Selected Topics in Nature Protection and Biodiversity Conservation

This course is part of the programme
Doctoral study programme Environmental Sciences

Objectives and competences

The students will gain knowledge about the most recent advances in the field of nature conservation: natural science, social science and management aspects of nature protection and biodiversity conservation will be discussed.

Prerequisites

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Content

A selection of natural science knowledge and skills, necessary for successful implementation of conservation activities, which enables the identification of natural heritage and biodiversity, their conservation, implementation of information system and monitoring.

In-depth knowledge of social sciences for better understanding human dimensions of nature conservation, ethical foundations of nature conservation, the role of environmental awareness, legislation, economic evaluation, conflict of interest in nature conservation and biodiversity, and possible social approaches to resolve them.

Conservation management and implementation of various forms of nature protection and biodiversity conservation will be discussed, with a comparative analysis of organization of nature conservation at national and international level.

Intended learning outcomes

The students will be able to do a multi-disciplinary analysis of nature conservation problems and critical evaluation of scientific results and publications in the field of nature protection and biodiversity conservation.

Readings

Sinclair et al. 2006. Wildlife ecology, conservation, and management. Second edition. Blackwell Publishing. Catalogue E-version

Selected literature (articles) related to nature protection and biodiversity conservation (at least 20 articles).

Assessment

Seminar work (50%) and oral examination (50%)

Lecturer's references

Tanja Pipan je prid. prof. dr. s področja Krasoslovje.

  • Culver, D. C., Kowalko, J. E., Pipan, T. 2023. Natural selection versus neutral mutation in the evolution of subterranean
    life: a false dichotomy. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11, 1080503, 10 pp. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1080503.

  • Mammola, S., Meierhofer, M. B., Borges, P. A. V., Colado, Culver, D. C., Deharveng, L., Delić, T., Di Lorenzo, T.a,
    Dražina, T., Ferreira Rodrigo L., Fišer, C., Pipan, T., Zagmajster, M., Zakšek, V., et al. 2022. Towards evidence-based
    conservation of subterranean ecosystems. Biological Reviews 97 (4), 1476-1510. DOI: 10.1111/brv.12851.

  • Prelovšek, Mitja, Gabrovšek, Franci, Kozel, Peter, Mulec, Janez, Pipan, Tanja, Šebela, S. 2021.The Škocjan Caves -
    UNESCO World Heritage Site. In: Trofimova, Elena (Ed.), Salomon, J.-N. (Ed.). Preserving world subterranean heritage:
    natural, cultural and mixed subterranean heritageZeitschrift für Geomorphologie, Supplementband, N. F., 62 (3), . 49-64,
    DOI: 10.1127/zfg_suppl/2021/0690.

  • Mejia-Ortiz, L. M., Christman, M., Pipan, T., Culver, D. C. 2021. What's the relative humidity in tropical caves? PloS one
    16 (9), 18 pp. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250396.

  • Pilotto, F., Kühn, I., Adrian, R., Alber, R., Alignier, A., Andrews, C., Bäck, J., Barbaro, Luc, Beaumont, D., Beenaerts, N.,
    Pipan, T., et al. 2020.Meta-analysis of multidecadal biodiversity trends in Europe. Nature Communications 11, 11 pp.
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17171-y.

  • Kozel, P., Pipan, T. 2020. Specialized aquatic subterranean communities are probably most species-rich in the thickest
    epikarst. Limnologica 81, 1-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.limno.2020.125756.

  • Mammola, S., Piano, E., Cardoso, P., Vernon, P., Domínguez-Villar, D., Culver, D. C., Pipan, T., Isaia, M. 2019 Climate
    change going deep the effects of global climatic alterations on cave ecosystems. The Anthropocene review 6 (2), 98-
    116. DOI: 10.1177/2053019619851594.

  • Pipan, T., Culver, D. C., Papi, F., Kozel, P. 2018. Partitioning diversity in subterranean invertebrates: the epikarst fauna
    of Slovenia. PloS one 13 (5), 1-19.DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195991.

  • Pipan, T., Culver, D. C. 2017. The unity and diversity of the subterranean realm with respect to invertebrate body size.
    Journal of caves and karst studies 79 (1), 1-9. https://caves.org/pub/journal/PDF/V79/cave-79-01-full.pdf.

  • Culver, D. C., Pipan, T. 2019. The biology of caves and other subterranean habitats. 2nd ed. Oxford University
    Press,Oxford, 301 pp., ISBN 978-0-19-882076-5, ISBN 978-0-19-882077-2.