206-324 Conservation Biology

Availability

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

206-204 Australian Fauna and 206-202 Australian Flora.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

Upon completion of this subject students should have:

• knowledge in the application of population ecology and genetics to the conservation of flora, fauna and communities;

• knowledge of the use of conservation biology in the management of endangered species and communities;

• and knowledge of protected area reserve and network selection and management.

The content includes:

• biodiversity within the world and Australia;

• diversity, rarity extinction and threatening processes;

• conservation status and assessment in Australia and Internationally;

• introductory population genetics and methods of analysis in conservation genetics;

• Metapopulation theory;

• the loss of genetic diversity, populations and species in fragmented ecosystems;

• captive breeding and its management;

• concepts in protected area design and selection, including island biogeography, effective breeding size and minimum viable population;

• protected area design and implementation in Victoria, Australian and worldwide;

• and threatened species and area networks.

Assessment

Three assignments of 2000, 2500 and 3000 words respectively (15, 20, and 25%) and a two-hour examination (40%).