ENST 352 - Conservation and Restoration Ecology

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

(Same as BIOL 352) Conservation Biology and restoration ecology use multidisciplinary approaches to study the maintenance and restoration of earth’s biodiversity. We examine human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function and discuss how to develop practical approaches for mitigating those impacts. We assess the current human footprint on global resources, asking questions about what we are trying to preserve/restore, why we are trying to preserve/restore it, and how we can accomplish those goals. We critically examine the assumptions made by conservation biologists and restoration ecologists throughout, using case studies from around the world to explore a range of perspectives. Discussion topics include conservation in an agricultural context, the efficacy of marine protected areas, the impact of climate change on ecosystem resilience, restoration and management of forests, the management of invasive species, and urban ecology. Margaret Ronsheim.

Prerequisite(s): Two units of 200-level biology or one unit of 200-level biology and one unit of 200-level ESCI, or permission of the instructor.

Recommended: BIOL 241, BIOL 208, or BIOL 226, GEOG 260, GEOG 224, or GEOG 356; or permission of the instructor.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS