Wildlife Ecology and Management

Course Lecturer Name(s):  Dr. Stephen Nimrod  

Course Director Name:  Dr. Stephen Nimrod  

Course Lecturer(s) Contact Information:  snimrod@sgu.edu

Course Director Contact Information: Snimrod@sgu.edu 

Course Lecturer(s) Office Hours:  By Appointments   

Course Director Office Hours:       Mon & Wed 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Tue & Thur 11:00am -12:00pm

Course Lecturer(s) Office Location:  Caribbean House, Top Floor

Course Director Office Location: Caribbean House, Top Floor

Course Support:   Akima Ventour, Email: aventou2@sgu.edu, Phone: ext 3435

Course Management tool: To learn to use Sakai, the Course management tool, access the link https://apps.sgu.edu/members.nsf/mycoursesintro.pdf

Course Description: 

This course is designed to provide a foundation in the science and application of ecological principles of the management and conservation of wildlife resources. The fundamentals of wildlife ecology, conservation and management will be covered including the value of biological diversity, population dynamics and issues affecting wildlife populations. Students will learn the process of managing wildlife including applied conservation biology, with a focus on protected areas as a wildlife management tool. The field activities of the course will expose students to classical and modern tools, techniques and software used by wildlife managers in the field for monitoring, measuring and analysis of wildlife populations and ecosystems. This course will also provide students with a look at the realities, the difficulties and sometimes the thrill of managing wildlife and fisheries.

Course Objectives: 

1. Describe ecological principles that apply to wildlife at the various significant ecological levels of organisation and identify their relevance to wildlife management practices.
2. Describe conservation biology principles and concepts and explain how they are applied in wildlife management. 
3. Design and conduct socio‐economic and ecological research to inform in wildlife management decisions.
4. Design and develop various components of a Protected Area Management Plan

Technical Skills Outcomes: 

1. Develop management plans for protected areas 
2. Conduct habitat mapping 
3. Watershed assessment 
4. Use GPS to mark and retrieve study sites and to map habitats 
5. Use Google Earth for habitat mapping and to create maps of study sites 
6. Measuring salinity in water using a refractometer 
7. Measure turbidity in water using a turbidity meter 
8. Measure pH in water using pH meter 
9. Measure Dissolved Oxygen in water using a D.O. meter 
10. Measuring water temperature using meter probe 
11. Measure nutrient (ammonia & phosphate) concentration in water using chemical analysis 
12. Conduct roving snorkel rapid assessment of marine environments 
13. Conduct resource use assessment 
14. Conduct resource use conflict assessment/matrix 
15. Threats to resources identification/matrix 
16. Conduct stakeholder identification/analysis/matrix  
17. Conduct socioeconomic surveys/assessments

Student Learning Outcomes:

Please see “Course and Session Learning Outcomes document in the Resources folder

Program Outcomes Met By This Course:

MWC-PLO1. KNOWLEDGE: Apply knowledge of the biological and physical components of life, and use this knowledge to understand the interrelationships of organisms with each other and their physical environments. 

MWC-PLO2. APPLICABILITY: Analyze key global ecological and conservation issues to promote long-term species viability and health of marine and terrestrial environments, with an emphasis on the Caribbean.

MWC-PLO3. RESEARCH: Apply scientific method, ecological and quantitative concepts, and technical skills to design and conduct novel field and laboratory experiments, while considering ethical and regulatory implications.

MWC-PLO4. COMMUNICATION & CRITICAL THINKING: Use relevant scientific literature and demonstrate independent, critical thinking while communicating scientific knowledge effectively in different media.

BIOL – PLO2:  Apply knowledge of the basic structures and fundamental processes of life at the molecular, cellular and organismal levels.

BIOL – PLO6:  Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills  

SAS Grading Scale: Grades will be assigned as follows:

A  = 89.5% or better

B+ = 84.5 - 89.4%

B  = 79.5 - 84.4%

C+ = 74.5 - 79.4%

C = 69.5 - 74.4%

D = 64.5 - 69.4%

F = 64.4% or less 

Course Materials:

Text: NA

Supplementary Readings/Resources:

Primack, R. B. (2012). A primer of conservation biology (No. 333.9516 P75/2012). 

Krausman, P. R., & Cain, J. W. (2013). Wildlife management and conservation: contemporary principles and practices. JHU Press. 

Salm, R. V., Clark, J. R., & Siirila (2000) Marine and Coastal Protected Area: A Guide for Planners and Managers. 3rd ed. The World Conservation Union.

Bunce, L., Townsley, P., Pomeroy R., & Pollnac R. (2000) Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management. Australia Institute for Marine Science.

Fryxell, J. M., Sinclair, A. R., & Caughley, G. (2014). Wildlife ecology, conservation, and management. 3rd ed.  John Wiley & Sons.

Gibbs, J. P., Hunter Jr, M. L., & Sterling E. J. (2008). Problem-solving in conservation biology and wildlife management. John Wiley & Sons

Course Grading Requirement:

Exams (100% of grade): This course consists of one exam.  Exam questions will come from the assigned reading material, class lectures and discussions, and class labs/activities. Note: Exams may consist of multiple choice, true or false, short answer, matching, and fill-in-the-blank questions.

Assignment/Exam	Percentage of Total Grade
Exam	15%
Case Study	15%
Management Plan Letter	10%
Management Plan	35%
Technical Skills Assessment	25%
	100%

Course Requirements: NA

Course Schedule: 

 Tentative Schedule Spring 2022 Semester

Week	Lecture	Day	Date	Topic
1	1	Tue	18-Jan	Course induction
	2	Thu	20-Jan	Wildlife Ecology pt 1: Populations, Communities, Ecosystems
	Labs	Fri	21-Jan	Literature review & Gap Assessment
2	3	Tue	25-Jan	Wildlife Ecology pt 2: Populations, Communities, Ecosystems
	4	Thu	27-Jan	Wildlife Ecology pt 3: Populations, Communities, Ecosystems
	Labs	Fri	28-Jan	Site Reconnaissance & Physical Features of an Area
3	5	Tue	01-Feb	The Economics of Biodiversity and Ecosystem services (pt 1)
	6	Thu	03-Feb	The Economics of Biodiversity and Ecosystem services (pt 2)
	Labs	Fri	04-Feb	Resource Identification, mapping, quantification
4	7	Tue	08-Feb	Climate Change and Wildlife (pt 1)
	8	Thu	10-Feb	Climate Change and Wildlife (pt 2)
	Labs	Fri	11-Feb	Abiotic Parameters assessments
5	9	Tue	15-Feb	Concepts in Conservation and Protected Areas (pt 1)
	10	Thu	17-Feb	Concepts in Conservation and Protected Areas (pt 2)
	Labs	Fri	18-Feb	Biotic Parameters assessments
6	11	Tue	22-Feb	Concepts in Conservation and Protected Areas (pt 3)
	12	Thu	24-Feb	Quiz 1
	Labs	Fri	25-Feb	Biotic Parameters assessments
7	13	Tue	01-Mar	The DPSIR Framework
	14	Thu	03-Mar	TBA
	Labs	Fri	04-Mar	Resource use assessments
8	Midterm
	Midterm			Technical Skills Assessment
9	15	Tue	15-Mar	Socioeconomic surveys
	16	Thu	17-Mar	Stakeholder consultations
	Labs	Fri	18-Mar	Stakeholder characteristics
10	17	Tue	22-Mar	Threats & Perception analysis
	18	Thu	24-Mar	Threats & mitigation analysis
	Labs	Fri	25-Mar	Goals and Objectives of the Protected Area
11	19	Tue	29-Mar	Management Actions & interventions
	20	Thu	31-Mar	Governance & management structure
	Labs	Fri	01-Apr	Rules, Regulations & Enforcement
12	21	Tue	05-Apr	Monitoring & evaluation plan
	22	Thu	07-Apr	Monitoring & evaluation plan
	Labs	Fri	08-Apr	Monitoring & evaluation plan
13	23	Tue	12-Apr	Management effectiveness monitoring
	24	Thu	14-Apr	Adaptive Management Approach
	Labs	Fri	15-Apr	Holiday
14	25	Tue	19-Apr	Management Plan Synthesis
	26	Thu	21-Apr	Management Plan Synthesis
	Labs	Fri	22-Apr	Write-up
15	27	Tue	26-Apr	Write-up
	28	Thu	28-Apr	Write-up
	Labs	Fri	29-Apr	Write-up
16	Finals
	Finals