Significant Ideas:
While global diversity is hard to quantify, it is decreasing rapidly due to human activity. Classification of species conservation status can provide a useful tool in the conservation of biodiversity.
Applications & Skills:
Discuss the case histories of three different species: one that has become extinct due to human activity, another that is critically endangered, and a third species whose conservation status has been improved by intervention.
Describe the threats to biodiversity from human activity in a given natural area of biological significance or conservation area.
Evaluate the impact of human activity on the biodiversity of tropical biomes.
Discuss the conflict between exploitation, sustainable development, and conservation in tropical biomes.
PLOS Biology.org - How Many Species Are There on the Earth and in the Ocean?
Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) - Chapter 1: Status and Trends of Global Biodiversity
C. Hess & E. Ostrom - An Overview of the Knowledge Commons
TIME - The End of the Line - The future of fish
IUCN - Red List Categories