Conservation biology

Acquire the scientific bases of ecological theory and its application towards the sustainability of ecosystems and the conservation of biological diversity.
Provide students with the skills and abilities necessary to design and implement plans for the conservation of biological diversity, at different spatio-temporal scales at their different levels of organization.

THEORY (30h) All classrooms will be face-to-face. The approximate duration of each song is indicated in parentheses.


Block I INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL CONCEPTS (10 h)
Unit 1. INTRODUCTION. (2h)
Unit 2. FOCAL SPECIES. (2h)
Unit 3. EXTINCTION AND HABITATS FRAGMENTATION. (2h)
Unit 4. MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF NATURAL SPACES. (2h)
Unit 5. CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEMS. (2h)

Block II. FLORA AND VEGETATION CONSERVATION (10 h)
Unit 6. HABITAT RESTORATION AND PLANT CONSERVATION. (2h)
Unit 7. TOOLS FOR ACTIVE INTERVENTION IN THE CONSERVATION OF PLANT COMMUNITIES. (3hrs)
Unit 8. INVASIVE SPECIES OF FLORA. (2h)
Unit 9. CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENTS OF THE CONSERVATION OF THE FLORA AND ITS USE IN THE IBERIAN PENINSULA (1.5 h)
Unit 10. INCORPORATION OF THE ADAPTATION FACTOR IN THE DESIGN OF THE CONSERVATION OF THE FLORA. (1.5hrs)

Block III. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION (10 h)
Unit 11. INVASIVE FAUNA. (2h)
Unit 12. MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF INVERTEBRATES. (4hrs)
Unit 13. MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF VERTEBRATES. (4hrs)

FIELD AND LABORATORY PRACTICES (18 h)
The internship calendar will be adjusted as far as possible to the development of the theoretical program.
Practice 1. Technical visit to natural spaces with Threatened Species Management programs.
Practice 2. Technical visit to natural spaces.
The two practices are subject to the allocation of financing for their realization.

Objectives and Capacities to Develop
In situ examination of the problem of conservation of threatened species. Discussion of management strategies and environmental education with those responsible for them. Development of critical spirit.
SEMINARS (6 hours)
1. Legislative and technical framework for conservation. (2h)
2. Preparation of a flora conservation plan/ Alternatively, or seminar may address a real case of biodiversidade vexetal affectation, including analysis of problems and restitution propostas dun optimal conservation status (2 h).
3. Inventory methods and quantification of animal populations (2 h)

The seminars will be face-to-face and will include exercises, problems and obtaining parameters obtained from data collected in field and laboratory practices or from bibliographic data. They may also include talks and discussions with experts from other universities and research centers, debates on current issues and other activities related to the subject.

TUTORIALS (1 hour)
They will be addicted to coordination of proposed activities to complement continuous evaluation.

EXAM (2 h)

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
HUNTER, M. L. & GIBBS, J. P., ( 2007). Fundamentals of Conservation Biology, Oxford: Blackwell.
PRIMACK, R. B. & Ros J.., (2002). Introducción a la biología de la conservación. Barcelona: Editorial Ariel Ciencia.
TELLERÍA J. L., (2012). Introducción a la conservación de especies. Valencia: Tundra ediciones.

COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
CAUGHLEY, G. & GUNN, A., (1996). Conservation Biology in Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Blackwell Sciences.
SODHI, N. S. & EHRLICH, P. R., (2010). Conservation Biology for All, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
SUTHERLAND, W. J. (ed.) (1996). Ecological Census Techniques. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
VOLIS, S., (2019). Plant Conservation. The Role of Habitat Conservation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Some relevant electronic resources:
• Agencia Europea de Medio Ambiente. http://www.eea.europa.eu
• BirdLife International. http:/www.birdlife.org y http://www.seo.org
• Convención de Ramsar sobre los Humedales. http://www.ramsar.org
• Convención sobre el Comercio Internacional de Especies Amenazadas de Flora y Fauna Silvestre (CITES). http://www.cites.org
• Dirección General de Medio Ambiente de la Comisión Europea. http://ec.europa.eu/environment
• IUCN-The World Conservation Union. http://www.iucn.org
• International Species Information System. http://www.isis.org
• Ministerio de Medio Ambiente. http://www.mma.es
• World Conservation Monitoring Center. http://www.unep-wcmc
• World Wide Fund. http://www.wwf.es

Knowledge/ content: Con04, Con09, Con10,
o Skils/ habilities: H/D02, H/D06,
o Competencies: Comp05, Comp06, Comp08

The EXHIBITION classes will consist of master classes in which the concepts of wool will be introduced with the support of audiovisual and computer media; They can have different formats (theory, problems and/or general examples, general guidelines of the subject), promoting student participation.
Interactive seminar classes in small groups, in which applications of the theory are proposed and solved, exercises, problems, case simulations, etc. are carried out. Active participation of the students is required.

The interactive classes of SEMINARS will be dedicated to the resolution, by the student, of questions and problems related to the topics covered, talks with specialists, debates, etc. At the end of each one of them there will be a brief exposition, by the teacher, regarding the resolution of said questions and problems.
The interactive classes of LABORATORY OR FIELD will address the management of laboratory and field methods that allow familiarization with the usual way of working in Conservation Biology. The scripts provided at the beginning of the practices include the necessary information to be able to follow the development of the proposed task in an orderly and clear way. Facing the resolution of a specific problem, and the fact that the practice groups are smaller, seems to favor a greater interaction between the students and the teacher, and facilitates the intervention and raising doubts. Each practice must be accompanied by the delivery of a task that will constitute part of the continuous evaluation.
TUTORIALS: They will be dedicated basically to the clarification of doubts about the theory and the seminars, as well as #any other query related to the teaching of the subject. They may be virtual through MS-teams.

Attendance to expository and interactive classes will be voluntary.

A guarantee shall be identical for both opportunities. A final test and complementary evaluation shall be continuous. For the cases of fraudulent performance of exercices or tests will be of application or recollection in the Regulations of endorsement of academic performance and of review of qualifications.
By way of summary, as a continuous guarantee, they will evaluate the reports of internships and/or seminars and support or 30% of the final qualification. It will also be possible to qualify for continuous evaluation based on questions that will be solved or same tempo that to final test. All activities are voluntary. A final test that is complementary to the continuous evaluation supposes or 70% of the final qualification. The repeater pupils have the same guarantee system as the first-time pupils. For repeater students only two results will be kept to memory qualification gives continuous assurance, during or same period as to the norm of this university availabel for further practical assistance.

In addition, the students will be able to raise a 20% rating of continuous evaluation (say 0.6 points) performing complementary activities propostas poles teachers/ as da materia, for example participating not proxecto teacher innovation "Planting face or lume (PCL)"
A final test can be an exame with questions of disengagement, questions curtas, questions type test, problems or a combination of the previous options.
The evaluation of all the learning outcomes that work in the subject (Knowledge/ content , skills/abilities, and competencies) is given below:
Exam: Con04, Con09, Con10,
Continuous evaluation: H/D02, H/D06, Comp05, Comp06, Comp08

In addition to face-to-face teaching of various types, students must specify hours of study and personal work. Together, the hours spent are:
30 expositive hours (classes)
24 interactive hours (seminars, field and laboratory practices)
1 hours of tutorials
93 hours of personal work
2 hours of exam
150 hours of total dedication
Study time and personal work
The total number of hours of personal work of the student is estimated at 93 hours, of which approximately 60 hours will be necessary for the study of the theoretical contents, including the reading of texts and the search for bibliographic information, and 33 hours will be necessary for the realization of activities independently (single or group) and the writing of memories and reports.

- Regularly attend theoretical classes, seminars and practices
-Study the subject up to date
-Consult the bibliography
-Consult doubts in class or during tutoring hours.

All the contents will be available in the virtual classroom. Communication with students will be trought Virtual Campus and Teams