BIOL 035. Biodiversity Conservation

This course provides an overview of the foundational concepts and future horizons of biodiversity conservation in an era of global environmental change. Class materials and discussions illustrate central issues in contemporary conservation with case studies from around the globe. Topics will focus on the ecological and society benefits of biodiversity, ways the scientists measure and understand biodiversity, the causes of global biodiversity declines, and techniques that can be used to mitigate such declines. Using an active learning approach the class will include: 1) critical reading of primary literature, 2) field trips inside and outside campus, 3) hands-on experience in the field and laboratory on how to conduct conservation research, and 4) applying quantitative methods and R programming to real data. Previous experience in those areas is not required, but students should be motivated to learn new skills. Because conservation involves every member of society, readings will include content produced by science communication outlets, policymakers, news outlets, and personal stories, incorporating a broad and diverse perspective on approaches to biodiversity conservation.
Prerequisite: BIOL 001 and BIOL 002.
Natural sciences and engineering practicum.
One laboratory per week.
1 credit.
Eligible for ENVS, ESCH, and GLBL-Core.
Spring 2026. Axelrod.
Catalog chapter: Biology
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/biology

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