Understanding & Managing Animal Biodiversity

In The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem


BIOL 520

Summer Session, 2008
last updated:
June 12, 2008


Instructor: Jay Rotella (994-5676)
308 Lewis Hall 

 


Course Overview:

 

The information presented in this course has been developed for students in the MSSE Program at Montana State University and thus, targets science teachers working at elementary through high school levels.  The course combines field trips, lectures, and lab exercises. The material is organized around six, inter-related topics:

 

  1. Biodiversity: What is it, where is it, and why is it important?
  2. Why is biodiversity loss a concern?
  3. What are the current trends in biodiversity?
  4. What factors lead to biodiversity loss?
  5. How might biodiversity change in the future under various plausible scenarios? 
  6. What actions can be taken to conserve biodiversity?

 

The topics will be discussed from two distinct perspectives: (1) a broad global perspective and (2) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem perspective.  The lectures and classroom discussions will place greater emphasis on the broad perspective, whereas the field trips will use the Greater Yellowstone as a case study to gain hands-on experience with the various topics.

 


A few web sites that are relevant to the course

o     Biodiversity lecture -  

o     ActionBioScience.org

o     E.O. Wilson lecture and classroom projects –

1.      project #1

2.      project #2

o Value of biodiversity

o    World Atlas of Biodiversity -- interactive map

o Windows into Wonderland - Electronic field trips  by Yellowstone National Park

o  Aspen lectures - from 2004 Scientific Conference

o   Exponential Growth & The Rule of 70

o   GreenFacts: Scientific Facts on Biodiversity

o   Montana Partners in Flight - a habitat-based conservation approach for birds based on the needs of priority species

o  North American Breeding Bird Surveya cooperative effort between

o  U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

o  Endangered Species Page

1.General statistics for T&E species

2. Listed species by state


Return Links: Montana State University's Home Page, Department of Ecology's Home Page, or The Fish and Wildlife Management Program's Home Page .