course-details-portlet

BI8081

Advanced Conservation Biology

Choose study year
Credits 7.5
Level Doctoral degree level
Course start Spring 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Oral examination

About

About the course

Course content

This course will cover conservation at the population, species and ecosystem level. Relevant principles from behavioural ecology, population and community ecology, genetics and evolution will be related to conservation biology. Both the theoretical foundations of conservation biology and empirical examples will be covered.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: Students will gain insights into ecological and evolutionary processes critical for biodiversity conservation, as well as familiarize themselves with prominent conservation and management approaches.

Skills: The course will develop students' abilities in analyzing and evaluating conservation-related processes and mechanisms, critically interpreting scientific results in conservation biology, and planning for the management of biodiversity using theoretical and data-driven approaches. Students should be able to present and discuss new literature in theoretical and applied conservation biology, deal with complex technical questions and challenge established knowledge and practice in the field.

General Competence: Participants will acquire advanced knowledge in biodiversity and conservation biology, beneficial for both scientific research and practical management. Students shall be able to:

  • Participate in debates within the field of national and international forums
  • Identify new relevant issues
  • Assess the appropriateness and the application of various methods and processes in research

Learning methods and activities

The course includes lectures, seminars, and exercises. In the seminars, students engage with selected scientific papers through reading, presentation, and discussion, with a focus on both scientific content and methodology. Additionally, students may be tasked with writing a report, depending on the discretion of the instructors.

Seminar participation is mandatory. Students are expected to participate actively and contribute to learning activities such as seminars, exercises and potential writing tasks for seminar participation to be approved. PhD students are expected to take a leading role (planning, execution, lead discussions) in these activities.

Compulsory assignments

  • Approved seminar attendance

Further on evaluation

The final assessment is an oral exam, accounting for 100% of the grade (pass/fail).

Completion of compulsory activities is required. The teachers will clarify the specific requirements at the start of the course.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
BI3082 7.5 sp Autumn 2024
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Ethology
  • Biology
  • Botany
  • Zoology

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Biology