 17 de febrero de 2017, de la Secretaría de Estado de Medio Ambiente, por la que se establecen tres listas patrón: la de las especies terrestres, la de las especies marinas y la de los hábitats terrestres, presentes en España. BOE, 55, 6 de marzo de2017, páginas 16648 a 16649.
Ninot, J.M.; Carrillo, E.; Font, X.; Carreras, J.; Ferré, A.; Masalles, R.M.; Soriano, I.; Vigo, J. 2007 Altitude zonation in the Pyrenees. A geobotanic interpretation. Phytocoenologia 37: 371-398.
Peterson, A. T., Soberón, J., Pearson, R. G., Anderson, R. P., Martínez-Meyer, E., Nakamura, M., & Araújo, M. B. (2011). Ecological niches and geographic distributions. In Ecological niches and geographic distributions. Princeton university press.
Polllock, L., Thuiller, W., Jetz, W. 2017. Large conservation gains possible for global biodiversity facets. Nature 546: 141-144
Rocchini, D. 2025. R Coding for Ecology (1st ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99665-8
Terradas, J. 2001. Ecología de la vegetación. Ed. Omega. Barcelona.
VV.AA., 2009. Bases ecológicas preliminares para la conservación de los tipos de hábitat de interés comunitario en España. Madrid: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, y Medio Rural y Marino. [https://www.mapama.gob.es/es/biodiversidad/temas/espacios-protegidos/red-natura-2000/rn_tip_hab_esp_bases_eco_preliminares.aspx]
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Software
QField.org. 2026. QField for QGIS. The QField Project/OPENGIS.ch. www.qfield.org
QGIS.org. 2026. QGIS Geographic Information System. QGIS Association. www.qgis.org
R Core Team. 2026. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. www.r-project.org
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | afternoon |
| (PLABm) Practical laboratories (master) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEMm) Seminars (master) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PCAMm) Field practices (master) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PCAMsm) Suport a les pràctiques de camp (màster) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |