Applied Marine Ecology and Conservation

While the Earth's biological resources are vital to humanity's economic and social development, the Convention on Biological Biodiversity promotes the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. For marine and coastal biodiversity, the program of work focuses on integrated marine and coastal area management, marine and coastal living resources, marine and coastal protected areas, mariculture, and invasive alien species. For open ocean and deep sea areas, it supports increased international cooperation to protect vulnerable habitats and species (see Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas) (CBD).
Target 2 of EU Biodiversity Strategy aims to maintain and restore ecosystems and their services by including green infrastructure in spatial planning and restoring at least 15% of degraded ecosystems by 2020. (EU Biodiversity Strategy)

Impact Assessment and Mitigation

Applied Megafauna Conservation

Marine Habitat Restoration

Effective management and conservation of marine resources and wildlife depend on the understanding of underlying processes at the ecosystem level. The goal of this specialisation is to teach how applied marine science can inform restoration and conservation initiatives over a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Learning Outcomes:

The graduated student can demonstrate an understanding of the principles of ecological interactions, how they shape the marine communities and their response to environmental pressures;
The graduated student is able to critically assess anthropogenic impacts on marine ecosystems, services and resources and, identify and evaluate potential mitigation and remediation measures that can be taken on short and long terms;
The graduated student is able to implement and assess the success of restoration and conservation initiatives, together with the design and analysis of environmental monitoring schemes.