Conservation Biology

The course covers biological diversity and the threats to it. Biological diversity is defined and its geographical distribution described.The most important factors causing reduction in biologicaldiversity in the past, the present and the future are treated along with strategies for conservation from ecological, economic and social perspectives. Theory is illustrated with examples of strategies and practice at different organisational levels, including ecological, economic and ethical aspect of conservation. Instruction is in the form of lectures and a seminar series on course literature or recent research articles as the basis of discussions of selected aspects of the lectures. How to use a common population viability analysis, PVA, tool is included as an examination component. A number of ongoing Swedish conservation projects are visited during a multi day excursion. The course comprises: \- a theoretical part with lectures on relevant parts of the course literature \- discussion seminars on part of the course literature and scientific papers \- individual project (PVA) \- a multi day excursion