MSMS 6209, BCOR 5560 - Biodiversity

Required Textbooks:

• Describe patterns in the distribution of biodiversity, the ways of measuring biodiversity and the different ways that biodiversity is measured.
• Conceptualize and understand the major paradigms used to explain biodiversity and biogeography pattern(s), and how emerging studies are calling into question (or clarifying/redefining) long-held traditions and beliefs of what biodiversity is, how it is measure/managed
• Understand the power of hypothetico deductive methods, and its application in pattern-process vs. process-pattern models of biodiversity
• Understand and identify threats to biodiversity and what mechanisms are emerging to identify and manage biodiversity loss
• Develop a detailed understanding of global, basin, regional, and local threats to environments and the research and management actions needed to address loss of diversity
• Understand major legislative and legal actions of governments and institutions that have been enacted to deal with threats to biodiversity.
• Measure the success/failure of current action strategies, such as Marine Protected Areas, by applying lessons learned and incorporation of emerging methods and data sources