This course offers a survey of the principles and
practices of conservation biology. Designed for upper-level undergraduates or
beginning graduate students, this course examines the application of biological
principles for conserving biological diversity. In the first half of this
course, we develop general principles of conservation biology. Biological
diversity is defined at three different hierarchical levels (the gene, species
and community, and ecosystem and landscape) and the processes that create and
destroy diversity at each level are studied. The ecology of rarity and factors
affecting the global distribution of biological diversity are examined.
Extinction is studied from a historical and modern perspective. The genetic and
demographic processes that erode biological diversity in small populations are
presented, and an assessment of threatened biological diversity of the world is
made.
In the second half of the course, tools derived from
ecology and genetics to preserve biological diversity are examined.
Biogeographic theory is presented to understand the problems of habitat
fragmentation and reserve design. Population viability assessment is used to
evaluate risks of extinction. Ecosystem management is explored. Methods of
intensive management of wild and captive populations of endangered species are
examined. Biological concepts behind sustainable development are developed.
ESPM 284: Demographic Methods
for Population Viability Analysis
This course is designed for graduate students and
advanced undergraduates who have been given permission of the instructor.
We will explore the theory and application of demography and extinction
models to the management of threatened and endangered plant and animal
populations. The problems faced by
small populations, and exploited populations will be emphasized.
Classes will be comprised equally of lectures and computer/lab time.
Demographic analyses will include an understanding of life cycle
diagrams, and age- and stage-based projection matrices using both deterministic
and stochastic methods. We will
calculate population growth rate, and evaluate the elasticity and sensitivity of
demographic parameters to perturbation. Advanced
techniques of stochastic simulation modeling, metapopulation models, and
spatially-explicit models will be learned.
Methods of parameter estimation will be taught.
Students will employ these techniques in an in depth research term
project and paper.