Range Management and Improvement

Course Information
TitleΔΙΑΧΕΙΡΙΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΒΕΛΤΙΩΣΗ ΛΙΒΑΔΙΩΝ / Range Management and Improvement
Code068Υ
FacultyAgriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment
SchoolForestry and Natural Environment
Cycle / Level1st / Undergraduate
Teaching PeriodSpring
CommonNo
StatusActive
Course ID420000077
Class Information
Academic Year2025 – 2026
Class PeriodSpring
Faculty Instructors
Instructors from Other Categories
Weekly Hours5
Total Hours65
Class ID
600273956
SectionInstructors
1. Διαχείριση και Βελτίωση Λιβαδιών-Ά ομάδαMaria Yiakoulaki
2. Διαχείριση και Βελτίωση Λιβαδιών-Β΄ ομάδαEleni Abraham, Maria Karatassiou, Zoi Parissi
Course Type 2016-2020
  • Scientific Area
  • Skills Development
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
  • Face to face
Digital Course Content
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
  • Greek (Instruction, Examination)
  • English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Determine the characteristic elements of grazing management plans, including grazing capacity, stocking rate, forage utilization percentage, range health, and proper use. 2. Plan the implementation of modern grazing systems, such as creep grazing, in the mainland and island rangelands of the country. 3. Become familiar with the infrastructure projects in rangelands and their importance in ensuring uniform grazing distribution and the rational management of rangelands. 4. Practice methods for improving rangelands. 5. Learn about the inventory methodology for the rangelands.
General Competences
  • Apply knowledge in practice
  • Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
  • Adapt to new situations
  • Make decisions
  • Work autonomously
  • Work in teams
  • Work in an interdisciplinary team
  • Generate new research ideas
  • Design and manage projects
  • Respect natural environment
  • Be critical and self-critical
  • Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
Introduction to the course Management and Improvement of rangelands - relationship with other related sciences. Determination of quantitative (forage production, vegetation cover, composition of vegetation, height of vegetation or plants) and qualitative characteristics of herbaceous and woody species (nutritional value, digestibility, palatability). Plants of high nutritional value for grazing animals and poisonous plants. Intake, diet selection, and feeding preferences of grazing animals. Proper use of rangelands (definition, importance for rational management, indicators for grasslands and shrublands, overstocking indicators). Forage utilization percentage, methods for its determination in grasslands and shrublands. Key areas, key plant species, and their importance in management plans. Concept of stocking rate and stocking density, calculation at the level of rangeland unit and geographical region. Carrying capacity and grazing capacity. Factors that determine grazing capacity size and methods for its calculation. Reasons for grazing capacity adjustments. Plant grazing coefficients and factors affecting them. Range health. Reasons for rangeland degradation and planning for rangeland improvement. Aim, process, conditions, and economic effects of implementing grazing systems. Planning and implementation of the creep grazing system for small ruminants in the rangelands of the mainland and the islands of Greece to increase animal production. Control (mechanical, chemical, biological) of undesirable plants. Prescribed burning and conditions for its application. Seeding and fertilization in rangelands. Conditions and rules of application of organic fertilization in Greece. Infrastructure projects in rangelands (watering troughs, salt placement sites, fences, roads, trails, sheds, stables, anti-parasitic baths, and animal grooming stations) that contribute to the even distribution of grazing and rational management of rangelands. Rangeland Inventory, Range policy. Design grazing management schemes for wooded and sub-alpine rangelands in the University forest of Pertouli Trikala.
Keywords
Grazing management plans, proper use, stocking rate, vegetation utilization percentage, designed grazing management systems.
Educational Material Types
  • Book
  • POWER POINT
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
  • Use of ICT in Course Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Description
internet, gps, e-mail
Course Organization
ActivitiesWorkloadECTSIndividualTeamworkErasmus
Lectures39✓
Laboratory Work26✓
Fieldwork2✓✓
Reading Assigment15
Tutorial3✓
Internship24✓✓
Written assigments6✓✓
Exams5✓
Herbaceous plant collection (Herbarium)-Grazing management plan30✓
Total150
Student Assessment
Description
Course Exams. Exams in the laboratory course (are a prerequisite for taking the course exams). Examination in the herbarium requirement to complete the student practice).
Student Assessment methods
  • Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Formative, Summative)
  • Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
  • Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
  • Written Assignment (Summative)
  • Oral Exams (Formative)
  • Written Exam with Problem Solving (Formative, Summative)
  • Report (Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
ΔΙΑΧΕΙΡΙΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΒΕΛΤΙΩΣΗ ΛΙΒΑΔΙΩΝ. ΣΥΓΓΡΑΦΕΙΣ: Α. ΝΑΣΤΗΣ Κ. ΤΣΙΟΥΒΑΡΑΣ, Ε. ΑΒΡΑΑΜ, Ζ. ΠΑΡΙΣΗ ΒΕΛΤΙΩΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΧΕΙΡΙΣΗ ΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ ΒΟΣΚΟΤΟΠΩΝ, ΤΟΜΟΣ Α΄, Σαρλής Γεώργιος Π.
Additional bibliography for study
Χορήγηση βιβλιογραφίας σχετικά με την εφαρμογή του συστήματος της παρέρπουσας βόσκησης στα λιβάδια της ηπειρωτικής και νησιωτικής Ελλάδας.
Last Update
01-09-2024