Module Code and Title:        BDC201 Fundamentals of Biodiversity

Programme:                          BSc in Environmental Management

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor:                       Kinley Dorji (Coordinator) and Tshewang Dorji

General objective: This module introduces students to the principles, theories and concepts of biodiversity and its measurement. It aims to provide practical knowledge and skills to measure and estimate biodiversity for better understanding of its health to manage against various threats.

Learning outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Discuss biodiversity and its characterization.
2. Describe a general method of laying transect for biodiversity measurement. 
3. Measure biodiversity for community analysis.
4. Explain the status of different species and how they have become endangered.
5. Explore the benefits of biodiversity and the need to conserve it.
6. Explain the importance of aquatic biodiversity.
7. Describe the main plant and animal genetic resources in Bhutan.
8. Discuss the status of in-situ and ex-situ plant and animal genetic diversity of Bhutan 
9. Explain the plant and animal quarantine policies for conservation and management of local resources.

Learning and teaching approach:

Assessment Approach: 

Students will do one individual written assignment of 750-1000 words. They will be assigned a topic each, which can include but not limited to topics like benefits of biodiversity, different types of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, different status of species, human impacts on biodiversity. The assessment will be graded based on the following rubric.

Part A: Draft: 5%

2%       Content (originality, approach, result/discussion, scholarship) 

1%       Focus (relevance, organization, conclusion)

2%       Language (style, mechanics) 

Part B: Final submission: 10%

2%       Depending on how many comments from the draft are incorporated for the final submission, the tutor can award them negative marking.

3%       Synthesis of the information (includes an explanation of a key concept or process from the module, and well-supported argument for how their subject illustrates the concept or process taught in the class)

3%       Analytical thinking (discuss the best practices of biodiversity conservation and propose remedial measures to reduce threats to different biodiversity, discuss different conservation techniques)

2%       Mechanics (Language and referencing)

Students will individually write a report on a field trip made to the nearby National Biodiversity Centre or Lam Pelri. In the report, students must pick one aspect of the biodiversity conservation techniques such as in-situ conservation and ex-situ conservation (plant species in the Botanical garden, seed bank, germplasm, herbarium specimen). Reports are expected to be 300-500 words in length.

3%       Overall environmental issues and its context/ summary of the visit (accuracy and completeness)

4%       Quality of analysis (includes an explanation of a key concept or process from the module, and well-supported argument for how their subject explains the concept taught in the class)

3%       Mechanics (Language and referencing)        

Students will undertake a class test of 5% during the semester. The written tests will be conducted within the class for a duration of 40-50 min and cover 2-3 months of material.

The students will individually undertake weekly field studies in the RTC campus. In the field, students must conduct biodiversity analysis, vegetation measurement and bird count, among others. In the report, students must show four major vegetation and biodiversity measurements and analysis from their field observations. Students will be provided with a grading rubric that will help to guide the writing of the field report. Reports are expected to be 1000 - 1200 words in length.

Field report must capture the following biodiversity analysis:

5%       Biomass calculation (reliability of data, materials and tools used)

4%       Vegetation transects (use of line intercept methods and materials and tools used)

3%       Floristic diversity (species richness, species evenness, relative abundance)

3%       Bird count (species richness, species evenness, relative abundance) 

Students will take a written exam of 1.5-hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. The exam will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

Students will take a written exam of 2.5-hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: ECL101 Principles of Ecology

Subject Matter:

1. Unit I: Fundamentals of biodiversity
   1. Etymology, relevance and evolutionary significance
   2. Levels and types of biodiversity: genetic, species and ecosystem
   3. Biodiversity at local, national, regional and global levels
   4. Measures and documentation of biodiversity: scope and significance
   5. Functions and values of biodiversity: in ecosystem function, ecosystem integrity, and increasing productivities - provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting
2. Unit II: Biodiversity measurement
   1. Transect for biodiversity measurement: Scope, process, and advantages and disadvantages. 
      1. Line intercept transects
      2. Belt transects
      3. Line transect
      4. Point intercept transects
      5. Strip transects
      6. Point transect/point count
   2. General methods of sampling/counting: Definition, process, and advantages and disadvantages. 
      1. Total counts
      2. Timed searches
      3. Quadrats
      4. Distance sampling
   3. Biodiversity measurement: Definition and calculation.
      1. Alpha diversity
      2. Beta diversity
      3. Gamma diversity
   4. Relative abundance: common species and rare species
   5. Measuring and estimating species richness: Definition and calculation
      1. Measure of the number of species
      2. Menhinick's index
      3. Margalef's index
   6. Diversity indices: Definition and calculation
      1. Shannon-Wiener Index
      2. Simpson (1949) index of Dominance
   7. Important Value Index (IVI): Definition and calculation
      1. Relative Frequency 
      2. Relative Density
      3. Relative Dominance
   8. Species-area relationships
   9. Species discovery curve

Unit lll: Aquatic biodiversity

1. Population trends, habitat use, foraging behaviour, trophic dynamics and community ecology of the following
   1. Aquatic bird diversity
   2. Fish diversity of Bhutan
   3. Aquatic plants 
2. Importance of aquatic biodiversity – Ecological, Economic and Socio-cultural

Unit IV: Plant genetic diversity of Bhutan

1. Agro-biodiversity and its significance
2. Status of field crops in Bhutan (In-situ and Ex-situ)
3. Plant genetic diversity management
4. Aromatic and medicinal plants conservation and management

Unit V: Animal genetic diversity of Bhutan

1. Types of domestic animals; their importance and issues
2. Livestock development initiatives: breeds, pasture development, new technology
3. Conservation status in Bhutan (In-situ and Ex-situ)
4. New initiatives and approaches on livestock sector development and management
5. Quarantine policies for plants and animals - Overview, main purposes and significance
   1. Plant Quarantine Rules of Bhutan 2003
   2. Plant Quarantine Rules and Regulations of Bhutan 2018
   3. Livestock_Act of Bhutan 2001
   4. Livestock Rules and Regulations of Bhutan 2017

Unit VI: Loss and threats to biodiversity

1. Data and trends on global biodiversity; human impacts
2. Major threat areas, e.g., tropical rainforests, oceans
3. Major threat types, e.g., over-use and overhunting, habitat loss/degradation/fragmentation, invasive species, pollution, climate change
4. Endangered and threatened species; role as indicator species
5. Human role in the premature extinction of species in general and case studies
6. Adjustment, adaptation and solutions

List of practical work: 

1. A day-long field trip:  A day-long field trip to the nearby National Biodiversity Centre or to Royal Botanical Garden, Lam Pelri, will be conducted.
   1. Identify/document common flora and fauna
   2. Identify/document bird species, types and abundance
   3. Study the vegetation types 
2. Weekly field studies: Students will conduct weekly field studies around the RTC campus.

1. Identify/document common flora and fauna of the place of visit
2. Identify/document bird species, vegetation types and abundance
3. Conduct detail vegetation analysis and measurement (forest types, species abundance, species richness and species evenness)

Reading List:

Essential Reading

Department of Forest and Park Services. (2015). National forest inventory report: Stocktaking of nation’s forest resources. Thimphu, Bhutan: Ministry of Agriculture and Forest.

Lovejoy, T.E., Hannah, L., & Wilson, E.O. (Eds.). (2019). Biodiversity and climate change: Transforming the biosphere. London, UK: Yale University Press.

Maclaurin, J., & Sterelny, K. (2008). What is biodiversity? Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Magurran, A. E., & McGill, B.J. (2010). Biological diversity: Frontiers in measurement and assessment. London, UK:  Oxford University Press

Ministry of Agriculture. (2008). Plant genetic resources of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan: Kuensel. 

Ministry of Agriculture. (2008). Animal genetic resources of Bhutan, Thimphu: Kuensel.

Psihoyos, L. (2015, December 12). Racing extinction [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUpccvUa0C4 

Wangchuk, T., Thinley, P., Tshering, K., Tshering, C., Yonten, D., & Pema, B. (2004). A field guide to the mammals of Bhutan. Thimphu, Bhutan: Ministry of Agriculture.

Wildlife Conservation Division. (2010). Analysis of the contributions of protected areas to the social and economic development of Bhutan: Case study: Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park. Thimphu, Bhutan: Ministry of Agriculture.

Additional Reading

Dolder, W., & Pippke U.D. (2009). Endangered animal species facing extinction: And the threats to their habitats, Bath, UK: Parragon Books.

Gurung D.B. (2005). Orchids of Bhutan. Thimphu, Bhutan: DSB Books.

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). (2019). The Hindu Kush Himalaya assessment: Mountains, climate change, sustainably and people. Kathmandu, Nepal: Author.

Inskipp, C., Grimmett, R., Inskipp, T., & Sherub. (2019), Birds of Bhutan and the Eastern Himalayas. Lake Dallas, TX: Helm. 

Ives, J. D., & Messerli B. (1989). The Himalayan dilemma, reconciling development and conservation. London, UK: Routledge. 

Ministry of Agriculture. (2009). Pteridophytes of Bhutan, a list of families, genera and species. Thimphu, Bhutan: National Biodiversity Centre.

Namgyel, T., & Tenzin, K. (2009). A photo guide to flowers of Bhutan. Thimphu, Bhutan: World Wild Fund for Nature.

Pearce, D. & Moran, D. (2009). The economic value of biodiversity. London, United Kingdom: IUCN Earthscan.

Pradhan, R. (1999). Rhododendrons of Bhutan. Kathmandu, Nepal: Quality Printers.

Date: June 2021