REN3301 Biodiversity & Conservation

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Welcome to REN3301 Biodiversity & Conservation. This course is offered in both on-campus (ONC) at Toowoomba and Springfield campuses and in external (EXT) mode in Semester 2, by the Faculty of Sciences and is designed as a non-major, inter-faculty course on sustainability and the environment in an Australian context.

The following materials are designed to be supplementary to information provided to enrolled students on the official course webpage on StudyDesk accessed through UConnect (see link below). Students enrolled in the course should consult the StudyDesk.

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For non-enrolled students, scroll down the page or use the links for more information regarding REN3301 Biodiversity & Conservation.

About the Course | Staff/Contacts | Topics | Assessment

Dr Andy Le Brocque
(REN3301 Examiner)

Privacy | ABN: 40 234 732 081 | CRICOS: QLD 00244B; NSW 02225M | © Sciences, University of Southern Queensland | Updated 3 April 2012

About the Course

Semester:	Mode:	Credit Points:	Faculty:	Pre-requisites:	Examiner:
2	ONC (TWMBA, SPRFLD) & EXT	1.00	Sciences	Nil	Dr Andy Le Brocque

Synopsis:

The course incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to the study of biodiversity and conservation, with a foundation in ecological theory and principles as a basis for the conservation and management of natural, production and disturbed systems. The concept of biodiversity as an ordered progression in biological complexity, from genes to ecosystems, is reviewed. The mechanisms behind the development of species, ecosystems and biodiversity are explored. The key threatening processes to biodiversity conservation are examined, with a focus on Australian ecosystems whenever feasible, and the processes and theories regarding the extinction of animals and plants are examined. The impact of humans on the earth's biodiversity and current issues in the conservation of biodiversity is also examined, in both global and regional settings. The scientific basis of species and habitat conservation and current practices and problems are also explored. This course may involve compulsory extended field excursions within the region.

Further information can be obtained in the official Course Specifications for this course available through UConnect. The official REN3301 Course Specifications should be checked in all instances.

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Staff/Contacts

	Dr Andy Le Brocque (Course Examiner & Team Leader) Senior Lecturer (Ecology & Sustainability) – Toowoomba Campus Department of Biological & Physical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences; Phone: (07) 4631 1529 \| Email: lebrocq@usq.edu.au External Materials: Editor. Primary author Modules 1 – 2, 8 – 9, & 12. Major contributor to other modules. Lectures & Tutorials: Modules 1 – 2, 8 – 9, & 12 (Toowoomba)
	Assoc. Prof. Joachim Ribbe (Course Moderator) Associate Professor (Climatology) & Head, Department of Biological & Physical Sciences – Toowoomba Campus Department of Biological & Physical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences; Phone: (07) 4631 1529 \| Email: lebrocq@usq.edu.au
	Dr John Dearnaley Senior Lecturer (Cell & Molecular Biology) – Toowoomba Faculty of Sciences. Phone: (07) 4631 2804 \| Email: John.Dearnaley@usq.edu.au External Materials: Lectures & Tutorials: Modules 5 –10 (Toowoomba)
	Dr Kate Reardon-Smith Casual Lecturer (Environment & Sustainability) – Toowoomba & Springfield Campuses Faculty of Sciences / Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments. Phone: (07) 4631 5579 \| Email: Kathryn.Reardon-Smith@usq.edu.au External Materials: Lectures & Tutorials: Modules 2 – 12 (Springfield)

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Topics

Module	Topic
1	Biodiversity & Conservation
2	Biodiversity Concepts & Patterns
3	Humans & Biodiversity
4	Conservation Values & Ethics
5	Primary Threats to Biodiversity
6	Genetic Basis to Conservation
7	Conserving species & Populations
8	Conserving Ecosystems
9	Protected Areas
10	Ecological Restoration
11	Conservation Management
12	Challenges for Conservation

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Assessment*

Item	Name	Weighting
1	Online Quizzes (x 2)	20%
2	Assignment 1 (Case Study Proposal)	5%
3	Assignment 2 (Case Study Fact Sheet)	30%
4	2 Hour Final Examination	45%

*Assessment details From 2013; current students should consult the Course Studydesk

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