This document outlines the discussion prompts and requirements for the BIO 280 course over 5 weeks. It includes: - 3 discussion questions each week that students must choose from to write an initial 175+ word response to, including a cited reference. - A requirement to reply to at least two classmates' posts each week with a 100+ word response providing additional perspective or experience. - Topics cover ecosystems, biodiversity loss, invasive species, political conservation actions, and genetic diversity/zoo management. Example prompts discuss witnessed ecosystem changes, threatened local species, and opinions on issues like forest thinning. - Links to supplemental articles are sometimes provided for optional discussion participation on topics like food waste energy and mosquito population

1. BIO 280 All Discussions
The Latest Version A+ Study Guide
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BIO 280 All Discussions Link
http://www.uopstudy.com/bio-280
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BIO 280 Wk 1 Discussion: Ecosystems and You
Post a total of 3 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation.
This includes your initial post and 2 replies to other students.
Due Thursday
Respond to the ONE of the three questions belowwith a minimum of 175 words. This
response must be in your own original words and should also include one properly cited
and referenced passage from a relevant source.
In Week One we learn the fundamentals of Conservation Biology, biodiversity, species
diversity and the related social factors that impact the world around us. Consider the
reading and activities that you have completed this week.
1) Do you think of yourself primarily as a conservationist, environmentalist,
ecologist, preservationist, or none of these? Why? What are some examples that
support your position?
2) Where have you observed an ecosystem change over time? How would you describe
the biodiversity--in terms of species richness and evenness--of the place and how
the changes affected biodiversity? What are the positive and negative changes?
3) Discuss the specific instrumental and uniqueness value of a species in your
region (or a region of interest). How do these values affect this species with
regard to human interaction?

2. Due Monday
Reply to at least two (2) of your classmates with relevant responses of at least 100
words. Each of these responses should add to the information provided by your classmate
by either providing your personal experience or providing additional information and/or a
new perspective. Cited/referenced material is not required, but should be added when
applicable to support your relevant talking points. Always be constructive and
professional in your responses.
Please note: A response that has been found to be cut/pasted from the text, an
outside source or another classmate will be considered plagiarism, which is a serious form
of academic dishonesty. Any student found to be plagiarizing will be reported to the
University immediately.
For More Classes Please Visit
http://www.uopstudy.com/
BIO 280 Wk 2 Discussion: Ecosystem Management
Post a total of 3 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation.
This includes your initial post and 2 replies to other students.
Due Thursday
Respond to the ONE of the questions below with a minimum of 175 words. This response
must be in your own original words and should also include one properly cited and
referenced passage from a relevant source.
In Week Two we get an overview of ecosystem diversity and degradation, as well as the
economics of resource management. Consider the reading and activities that you have
completed this week.
1) In the region where you live, which types of ecosystems have experienced the
worst degradation and loss? What steps could be taken to restore them?
2) In the region where you live, how would you describe communally-owned resources
that are vulnerable due to their overuse? What specific management strategies
protect these resources while maintaining human enterprise? What actions do you
recommend to improve this balance? Explain.
3) Please read, summarize and discuss the story in the link provided which
illustrates how biotic and abiotic factors are interrelated. Also,

3. discuss another example (beside the one in the story) you can find in which
the endangerment of a large predator will impact other species and the ecosystem.
https://www.npr.org/2014/01/10/261120968/when-big-carnivores-go-down-even-vege
tarians-take-the-hit
4) Often, the costs of biodiversity maintenance fall on poor, rural people living
near a contested ecosystem. What is an example of this dynamic? What are two creative
mechanisms for sharing the benefits and costs of maintaining biodiversity more
equitably?
Extra participation opportunity:
I saw this really interesting story on www.NPR.org a few days ago about generating
energy from food waste, and thought some of you might be interested in reviewing
and discussing it for participation credit.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/11/30/783001327/chew-on-this-farmers-are-usi
ng-food-waste-to-make-electricity
Due Monday
Reply to at least two (2) of your classmates with relevant responses of at least 100
words. Each of these responses should add to the information provided by your classmate
by either providing your personal experience or providing additional information and/or a
new perspective. Cited/referenced material is not required, but should be added when
applicable to support your relevant talking points. Always be constructive and
professional in your responses.
Please note: A response that has been found to be cut/pasted from the text, an
outside source or another classmate will be considered plagiarism, which is a serious form
of academic dishonesty. Any student found to be plagiarizing will be reported to the
University immediately.
BIO 280 Wk 3 Discussion: Locally Threatened Species
Post a total of 3 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation.
This includes your initial post and 2 replies to other students.
Due Thursday
Respond to ONE of the three questions belowwith a minimum of 175 words. This
response must be in your own original words and should also include one properly cited
and referenced passage from a relevant source.

4. In Week Three we cover overexploitation and invasive exotics, and how they related to
global change and can ultimately cause extinction. Consider the reading and activities that
you have completed this week.
1) In the area where you live, what species are threatened with extinction due
to global change? What measures are being taken to address this threat? Use resources
from the Internet, including the IUCN Red List, the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, and the U.S. Global Change Research Program websites, to identify
species and threats. How do these threats compare to past extinction events?
2) In the area where you live, what species are invasive? How did they get there?
How are they affecting the native species in your area? What management techniques
are used to diminish these effects? Use resources from the Internet, including the
Invasive Species website, to identify species.
3) Feel free to summarize and discuss the article from the link below, in detail,
for participation credit. Which side of the Bluefin Tuna controversy do you
support? Explain why and support your point of view using critical thinking and
cited material.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/08/469551768/how-in-trouble-are-b
luefin-tuna-really-controversial-study-makes-waves
Due Monday
Reply to at least two (2) of your classmates with relevant responses of at least 100
words. Each of these responses should add to the information provided by your classmate
by either providing your personal experience or providing additional information and/or a
new perspective. Cited/referenced material is not required, but should be added when
applicable to support your relevant talking points. Always be constructive and
professional in your responses.
Please note: A response that has been found to be cut/pasted from the text, an
outside source or another classmate will be considered plagiarism, which is a serious form
of academic dishonesty. Any student found to be plagiarizing will be reported to the
University immediately
BIO 280 Wk 4 Discussion: Political Action
Post a total of 3 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation.
This includes your initial post and 2 replies to other students.
Due Thursday

5. Respond to the ONE of the three questions belowwith a minimum of 175 words. This
response must be in your own original words and should also include one properly cited
and referenced passage from a relevant source.
In Week Four we learn about the politics of protecting and managing
ecosystems. Consider the reading and activities that you have completed this week.
1) What political actions have been done to conserve, manage and protect
ecosystems? How have these political actions improved our environment? What
political action would you propose and why?
2) Summarize and discuss this story at the link below, in detail, for participation
credit.
This story discusses thinning forests and using the biomass to create energy. But,
is thinning just logging in disguise? Based on this story, do you think we should
be thinning forests? Explain your reasoning with critical thinking and
cited/referenced material.
3) Should natural ecosystems disturbed by natural events, such as a hurricane or
volcano, be restored? What if not restoring the ecosystem would lead to the
extinction of a species?
Due Monday
Reply to at least two (2) of your classmates with relevant responses of at least 100
words. Each of these responses should add to the information provided by your classmate
by either providing your personal experience or providing additional information and/or a
new perspective. Cited/referenced material is not required, but should be added when
applicable to support your relevant talking points. Always be constructive and
professional in your responses.
Please note: A response that has been found to be cut/pasted from the text, an
outside source or another classmate will be considered plagiarism, which is a serious form
of academic dishonesty. Any student found to be plagiarizing will be reported to the
University immediately.
For More Classes Please Visit
http://www.uopstudy.com/

6. BIO 280 Wk 5 Discussion: Zoo Animals and Hybrids
Post a total of 3 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation.
This includes your initial post and 2 replies to other students.
Due Thursday
Respond to the ONE of the three questions belowwith a minimum of 175 words. This
response must be in your own original words and should also include one properly cited
and referenced passage from a relevant source.
In Week Five we get an overview of the importance of genetic diversity and role it plays in
managing ecosystems. We also learn about zoos and botanical gardens and how they
relate to the overall goals of Conservation Biology. Consider the reading and activities
that you have completed this week.
1) Are animals in zoos or aquariums better off than their counterparts in the wild?
Why or why not? Choose an animal species and discuss relative levels of competition,
parasites, disease loads, predation threats, animal psychology, and social
relations in the wild versus in a zoo or aquarium. How would you relate this example
to concepts of biotic integrity, biodiversity, and sustainability?
2) What are some consequences to the genetic structure of a population and the
ecosystem in which the population is found if that population hybridizes with
domestic or released organisms? What can be done to limit the potential for
hybridization?
3) There have been many population management plans in the past that have
backfired.
Summarize and discuss the article listed in the link below, in detail, and discuss
why this plan should be implemented, or avoided. Explain your reasoning.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/21/538470321/to-shrink-the-mos
quito-population-scientists-are-releasing-20-million-of-them
Due Monday
Reply to at least two (2) of your classmates with relevant responses of at least 100
words. Each of these responses should add to the information provided by your classmate
by either providing your personal experience or providing additional information and/or a
new perspective. Cited/referenced material is not required, but should be added when

7. applicable to support your relevant talking points. Always be constructive and
professional in your responses.
Please note: A response that has been found to be cut/pasted from the text, an
outside source or another classmate will be considered plagiarism, which is a serious form
of academic dishonesty. Any student found to be plagiarizing will be reported to the
University immediately.