Syllabus
Nature protection, conservation and management - definition, basic tools, main approaches and goals, history. Conservation biology, macroecology, environmental science(s). Nature, landscape, land cover, land use. In situ and ex situ conservation. Territorial protection: protected areas and ecological networks, participatory approach, quantity v. quality. Ecological integrity as a new nature conservation and landscape protection paradigm, Sustainable use of biological diversity components, Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), sustainable living and its four pillars v. degrowth. Communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) among the general public and the target groups.
Biological diversity - definition, main levels, SWOT analysis. Alfa, beta and gama-diversity. Species richness - global and in the Czech Republic, species concepts, taxonomic inflation, bioinformatics. Quantifying and assessing biodiversity: research, monitoring, indicators, integrated ecosystem assessment, scenario analysis and mathematical modelling in post-normal science. System analysis and holistic approach. Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: a portfolio effect. Science and biodiversity conservation or vice versa: evidence-based biodiversity protection, conservation and management. Conservation planning.
Genetic diversity, genomics, conservation genetics in theory and practice (effective population size, inbreeding, bottleneck effect, founder effect, genetic drift, extinction vortex, 100/1,000 rule, molecular genetic methods in biodiversity conservation, environmental DNA and DNA barcoding). Genetic sources, biopiracy, patents and WTO, Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Genetically modified organisms, synthetic biology, gene editing, gene drive, GURT, de-extinction.
Taxonomic diversity, functional diversity. Evolution and nature conservation: fixation v. contemporary evolution, microevolution, evolutionary significant unit and conservation significant unit.
Ecosystems - definition and classification. “New” equilibrium paradigm; resistance, resilience and carrying capacity. Metapopulation, sink and source dynamics. Ecosystem approach, adaptive v. blanket management. Restoration ecology and ecosystem/ecological restoration. Global ecosystem - global change ecology, global environmental issues.
Species protection - endangered, naturally rare, keystone, umbrella, flagship, endemic and relict, important for humans, indicator, vulnerable migrating, focal, typical representative, phylogenetically and taxonomically important species. Red Lists and other conservation lists, Population Viability Analysis (PVA). Prioritizing taxa and guilds for protection, conservation and management. Action Plans/Recovery Programmes. Reintroduction, introduction, restocking, translocation. .
Main biodiversity change drivers: habitat fragmentation, degradation, destruction and loss, biological resource overexploitation, invasive alien species, eutrophication, pollution and contamination incl. micropollutants, POPs and nanomaterials, climate change (mitigation and adaptation, nature-based solutions, geoengineering), diseases, natural disasters. Defaunation, extinction and biotic homogenization.
Ecosystem services - definition, classification, advantages and disadvantages, natural capital, ecosystem accounting, payments for ecosystem services (PES).
International nature conservation - soft and hard law, EU nature conservation legislation, EU Natura 2000 network; EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020 - 2030, Common Agricultural Policy. International multilateral agreements (CBD and Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols, CITES, Ramsar Convention, CMS including sub-global agreements, World Heritage Convention, UNCCD, UNFCC, Bern Convention, European Landscape Convention, Carpathian Convention). International intergovernmental organisations (United Nations agencies and panels, OECD, Council of Europe). International NGOs (WWF, EUROPARC Federation, BirdLife International, Wetlands International, Planta Europa, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth). IUCN. International programmes and initiatives (MaB, MA, TEEB, GBIF). International transboundary and bilateral cooperation.
Annotation
Conservation biology - definition and subject of discipline. Conservation ecology, macroecology. Nature and landscape. Sustainable development. Ecological integrity. Biodiversity (definition, quantification of biodiversity; value of biodiversity, taxonomic diversity, functional biodiversity, genetic diversity). Theoretical bases of biodiversity conservation: island biogeography, metapopulation, source and sink theory, "new" imbalance paradigm and "flow of nature", conservation planning. Threat to biodiversity - main threatening factors. Limits of species richness: extinction and speciation. The equilibrium and non-equilibrium theory of species richness and biodiversity history on Earth.
Conservation and management of biodiversity: main principles and strategies. Ex and in situ protection. Protection of genetic diversity of wild organisms, crops and domestic and farm animals. What species to protect (endangered, rare, key, flag, umbrella, focal etc.). Rescue programs. Ecology of restoration, use of molecular biology and genetic engineering in the care of natural heritage.
Genetically modified organisms. Introduction to environmental economics: ecological capital, ecosystem goods and services. Bioprospectoring and biopiracy, synthetic biology. World Trade Organization (WTO). Monitoring and indicators of biodiversity. Bioinformatics at global, pan-European and national level. Science and research in nature conservation.
International management of natural and landscape heritage: international multilateral conventions, agreements and protocols (Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol, CITES, Bonn, Bern, Ramsar Convention, EUROBATS, AEWA, UNFCCC, UNCCD, Climate Convention), organizations (professional institutions of UN - UNEP, UNESCO, FAO, UNDP, IUCN, WWF, BirdLife International, Wetlands International, Greenpeace, EUROPARC), programs (MaB, MA, DIVERSITAS, GBIF). European Union biodiversity legislation (principles of EC law; Birds and Habitats Directives, Natura 2000, EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020).