Learning outcome

After completing the course, the students should have the following qualifications regarding knowledge, skills, and general competence:

• Be familiar with the basic and important terms in conservation biology
• Understand how human activities negatively affect species and populations
• Be able to use this knowledge to prevent further loss of biological diversity
• Be able to manage small, fragmented and isolated populations in the best way possible
• Be able to run a simple population viability analysis (PVA) to predict the future development of endangered species and populations

Course Description

Main topics:

• Conservation biology: definition, purpose and future goals
• Biological diversity: definition, global distribution and measurement
• Valuation of biological diversity: direct and indirect economic values, ethical values
• Threats to biological diversity: habitat fragmentation, invasive species, overexploitation, climate change, etc.
• Conservation of species and populations: genetic variability, demographic and environmental stochasticity, catastrophes
• Applied conservation biology: designing and establishing protected areas, restoration ecology
• IUCN, Red Lists: definitions, purpose and contents
• Population Viability Analysis (PVA): excercise in PVA-modelling

Assessment Methods

Student performances will be evaluated through a written exam (4 hours), where A and F denotes the best and lowest grades, respectively. The exam counts for 100% of the final grade. In order to pass the course and to get a final grade the students will also have to attend the entire 3 day field trip and mandatory seminars/ workshops, and to fulfill the required working tasks. Students may be charged for some expenses for the field trip and excursion.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean