BB837: Biodiversity: Protection and Management
Comment
Please note that the course includes an excursion with stay at Danhostel Givskud Zoo. A small fee will be charged, by a web pay link, that will cover the cost of meals during the excursion.
04013101(former UVA) is identical with this course description.
Entry requirements
A Bachelor’s degree is required. It is recommended if the student has some basic knowledge in population biology and evolution.
Academic preconditions
- Have knowledge of basic biology
- Be able to use Excel, Power Point and be open to learn during the course new open software tools.
Course introduction
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.
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.
- Manage
work and development situations, independently start up and go through
with professional teamwork and take responsibility for one´s own
professional development and specialisation.
- Run a basic Population Viability Analyses using open software PVA).
- Develop a stakeholder analyses (SA).
- Incorporate the data developed in the PVA and SA in a decision analyses
- Apply acquired concepts for the decision making process of a species conservation
- Generate an analysis of population viability using genetic and demographic information.
- The 6th principles of Decision Quality for species conservation.
- A
basic review of the application of decision analyses tools for species
conservation Understand the species and biodiversity concepts - The species and biodiversity concepts
- The
difference between current biodiversity extinction rates to the
recorded during the Earth’s 5th mass extinctions and the background
rates.
Which are the main tools for species conservation.
Expected learning outcome
- 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).
Content
- 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).
Literature
Examination regulations
Exam element a)
Timing
Tests
Oral Presentation
EKA
Assessment
Grading
Identification
Language
Examination aids
ECTS value
Additional information
Final oral exam on general concepts (individual) and final presentation of team project.
The examination form for re-examination may be different from the exam form at the regular exam.
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
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.
- 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).