ISSUES IN CONSERVATION

WCB2IC

2015

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

This unit covers rationales for biodiversity conservation: moral, aesthetic and utilitarian. Biodiversity and its assessment: measures of biodiversity, survey methods for bacteria, protists, plants and animals, surrogate groups, molecular assessment of biodiversity as genetic information content, rapid assessment methods, endemism, taxonomy and phylogeny. Biodiversity in Australia: continental biogeography, characteristics of Australian ecosystems. Maximising retained biodiversity through optimal reserve selection. Threatening processes. Ecosystem services: relationship to biodiversity. Management of endangered species: status evaluation, life histories, captive maintenance, inbreeding avoidance, reintroduction, population viability analysis, impact of introduced species. Restoration ecology. Use of computer programs for conservation biological analysis: reserve selection, evolutionary distinctiveness, and population viability analysis.

School: School of Life Sciences

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Nick Murphy

Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 2 - UG

Exchange Students: Yes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: (BIO1GEN or BIO1MGC) and any two of (BIO1AD, BIO1PS, BIO1EEB, BIO1APM)

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: CBE2IC

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Learning resources

Readings

Resource Type	Title	Resource Requirement	Author and Year	Publisher
Readings	Practical conservation biology	Prescribed	D. Lindenmayer & M. Burgman (2005)	CSIRO
Readings	Conservation biology in Australia: An introduction	Recommended	T.R. New. (2006)	OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

01. Describe, record and reflect on observations during field work.

Activities:: Field diary/notebook.

02. Read, analyse and summarise available scientific literature on a given topic.

Activities:: Students participate in a workshop on critiquing scientific papers and writing literature reviews prior to completing the literature review assessment task.

03. Participate in the communication of the findings of a group investigation to peers and supervisor.

Activities:: Students participate in a workshop on preparing and giving oral presentations prior to completing the group oral presentation assessment task.

04. Apply scientific method to biological questions through practical investigation and written report.

Activities:: Practical investigation followed by written report and group presentation. Students participate in a workshop on writing scientific reports prior to completing the written report assessment task.

05. Define and explain biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, issues in the conservation and management of biodiversity.

Activities:: Final theory exam.

Albury-Wodonga, 2015, Semester 1, Day

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: 40

Enrolment information: Accommodation in Practical classes. Academic performance in pre-requisite subjects.

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Alexei Rowles

Class requirements

PracticalWeek: 10 - 22
One 10.0 hours practical per study period on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.

LectureWeek: 10 - 22
Two 1.0 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.

Field TripWeek: 10 - 22
One 5.0 days field trip per study period on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.
"Field course (5 days) in week before Semester One"

Assessments

Assessment element	%	ILO*
Field diary/notebook	10	01
Literature review (1500 words)	10	02
Project report - (3000 words)	15	04
Project report - group oral presentation	5	03
Theory exam (3 hours)	60	05

Melbourne, 2015, Semester 1, Day