The decline in biodiversity is a serious (and perhaps irreversible) threat to the biosphere. This course covers concepts and questions in a new synthetic discipline, which focuses on biodiversity protection. Beginning with the origin, patterns, and maintenance of biodiversity, the class explores the values of biodiversity, the nature of the threats to biodiversity, the demography and genetics of small populations, strategies to protect biodiversity, and ethical and legal bases of conservation efforts.
- Teacher: Susan Letcher