Introduction to the course: an overview of the topics to be addressed.

Definitions: the concept of biodiversity and its levels (genetic, species, and community or ecosystem biodiversity).

Multidisciplinary approach of the Conservation Biology

Biodiversity in space and time
- the concept of biodiversity at different spatial scales (alpha, beta, gamma diversity), how biodiversity varies on the planet, and how the population of living beings has changed over time.
- Biodiversity hotspots.
- Species ranges (cosmopolitan vs endemic)

Biodiversity in Italy.
Importance of biodiversity: in itself and in relation to human activities.
- the concept of ecosystem services.

Methods for measuring and monitoring species and community biodiversity.
- Biodiversity measures (counting, relative abundance).
- Biodiversity estimates (overview of biodiversity indices and their application).
- Functional characteristics of species (biological forms, chorological types, biogeographic importance of species, guilds, etc.).

Main threats: concepts of speciation, segregation, and extinction.
- Habitat loss and degradation (land consumption, human activities' impacts on ecosystem conservation).
- Invasive alien species (biogeography and conservation).
- Climate change (climate variations and species migrations).

Tools for Biodiversity Conservation:
Natura Directives.
Protected areas.
Types of financing.

Primarck, Boitani (2013) Biologia della conservazione. Zanichelli 403 pp.