Conservation and Management of Biodiversity

Recommended Prerequisites

Knowledge of English, Matemathics, Ecology of Populations and Communities and Statistics.

Teaching Methods

The theoretical classes will be given in power-point presentations and will be conducted to stimulate discussion about the several aspects of biodiversity. Several scientific articles will be given and the students must discuss them critically in the class. Practical classes will include the use of Generalized Linear Models, and the students will present their results orally in the class. The field trip will demonstrate how to capture and collect biological samples from for scientific purposes. The use of these techniques in nature conservation will be discussed.

Learning Outcomes

The student should know the compositional and functional aspects of biodiversity. The student should understand the importance of applied conservation at the population/species level, with particular relevance to principles of conservation, conservation status of species and habitats, and bioindicators in assessing and maintaining biodiversity, and implementing management measures such as marine protected areas. Students should be able to examine case studies, discuss articles and action plans, and perform data analysis to demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of biodiversity descriptors, ecological indicators, habitat selection by marine megafauna and studies on trophic network analysis, to propose and implement measures for the conservation of species and ecosystems. The students should demonstrate how efective management plans are for the conservation of species and habitats.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Evaluation of biodiversity status - How to measure biodiversity (compositional, structural and functional aspects). - Analysis and discussion of papers about the state of biodiversity. The importance of bio-indicators to monitor biodiversity. Analysis of practical cases. 2. Conservation in the marine environment - Principles of conservation and conservation status of species and habitats - Habitat selection by marine megafauna. Habitat selection studies: techniques to collect and analyze data. The importance of spatial scale in studies of habitat selection. - Criteria for the selection and implementation of marine protected areas: analysis and presentation of case studies. - Trophic networks. Management of marine resources. 3. Biodiversity Management in practice - Preparation of management plans for species and habitats.

Head Lecturer(s)

Jaime Albino Ramos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 40.0%
Project: 60.0%

Bibliography

Navarro, L. M. et al. 2017. Monitoring biodiversity change through effective global coordination. Current Opinion in Environmnetal Sustainability 29: 158-169 Groom, M. J., G. K. Meffe 6 C. R. Carroll. 2012. Principles of Conservation Biology. third edition. Sinauer associates, Sunderland. Alexander, M. 2013. Management Planning for Nature Conservation. Springer, Dordrecht. Roff, J. (ed.). 2011. Marine Conservation Ecology. Taylor & Francis, London. Pereira, J. M., V. H. Paiva, F. R. Ceia & J. A. Ramos. 2020. Facing extremes: Cory’s shearwaters adjust their foraging behaviour differently in response to contrasting phases of North Atlantic Oscillation. Regional Environmental Change 20: 77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-020-01662-1 Em cada ano serão fornecidos artigos recentes, bem como legislação sobre planos de acção e convenções internacionais sobre a conservação da biodiversidade.