Biology 65: Biodiversity and Conservation

University of California, Irvine

Spring 2008 syllabus

This course is the second of three core courses satisfying the first requirement of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Global Sustainability.

Class Time:  Mon., Wed., Fri. - 3:00 pm to 3:50 pm in DBH 1100

Instructor: Peter J. Bryant, Professor, Developmental and Cell Biology (x44714; pjbryant@uci.edu).  Office hours by appointment.

Teaching Assistants: Jozsef Pentek (pentekj@uci.edu) and Da-Wei Lin (ddlin@uci.edu)

Textbook:  Hypertext Book in Biodiversity and Conservation

Instructions for taking the course

Writing Assignment

Current Conservation Issue Guides

Work projects

Date

Topic (click to go there!)

Mon, Mar 31

MOVIE ON BIODIVERSITY

Wed, Apr 2

1: INTRODUCTION

Fri, Apr 4

2: EVOLUTION OF ANIMALS AND THE AGE OF REPTILES

Mon, Apr 7

3: THE AGE OF MAMMALS

Wed, Apr 9

4: EVOLUTION OF HUMANS AND THE PLEISTOCENE EXTINCTIONS

Fri, Apr 11

5: EXTINCTION AND DEPLETION FROM OVER-EXPLOITATION

Mon, Apr 14

6: OVEREXPLOITATION THREATENING LIVING SPECIES 

Wed, Apr 16

7: WHALES AND WHALING

Fri, Apr 18

8: FISH AND FISHING

Mon, Apr 21

First Mid-term (and deadline for first writing project!)

Wed, Apr 23

9: SECONDARY EFFECTS OF OVER-EXPLOITATION
Fri, Apr 25 Frontline Show on the politics of Global Warming: Hot Politics
Mon, Apr 28 Guest Lecture: Stephanie Barger, Executive Director of Earth Resources Foundation, Costa Mesa, California: The Campaign Against the Plastic Plague: the Problems, the Solutions, and how you can do your part"
Wed, Apr 30 10: CATALOGING AND MAPPING BIODIVERSITY

Fri, May 2

Guest Lecture:  MICROBIAL DIVERSITY by Dr. Oladele A. Ogunseitan, Professor of Public Health and Social Ecology

Mon, May 5

11: VALUES OF BIODIVERSITY

Wed, May 7

12: NATURAL PRODUCTS

Fri, May 9

No lecture this day, but an optional movie about Wolves and their conservation will be shown. Instead of class, you are encouraged to attend:
9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.: 2008 environmental program on "Global Change and Oceans". At the Beckman Center for the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering.

Mon, May 12

Second Mid-term (and deadline for second writing project!)

Wed, May 14

13: ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION

Fri, May 16

15: TEMPERATE FORESTS AND DEFORESTATION

Mon, May 19

16: TROPICAL FORESTS

Wed, May 21

17: DESERTS AND GRASSLANDS

Fri, May 23

14: EXOTIC INTRODUCTIONS

Mon, May 26

Memorial Day Holiday

Wed, May 28

18: ENDANGERED FRESHWATER HABITATS and 19: ENDANGERED MARINE HABITATS

Fri, May 30

20: ISLANDS

Mon, Jun 2

22: HABITAT POLLUTION

Wed, Jun 4

23: CAPTIVE BREEDING AND REINTRODUCTION

Fri, Jun 6

24: HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH AND ITS IMPACT

Mon, Jun 9, 4:00-6:00pm

Final Exam (and deadline for third writing project!)

Grades:

30% Writing Assignment
15% First Mid-term
15% Second Mid-term
40% Final 

Instructor:

Dr. Peter J. Bryant
School of Biological Sciences
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92717, USA
Phone (714) 824-4714 Fax (714) 824-3571