Università Roma Tre

Cultural skills (Knowledge of:) the course provides the conceptual basis for understanding (a) the ecological and genetic principles as applied to biodiversity conservation problems (b) the set of problems related to the interaction between human activities and natural environments
Methodological skills (Knowing how to perform:) ability (in theory and in practice) to (a) correctly carry out red listing procedures (according to the IUCN method) and assessment of the conservation status of flora and fauna at risk of extinction and to (b) monitor at-risk species and know about the main conservation techniques (e.g., legal protection, protected areas, reintroductions, etc.).

SYLLABUS

Threats to plant Biodiversity
- Habitat destruction and fragmentation
- Habitat degradation
- Alien species
- Climate change

Threats assessment – IUCN Red Lists
- Red lists (general information), global, European and Italian red lists
- Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria
- Application of the Guidelines to real cases

In situ conservation
- Legal protection (EU Directive, Natura 2000, Italian national and regional legislation, USA legislation and Australian legislation), Protected areas in the world
- Restoration Ecology conservation translocation (general information, techniques, extreme translocation)
- Monitoring of threatened species (monitoring techniques of species listed in the Directive 92/43/EEC)

Ex situ plant conservation
- Botanical gardens and seed banks

Ex situ cultivation of species extinct in the wild and plant traits measurment (Bromus interruptus and Bromus bromoideus)

For the general topics:
Groom et al., 2012. Principles of Conservation Biology. Third Edition. Sinauer Associates.

For the red listing:
Rossi G., Gentili R., Abeli T., Gargano D., Foggi B., Raimondo F. M., Blasi C., 2008. Flora da conservare. Iniziativa per l’implementazione in Italia delle Categorie e dei Criteri IUCN (2001) per la redazione di nuove Liste Rosse. Informatore Botanico Italiano 40 (1). ISSN-0020-0697.

For conservation translocation:
Rossi G., Amosso C., Orsenigo S., Abeli T., 2013. Linee guida per la traslocazione di specie vegetali spontanee. Quad. Cons. Natura, 28, MATTM – Ist. Sup. Protezione e Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Roma. ISSN 1592-2901.

For species monitoring:
Giacanelli V., Conti F., Bartolucci F., Ercole S., T. Abeli T., Aleffi M., Gargano D., Ravera S. 2016. Le specie vegetali di direttiva in Italia. In: Ercole S., Giacanelli V., Bacchetta G., Fenu G., Genovesi P. (ed.), 2016. Manuali per il monitoraggio di specie e habitat di interesse comunitario (Direttiva 92/43/CEE) in Italia: specie vegetali. ISPRA, Serie Manuali e linee guida, 140/2016.

Cultural skills (Knowledge of:) the course provides the conceptual basis for understanding (a) the ecological and genetic principles as applied to biodiversity conservation problems (b) the set of problems related to the interaction between human activities and natural environments
Methodological skills (Knowing how to perform:) ability (in theory and in practice) to (a) correctly carry out red listing procedures (according to the IUCN method) and assessment of the conservation status of flora and fauna at risk of extinction and to (b) monitor at-risk species and know about the main conservation techniques (e.g., legal protection, protected areas, reintroductions, etc.).

SYLLABUS
1) Threats to Animal Biodiversity
a. Habitat destruction and fragmentation
b. Habitat degradation
c. Alien species
e. Extinctions - mass extinctions in the past and current extinction rate
2) Conservation genetics:
a. Problems in the conservation of genetic diversity
b. Minimum viable populations and PVA (population viability analysis)
c. Habitat and population fragmentation (theory of biogeography of islands, theories of metapopulation biology)
d. Population vulnerability and extinction processes
3) Animal species threats assessment– IUCN Red Lists
a. Red lists (general information), global, European and Italian red lists
b. Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria
c. Application of the Guidelines to real cases
4) Animal species in situ conservation
a. Legal protection (EU Directive, Natura 2000, Italian national and regional legislation, USA legislation and Australian legislation), Protected areas in the world
b. Restoration Ecology conservation translocation (general information, techniques, extreme translocation)
c. Monitoring of threatened species (techniques and monitoring of species listed in the Directive 92/43/EEC)
5) Animal species ex situ conservation
a. Zoo and aquariums - ex situ and in situ conservation interface
6) Emerging trends in conservation biology

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS:
- Groom, M. J., Meffe, G. K., Carroll, C. R., & Andelman, S. J. (2006). Principles of conservation biology. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates.
- Hunter Jr, M. L., & Gibbs, J. P. (2006). Fundamentals of conservation biology. John Wiley & Sons.

The professor receives every day from 9.00 to 10.00 by appointment via email: monica.carosi@uniroma3.it