Issues in Biodiversity
An overview of the major issues facing biodiversity globally today including habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species and disease, and examine how these issues are affecting island nations with a focus on French Polynesia. This course will make extensive use of the Biocode Project database to examine biodiversity on Moorea, and discuss genetic resilience and conservation technologies. We will then explore local attitudes and perspectives about these issues and examine local biodiversity initiatives. This course is one of five co-requisite courses (ESPM 109A-E) that make up the study abroad program in Island Sustainability taught off campus on Moorea, French Polynesia, during the Spring semester.
Topics
- 1. To review of the major issues facing biodiversity globally today including habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species and disease. 2. To experience how these issues are affecting island nations with a focus on French Polynesia. 3. To use the Biocode Project database to examine biodiversity on Moorea, and discuss genetic resilience and conservation technologies. 4. To explore local attitudes and perspectives about these issues and examine local biodiversity initiatives.
- 1. Students will be able to recognize species within some particular group of organisms and interpret key aspects of their ecology, phylogeny, and conservation needs from both a modern scientific approach as well as that of traditional ecological knowledge. 2. Students will be able to articulate the goals and value of fundamental ecological and genetic observatories for sustainability science. 3. Students will obtain skills of database use and visualization. 4. Students will be able to design and evaluate initiatives with the goal to conserve biodiversity.
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027