Course Schedule -- note that most links to course downloads are not yet active. |
Jan. 26 (W)
Cl #1 | Part 1: Overview, history and ethics and biological conservation | Introduction to the course.
What is conservation biology and why is it needed?
Anthropogenic threats to biodiversity.
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Jan. 28 (F)
Cl #2 |
Continued.
Philosophy and conservation:
Transcendentalism, resource conservation and the land ethic.
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Jan. 31 (M)
Cl #3 | Environmentalism and its relationship to biological conservation.
Discussion of Sand County Almanac readings -- ~30 minutes.
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Resource
Our Common Future (a.k.a. the Brundtland Report)
Link to a UN website site that houses the famous 1987 document on sustainability and biological resources. |
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Feb. 2 (W)
Cl #4 | Finish discussion of land ethic. (10-15 mins)
Part 2: Biodiversity and Loss of Biodiversity
a. Species diversity: population size and genetics. |
Introduction to biodiversity.
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Feb. 4 (F)
Cl #5 | Global Biodiversity - Patterns and Processes over spatial and temporal distance.
The concept of species richness.
α, β, and γ diversity. Species richness patterns in space and time.
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same reading as previous class |
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Feb. 7 (M)
Cl #6 | A measurement that combines α and β diversity: the rarity-weighted richness index. Biological hotspots.
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same reading as previous class
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Feb. 9 (W)
Cl #7 | Estimation of diversity and diversity loss from species richness curves.
Community and ecosystem diversity and its causes.
| same reading as previous class + Article (same one assigned previously, will be briefly discussed at start of class)
(CHC access only) | | |
Feb. 11 (F)
Cl #8 | ESSAY #1 DUE AT START OF CLASS
Threats to Biodiversity.
| same reading as previous class
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Feb. 14 (M)
Cl #9 |
Extinction and anthropogenic causes of extinctions.
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Feb. 16 (W)
Cl #10 | Threats and "biological phenomena: monarch migration case.
The perils of small population size.
Begin the genetics of small populations.
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same reading as previous class |
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Feb. 18 (F)
Cl #11 |
Genetics of small populations, continued.
Inbreeding and outbreeding (end of material for exam #1)
Genetic Drift
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same as previous class |
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Resources |
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Feb. 21 (M)
Cl #12 | Effective population size.
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Feb. 23 (W)
Cl #13 | EXAM #1 (100 pts.) All material through outbreeding. |
Feb. 25 (F)
Cl #14 | Wahlund Effect
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Problems (moved from above) |
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Feb. 28 (M)
Cl #15 | Calculation and use of F statistics.
Estimating population sizes and trends. Estimating population trends
| same reading as previous class | | |
Mar. 2 (W)
Cl #16
| Classical models of populations
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Mar. 4 (F)
Cl #17 | Modeling populations with cohort data -- population matrices.
| same reading as previous class | |
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March 5 to 13 |
Spring Break |
Mar. 14 (M)
Cl #18 | The "extinction vortex."
An introduction to stochastic models and a critical look at population viability analyses (PVAs)
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Mar. 16 (W)
Cl #19 |
Part 2: Biodiversity and Loss of Biodiversity
b. Environmental degradation: habitat loss and fragmentation and an introduction to landscape ecology |
Habitat Loss. |
Mar. 18 (F)
Cl #20 | Habitat fragmentation continued.
TERM PAPER TOPICS DUE
Assignments & Resources |
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Extra resource |
Article on relationship between land use changes and aquatic habitats of the Mississippi and upper Gulf of Mexico
(CHC access only) |
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March 21 (M)
Cl #21 | A brief introduction to the effect of fragmentation on dispersal and the notion of metapopulations (to be continued next week)
Effects of fragmentation on richness.
| Same reading as given via email above
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March 23 (W)
Cl #22 | Case studies, continued. -- fragmentation and housing subdivision; the effects of isolation on patch diversity.
Tools to estimate landscape pattern and fragmentation quantitatively.
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Same reading as given via email
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March 25 (F)
Cl #23 | The metapopulation concept and habitat connectivity.
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March 28 (M)
Cl #24 |
Spatially explicit metapopulation models and conservation.
An example of spatially explicit metapopulation modeling.
The concept of extinction threshold and time lags between crossing the threshold and metapopulation extinction.
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Same as previous |
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Extra resource |
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March 30 (W)
Cl #25 |
Ecologically functional populations and species interactions and their effects on metapopulations. Two brief examples. Material for exam #2 end when we finish these topics.
Part 2: Biodiversity and Loss of Biodiversity
c. Invasive species |
Species Invasions.
How are species introduced and how do we manage introductions?
Impacts of invasions.
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April 1 (F)
Cl #26 | EXAM #2-- all material up to monetization. |
April 4 (M)
Cl #27 | Factors that determine if a non-native will become an invasive.
The mathematics of species invasions.
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same reading as last Wed. |
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April 6 (W)
Cl #28 | Finish the mathematics of invasive species.
Part 3: Overexploitation/Sustainable Exploitation |
Begin examination of overexploitation of biological resources.
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April 8 (F)
Cl #29 | The Tragedy of the Commons.
Impacts on target and non-target species.
The mathematical theory of renewable resource exploitation (the main part of class).
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April 9 (Sa)
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Field Trip to Harvard Forest LTER & Fisher Museum with Prof. McBride's Environmental History Class 7:30 AM ~ 2 PM
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April 11 (M)
Cl #30 | FIRST SUBMISSION OF TERM PAPER
The mathematical theory of renewable resource exploitation, continued.
Management of wild populations -- forests and fish as examples.
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same reading as previous class |
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April 13 (W)
Cl #31 | Finish section on overexploitation -- exploitation switching.
Part 4: Climate Change and Conservation |
Causes and predicted biotic effects of global climate change. |
April 15 (F)
Cl #32 | Climate change, continued.
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April 18 (M)
Cl #33 | Finish climate change -- range changes, extinctions, and mitigation/adaptation.
Part 5: A Brief Introduction to Economics as it Relates to Conservation |
Overview of the importance of economics in conservation.
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| April 19 (T) 1230 |
Earth Day (well, close -- every day should be Earth Day) public lecture by your professor on the history and restoration of long leaf pine forests of the Southeast US |
April 20 (W)
| Discounting and its effects on CBAs
Cost-benefit analyses.
Methods of monetizing biodiversity.
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Easter Break Begins April 21 |
Earth Day -- April 22 |
Easter -- April 24 |
Easter Break Ends April 25 |
April 27 (W)
Cl #35 | Talk from Dr. Cathy Langtimm, USGS
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April 29 (F)
Cl #36 | Q&A with Dr. Langtimm (10 mins.)
Cost-benefit analyses, continued.--
Methods of monetizing biodiversity
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May 2 (M)
Cl #37 |
CBA continued.
Critiques and alternatives to CBA. Material for exam #3 ends with end of ecological economics.
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May 4 (W)
Cl #38 | Conservation and restoration of habitat |
May 6 (F)
Cl #39 | EXAM #3
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May 9 (M)
Cl #40 |
Threat assessment, Adaptive management and structured decision making.
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May 10 - 11 (T,W)
| FINAL SUBMISSION OF TERM PAPER
Study Period A |
May 14-15 (Sa, Su)
| Study Period B |
May 17 (TUESDAY)
3-6 PM
| 150 pt Comprehensive Final Exam TBA
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