Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life. Most people recognise biodiversity by species. The number of species is currently estimated at 7-12 million. However, biodiversity is more: habitat diversity and genetic diversity. All aspects are presently under pressure. It is generally assumed that a reduction of biodiversity is undesirable and should be prevented. But is the extinction of species or the disappearance of habitats really undesirable? And if so, can we counteract further deterioration of biodiversity?

These are among the questions that will be addressed in the minor Biodiversity. To be able to answer these questions, you will learn in this minor what biodiversity actually represents, how it can be mapped and how biodiversity has evolved. In addition, you will learn about the important processes that determine the level of biodiversity in today’s ecosystems and the effects of human intervention and the introduction of new species on biodiversity. Dutch landscapes are often referred to during the topics of this minor.

The study programme of this minor consists of courses, lectures, excursions, and discussions with relevant stakeholders. The minor starts with excursions to all Dutch Landscapes, and also includes one week fieldwork on Schiermonnikoog and one week in the Polderlab near Leiden. The courses provide a comprehensive overview of biodiversity in the Dutch landscape, patterns in biodiversity, evolutionary developments and environmental processes. It teaches a range of skills including spatial analyses with GIS, and offers starting courses in statistical analyses.