Nature Protection - W 1400-215OCHRP

1. What nature conservation is and what it is not; relations with other fields of knowledge and the
economy; conservation biology – scientific foundations of nature conservation.
2. Biodiversity as a central concept in contemporary nature conservation; measures of biodiversity,
its role in the functioning of ecosystems.
3. Threats to biodiversity worldwide: destruction and fragmentation of ecosystems, biological
invasions, pollution, human population growth, overexploitation of species.
4. Evolution of approaches to nature conservation, paradigm shifts; motives for nature conservation.
Polish and Anglo-Saxon models of area-based nature conservation.
5. Different concepts of nature (conservation): conservation of semi-natural ecosystems,
conservation of “wild” areas; diversity and naturalness. Nature conservation and ecosystem services:
provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services.
6. Protection of endangered species, categories of threats, red lists of species; other species of
special concern: key, flagship, and umbrella species. In situ and ex situ species protection; the role of
botanical and zoological gardens in species protection.
7. Ecosystem conservation – a holistic approach to nature conservation, active and passive
conservation; area-based conservation; an overview of methods and strategies used for different
ecosystems – temperate forests, tropical forests, wetlands, grasslands, aquatic ecosystems.
8. Overview and characteristics of protected areas in Poland – with particular emphasis on national
parks.
9. Restoration of degraded ecosystems: objectives of nature restoration, outline of methods,
restoration of ecosystem structure and function.
10. Protection of genetic resources: genetics and nature conservation, controversies surrounding
GMOs, protection of traditional animal breeds and crop varieties.
11. Nature conservation and climate change – bilateral relationships.

12. The social dimension of nature conservation: the role of non-governmental organizations, school
and social education in nature conservation.
13. Nature conservation in Poland – historical overview, outline of current legislation.
14. European nature conservation – natural and historical conditions, legal basis, implementation;
international nature conservation – international conventions (Ramsar Convention, CITES
Convention, Bonn Convention, Climate Convention)