Concept of alpha and beta diversity. Ecosystem services. Management of threatened species. Ethology and conservation. Reintroductions. Protected areas. Agencies for conservation actions. Threats to biodiversity. Alien species, their impacts and their management. Climate change. Regulations on conservation. LIFE program
Primack e Carotenuto Conservazione della natura. Zanichelli Primack e Boitani Biologia della conservazione. Zanichelli
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: Basic theoretical and practical knowledge of conservation and management methods. Competence acquired: Acquisition and use of an appropriate terminology; basic tools to deal with the fauna conservation adopting a multidisciplinary approach. Skills acquired (at the end of the course): Autonomous capacity to manage the fauna from different aspects (science, society, regulations). Capacity to identify critical issues for biodiversity (and their causes). Application of the economic concepts to the conservation, and of the conservation/management strategies.
Prerequisites
Zoology, Ecology, Animal ecology
Teaching Methods
Lectures (Power Point slides). Field excursions. Working groups to draft a potential species deserving protection according to the IUCN criteria.
Type of Assessment
Oral exam. Discussion of a Power point presentation prepared by the candidate on a topic of the course.
Course program
Biodiversity concept. History of conservation. How to measure biodiversity (quantitative/qualitative indices). Genetics and conservation. Biodiversity at ecosystem level. Ecosystem services. Sixth extinction. Threats to biodiversity. Alien species, their impacts and their management. Climate change and assisted colonization. IUCN classification and management of threatened species. Reintroductions. Protected areas. Agencies for conservation actions. Regulations on conservation. LIFE program. Conservation and sustainable development. Ecological economy. Social perception of conservation and citizen science. Conservation evidence.