Course Guide

APPLIED ANIMAL ECOLOGY

REG 20803

Resource Ecology Group

Name and code of the course: Applied animal ecology (REG 20803)

Study load / Credit points: 3 ects

Components: Classroom lectures

Period: 2 (November)

Contact person: dr SE van Wieren (REG)

(sip.vanwieren@wur.nl)

Lecturer: dr SE van Wieren (REG)

Examiner: prof dr HHT Prins (REG)

Language instruction & examination: English

Assumed prerequisite knowledge: Ecology I and II (NCP-10503 and NCP-20503)

Continuation course: Wildlife Resource Management (REG-32806)

Profile of the course:

The course is primarily focused on understanding wildlife issues in both conservation and rural areas.

Most of these issues can be understood within a theoretical ecological framework and therefore

attention will be given to those theories specifically relevant for a number of broadly defined topics

e.g.: population control, translocations, wildlife diseases, damage control and damage prevention,

animal dispersal, animal behaviour and humans, habitat suitability and habitat connectivity. Further,

we will explore available techniques which can be used to tackle problems. Population control can

be achieved with various methods, damage can be prevented and controlled with different

techniques and there are different ways to deal with the risk of wildlife diseases. Much attention,

thus, will be given in providing both a scientific framework for understanding wildlife problems and

an overview of available techniques to deal with them.

The main target student groups are students from BBN and master students who take the Wildlife

Resource Management course (REG-32806).

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

- describe and interpret the theoretical framework relevant to problems in wildlife management;

- explain potential technical solutions for problems with wildlife

- evaluate the possible effects of the application of various techniques on populations and the

environment

- remember key theoretical insights in the field of population dynamics

- discuss human-wildlife issues on an academic level

Learning materials and resources:

The materials used for this course are derived from various sources.

The theoretical core of the lectures is based on the textbook Wildlife Ecology, Conservation and

Management by Synclair, Fryxell & Caughley (2006). Many of the examples and case studies given in

the lectures are taken from chapters from books written by the lecturer, and many other scientific

papers. The occasional guest lecturer provides power point presentations of the lecture given. All

information needed is available through the course site on Eduweb.

Selected books from which chapters are used:

Sinclair, A.R.E., Fryxell, J.M. and Caughley, G.C. 2006. Wildlife ecology, conservation, and

management. Blackwell Publishing. Oxford.

Manfredo, M.J. 2008. Who Cares About Wildlife? Social Science Concepts for Exploring Human-

Wildlife Relationships and Conservation Issues. Springer.

Van Andel, J. & Aronson, J. (Eds.), 2006. Restoration Ecology. The New Frontier. Blackwell

Massachusetts.

Apollonio, M. , Andersen, R. and Putman, R. 2010. European ungulates and their management in the

21st century. Cambridge University Press.

Educational activities:

- lectures

- interactions between lecturer and students during lectures

- reading and studying literature

Examination:

At the end of the course there is an exam consisting of 10 short-answer questions. For each question

the student can earn 10 points.

Principle themes and outline of the course:

Lectures on the following topics are given.

Lecture 1/2: Introduction

What is applied animal ecology? The state of biodiversity at various scales. Various aspects of the

human wildlife dimension, values and attitudes. Policies to accelerate and to decelerate biodiversity

loss.

Lecture 3/4: Population dynamics

What determines growth rate? A detailed analysis of the logistic growth curve. The fallacy of the

logistic growth curve. Happenings around K. What managers need to know about population

dynamics to be able to manage properly.

Lecture 5/6: Dispersal and Reintroductions

Dispersal and metapopulation theory.

The IUCN guidelines for reintroductions. Why most reintroductions fail.

Case studies from the Netherlands: beaver, otter, black grouse.

Lecture 7/8 – Wild boar and management of ungulates

Population development of ungulates and back ground of ungulate management in Europe. Is wild

boar management needed in the Netherlands?

Lecture 9/10 – Predation

The nature of predation. Predator-prey theory. Do predators regulate prey species? Predator

conservation.

Lecture 11/12: Wildlife Control

Principles of wildlife control and its relationship with prepator-prey systems. The costs and benefits

of control operations. Various control techniques; is fertility control an option?

Lecture 13/14: Conservation genetics

Principles of conservation genetics. Calculating the genetic distances within and between

populations. The use of genetic techniques in landscape ecology and conservation.

Lecture 15/16/17/18: Herbivores

Evolution. Plants as food. How to utilize plant material: digestive systems. Plant-herbivore

interactions: grazing. Grazing for conservation. Grazing systems.

Lecture 19/20/21/22: Parasites and disease ecology

Increase in emergent infectious diseases. Principles of parasite ecology. The SIR system. Tick ecology,

the role of vertebrates and Lyme’s disease. Wildlife diseases: myxomatoses and VHS in rabbits.

Lecture 23/24 – Marine mammals (guest lecture by Prof. Dr. Peter Reijnders)

Principles of population dynamics of marine mammals. Marine mammals are difficult to study.The

conservation of marine mammals.

Assessment strategy REG-20803

Learning outcomes/where assessed? Ex

am

1 Explain theoretical priciples in the field of population dynamics, predation systems, x

animal reintroductions, plant-animal interactions, herbivore ecology and disease ecology

2 Calculate population growth rates and effects of habitat fragmentation on

x

metapopulation structure

Contribution to final mark

100%

Type of questions/examination

Open questions x

Assessed by Sip van Wieren

x