Week 1 - Introduction to conservation biology

Question 1

What is conservation biology

Answer 1

Conservation biology is the application of scientific methodology to the preservation of biological diversity from genes to ecosystems.

It targets the causes and seeks remedies to the global decline in biodiversity that we have already seen on land and are now seeing in the marine environment.

Question 2

What scientific methods does conservation biology use?

Answer 2

Observations, models, hypothesis testing and experimentation

Question 3

What are the goals of this subject?

Answer 3

Examine the emerging threats to
marine biodiversity, from genes
to populations to ecosystems

Examine the biological
science that informs
conservation strategies for
protecting marine organisms
over the next century

Question 4

What is the approaches to conservation biology?

Answer 4

Take the existing principles of terrestrial conservation biology and critically examine their application to marine ecosystems and species

Develop new approaches that target threats specific to marine species and habitats and alternative approaches