BIOL426-24S2 (C) Semester Two 2024

Conservation Biology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 15 July 2024
End Date: Sunday, 10 November 2024
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 28 July 2024
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 29 September 2024

Description

This course covers aspects of biology that are useful in applied conservation situations. In other words, how can ecologists help to preserve biodiversity? Topics covered include: what is rarity; extinction rates past and present; limiting factors in endangered species management; adaptive management of NZ species; reserve design in theory and practice; conservation and climate change. This course complements BIOL429 which looks at conservation genetics.

The aim of the course is to look at parts of science can help to preserve biodiversity. This includes
theoretical considerations of rarity, extinction, and the value of biodiversity, along with practical
studies of what management methods work, and why.

We will not discuss conservation genetics, which are covered in the companion course
BIOL429 Conservation Genetics.

We will not be centrally concerned with issues of morals, values, or sociology, although
these will inevitably be touched on. Remember that you may have value judgements about what is
“better” but others in the class may have different values. In the course we encourage you to
concentrate on scientific facts, and use these to develop informed opinions on the topics covered.

Recommended preparatory course(s): BIOL 374, BIOL375, BIOL377, BIOL378, BIOL 379 or BIOL384

Learning Outcomes

As a student in this course, I will develop the ability to:
 Acquire an in-depth appreciation of important concepts in conservation biology, across a
range of taxa and ecosystems (assessment task: final exam);
 Display a high level of critical thinking including critique and synthesis of conservation
biology research, development of hypotheses, and integration of theory and applications
(assessment: essay and final exam);
 Develop a high level of communication skills in a range of modes, including tutorial
discussions, report writing/critique, and formal essays (assessment: essay and final exam);
 Develop skills in literature searching, and rapid but effective reading of scientific literature
(assessment: essay);

Transferable Skills Register / Pūkenga Ngaio
As a student in this course, I will develop the following skills:
 Discovery, synthesis and interpretation of information (GP1)
 Evaluation of arguments and evidence, and debating alternative points of view (GP2)
 Writing formal prose to summarise factual information (GP2)
 Engaging in science and technology issues with a broader understanding of their social
context, and how New Zealand’s conservation issues fit in a global context. (GP5)
GP1-5 refer to Graduate Profile attributes: (1) Critically competent in a core academic discipline
of their degree; (2) employable, innovative and enterprising; (3) biculturally competent and
confident; (4) engaged with the community; and (5) globally aware.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of School.

Restrictions

BIOL474

Timetable 2024

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 16:00 - 17:00 Jack Erskine 121
15 Jul - 21 Jul
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 11:00 - 13:00 Jack Erskine 445
29 Jul - 18 Aug
9 Sep - 29 Sep
Tutorial B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 15:00 - 18:00 Beatrice Tinsley 111
14 Oct - 20 Oct

Timetable Note

Tutorial Topics and Timetable / Wātaka

The sequence of topics is given below.
The UC Timetable currently has it running on Mondays 11:00 - 13:00 hrs but check for updates.

17 July     1.   Welcome and Course Introduction     Sara (zoom)

29 July     2.   Invasive species: The good, the bad and the ugly     Julian
5 August   3.   Human wildlife conflict                     Sara

12 August  4.  Freshwater biodiversity crisis: Challenges and
                        opportunities for conservation                                    Julian

September Study Break

9 Sept      5.   A global perspective on challenges to biodiversity loss and endangered species
                       management                                        Hazel
16 Sept    6.   Carbon stores and conservation         Hazel
23 Sept    7.   Habitat loss and fragmentation           Sara

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Sara Kross

Lecturer

Hazel Chapman

Guest Lecturer

Professor Julian Olden, visiting Erskine Fellow (University of Washington)

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Group project 35%
IUCN reassessment 35%
Tutorial preparation/participation/reflection 30%


Note that the course assessment will be subject to the Biology policy on late submission of work, and essays may be required in both hard and electronic formats so we can run plagiarism checking software on them. Also note that Biol policy requires you to score at least 50% to pass the course.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,145.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL426 Occurrences

  • BIOL426-24S2 (C) Semester Two 2024