BB837: Biodiversity: Protection and Management (5 ECTS)

Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have knowledge of basic biology
• Be able to use Excel, Power Point and be open to learn during the course new open software tools. 

 

The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand the process to develop a Species Management Plans. Furthermore the aim is to introduce students on the application of decision analyses and decision quality to assess which are the best management alternatives when there is the risk of a population or a species to become extinct.  This is important because biodiversity loss is one of the major drivers of ecosystem change, therefore it is imperative to prevent further species extinction. The class focuses on Target 12 of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), which aims to significantly reduce current extinction trends. In this intensive course we will review: what defines a species, how biodiversity levels have changed throughout the planet’s history and compare it with the current extinction rates. We will use Decision Quality including Decision Analyses tools to assess which is the best possible alternative to protect a species. For this, we will review different conservation approaches and tools for the development of a Species Management Plan (SMP). Students in teams will develop a Species Management Plan for a selected species. Concepts of the role of genetic and demographic information to forecast extinction risks will be covered, together with the importance of considering key stakeholders. Students will develop a Population Viability Analysis (PVA) and a basic stakeholder analysis. The results from this will be used as the basic information for the decision making process by using the six elements of Decision Quality. The course will consist of one meeting previous to the intensive sixth day course. The course will take place in Givskuid Zoo where the students are expected to work in teams; each team could choose one of the threatened species held at Givskuid zoo for their project, for which basic data on the species will be provided. The course will be evaluated by an individual exam on the general concepts and a short team presentation of the final project. 

 

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses of Population and evolution (BB512), and gives an academic basis for applying knowledge obtained in other topics in biology towards biodiversity conservation. 

The learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Understand the species concept 
• Explain the difference between mass and background extinction and be able to compare pre-existing extinction rates with the ones after the industrial revolution.
• Be able to identify the IUCN Red List criteria for a chosen species.
• Be able to integrate genetics and demographic information for a simple Population Viability Analyses of a particular species.
• Develop a basic analysis of the key Stakeholders around the problems that affect or benefit species population’s viability.
• Understand the sixth principles of decision quality and apply them to a conservation goal for the particular species chosen.
• Formulate a basic Species Management Plan by integrating the previous three topics.
• Explain why the conservation of a particular species is important in the general context of biodiversity conservation (i.e ecosystems services).

 

The learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Understand the species concept 
• Explain the difference between mass and background extinction and be able to compare pre-existing extinction rates with the ones after the industrial revolution.
• Be able to identify the IUCN Red List criteria for a chosen species.
• Be able to integrate genetics and demographic information for a simple Population Viability Analyses of a particular species.
• Develop a basic analysis of the key Stakeholders around the problems that affect or benefit species population’s viability.
• Understand the sixth principles of decision quality and apply them to a conservation goal for the particular species chosen.
• Formulate a basic Species Management Plan by integrating the previous three topics.
• Explain why the conservation of a particular species is important in the general context of biodiversity conservation (i.e ecosystems services).

 

• Reading of key literature for the course topics (provided by lecturer).
• Previous to the class watch introductory videos for some of the topics to be covered (provided by lecturer).
• Tutorial on PVAs (provided by lecturer and TA)
• Discussion in person or SKYPE with key policy makers, zoo managers and scientist working on species conservation programs (arranged by the lecturer and TA).
• Research on the chosen species on relevant topics to develop a Species Management Plan. For example current and possible future threats, geographical distribution, IUCN status and possible role on the ecosystem (This material will be obtained by the students in their teams).

 

The teaching combines traditional lectures with the Socratic method to promotes and stimulates student’s critical thinking. The class is design to have a student-centered learning approach.