General information:

Conservation Biology is defined as a science that aims to provide principles and tools for preserving biological diversity. This course will introduce students to the fundamental biological aspects of conservation, from genes to ecosystems. It will also dwell on social issues, including

ethics, economics, and politics directly relevant to the protection of biological diversity.

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Course objectives:

·    Develop critical thinking in matters related to biodiversity.

·    Understand concepts and theories underlying Conservation Biology.

·    Learn tools used by Conservation Biologists to study biodiversity.

·    Comprehend the social, political and economic contexts of biodiversity conservation.

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Readings:

The textbook for this course is “Conservation Biology for All (Sodhi & Ehrlich, editors)

This text book includes a series of authoritative chapters written by the top names in conservation biology.

 

​Course Grading scheme:

The final grade for the course will be based equally on three assignments and a final written exam as follows:

 

Assignments (totaling 75%)

Assignment No. 1 (25%): Exercise in population viability analysis. Due October 15th.

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 Assignment No. 3 (25%): Issues and decision-making in Conservation. Group-written documents due in November. Oral presentations and class discussions will be held in October and November.

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 Assignment No. 3 (25%): Term paper on a specific topic in conservation biology: five pages, plus references, figures and tables. Due December 3rd.

 

Marking scheme for Assignments 1 and 3 (out of 100 marks): Introduction (15%), Methods (10%), Results (30%), Discussion (30%), Presentation, including figures, grammar and formatting (15%).

 

Marking scheme for Assignment 2: Group presentation (10%), group document (10%), participation (5%).

 

Final Examination (25%):

The final examination will be in essay format, with choice of questions. The exam will be based on lecture material, including talks by guest speakers. The exam will be held during the formal exam period in December, date to be determined.