TOPICS IN SCIENCE: INTRODUCTION TO BIODIVERSITY in Fall 2019 (SC1091B)

The Earth is changing. It has been constantly changing since before the origin of Life, but at the present it seems to be changing much faster than ever before. So fast that hundreds, probably thousands, of species become extinct every year because their habitats are being dramatically altered. So fast that teenagers all over the planet are organizing "strikes 4 Climate". So fast, that even politicians are starting to think about doing something about it. Exponential technological development during the last century, together with the concentration of the world’s human population in these artificial environments that we call cities, have led us to believe that we are independent from the environment. However, in the context of global change, the general public is “re-discovering” that the human species actually depends on the proper functioning of ecosystems and on the services they provide. Our survival depends on biodiversity and its conservation. The term biodiversity (or biological diversity) is commonly used in newspapers, in political debates, and even in social media. But, what is it? The extent and complexity of the study of biodiversity makes necessary an interdisciplinary approach that mixes biological, political, social and economic sciences. Nevertheless, at the present there seems to be a general consensus about the great value of biodiversity, and its conservation has become a global priority. Those with a solid background in this field and the skills to identify strategies to preserve diversity from new perspectives are professionals in demand. This broad course will provide an overview of biological diversity and will place it in an evolutionary and ecological context. The course will also focus on the conservation and management of biodiversity, from social, economic, and political perspectives. During the semester, we will answer questions such as: Why is biodiversity important? How do species evolve or become extinct?