ENSn4650 Biodiversity conservation

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Mojmír Vlašín (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Karel Stibral, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Karel Stibral, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Hendrychová
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites
! HEN650 Biodiversity conservation &&!NOW( HEN650 Biodiversity conservation )&&TYP_STUDIA(N)
Student has basic knowledge of biology in the scope of final exam from secondary school, he/she has basic knowledge of ecology in the scope of the subject Basics of Ecology and Landscape Ecology for Bachelors. He is engaged in working independently with literature and resources.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 35 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/35, only registered: 0/35, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/35
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Explain the concepts of the conservation of nature and of biodiversity, discuss the meaning of the biodiversity concept as regards environmental conservation. • Understand and explain concepts and ideas such as geophysiology, the basics of conservation biology and the basics of ethics and philosophy of nature conservation; • Discuss and critically evaluate the concept of biodiversity from different perspectives; • Distinguish the basic characteristics of biodiversity and different aspects of species vs. regional conservation; • Distinguish between different types and categories of protected areas (incl. IUCN categories) and different types of management approaches in the European Natura 2000 Network; • Understand and explain issues regarding decision-making in nature conservation and financing of nature conservation; • Use information gained in the course to discuss the hierarchy of values in society regarding nature conservation; • Understand and present different dimensions (ethical, scientific, practical) of conservation programmes of flora and fauna.
Learning outcomes
Student is able to define concepts of nature conservation and biodiversity protection after graduation, to describe basic approaches to biodiversity conservation in our country and in the world, to name and classify the basic concepts of nature conservation biology. He can explain why species and habitat conservation are used and how they differ from wildlife protection. Is able to apply this knowledge in the preparation of a biodiversity case study. Is able to characterize individual conservation principles in particular especially protected areas and especially protected species. It is able to formulate and compile a case study on the protection of species or areas according to the teacher's assignment. After presenting other case studies, he can evaluate and oppose the work of his classmates. It is able to assess public opinion statements (journalists, politicians, entrepreneurs) on nature conservation and to evaluate them in terms of both credibility and ethics.
Syllabus
  • 1. Gaia Theory. Explanation of the concepts of biodiversity and their criticism by sociobiologists.
  • 2. Species, their description and naming, theory of evolution of organisms by natural selection, dying out of organisms during evolution
  • 3. Biodiversity(alpha,beta,gamma),ecosystem, biocenosis, biome, biosphere, diversity index, different groups of organisms and species numbers
  • 4. The Czech Nature and Landscape Conservation Act, especially protected areas( national park, protected landscape area...), natural parks, nature conservation governance in the Czech Republic, significant landscape elements, species conservation, regional conservation
  • 5. Dynamic stabiltiy of ecosystems, climax ecosystems, ecological succession, habitat, communities (synantropic, segetal, ruderal), blocked succession, endemites, relicts, refugia
  • 6. International nature conservation,non-profit organisations in nature conservation in the Czech Republic and abroad, international agreements (Washington Convention, Ramsar Act and others), biospheric reserve, Natura 2000, IUCN categories of protected areas
  • 7. Relationships between humans and other species (e.g. mutualism, commensalism etc.), flagship species, ethics in nature conservation, národní bohatství x přírodní bohatství,areas of distribution, sympatry, alopatry, vicarisation
Literature
    required literature
  • BALÁŽ ET AL. Ochrana přírody z pohledu biologa, ČZU Praha. 2010. info
  • PRIMACK, Richard B., Pavel KINDLMANN and Jana JERSÁKOVÁ. Úvod do biologie ochrany přírody. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2011, 466 s. ISBN 9788073675950. info
    recommended literature
  • LOVELOCK, James. Gaia : živoucí planeta. Translated by Anton Markoš. 1. vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1994, 221 s. ISBN 8020404368. info
  • WILSON, Edward O. Rozmanitost života :umožní poznání zákonů biodiverzity její záchranu? Translated by Antonín Hradilek. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 1995. 444 s. ISBN 80-7106-113-1.
  • Begon, M., Harper, J.L., Townsend, C.R.: Ekologie - jedinci, populace a společenstva. Vydavatelství Univerzity Palackého, Olomouc, 1997
  • POLÁŠKOVÁ, Anna. Úvod do ekologie a ochrany životního prostředí. Vyd. 1. V Praze: Karolinum, 2011, 283 s. ISBN 9788024619279. info
Teaching methods
The course will be taught via lectures and discusssions, and will include a one-day excursion to a valuable natural area.
Assessment methods
Students will be evaluated on the basis of their attendance, written tests during the course, final written case study and oral examination.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/ENSn4650