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Close WarningSpring Break is March 17-21, 2025. While CSU Online will remain open, please note that many campus services and individuals may experience delays during this time.

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FW 558 - Conservation Genetics of Wild Populations

  • 3 credits
FW 558 examines the background, concepts, and tools required to determine how genetic data can be used to evaluate wild vertebrate species and communities of conservation concern. It covers the relevance of genetics to issues in conservation biology, applications of common genetic tools, and appropriate modes of genetic data analysis based on conservation questions of interest.

The course prerequisites (see below) include introductory genetics, ecology, and statistics (or analogous coursework). Students without this coursework background but with applied experience or the ability to put in the extra effort to bring themselves up to speed on critical background concepts have succeeded in this course previously. Students are encouraged to email the professor with any questions.

Prerequisite

BZ 350 (Molecular and General Genetics) or LIFE 201A (Introductory Genetics: Applied/Population/Conservation/Ecological (GT-SC2)) or LIFE 201B (Introductory Genetics: Molecular/Immunological/Developmental); LIFE 220 (Fundamentals of Ecology (GT-SC2)) or LIFE 320 (Ecology); STAT 301 (Introduction to Statistical Methods) or STAT 307 (Introduction to Biostatistics); Graduate standing. OR Written consent of instructor; Admission to a graduate program in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology.

Textbooks and Materials

Please check the CSU Bookstore for textbook information. Textbook listings are available at the CSU Bookstore about 3 weeks prior to the start of the term.

Instructors

Keerthipriya Palanivel
Keerthipriya Palanivel

Keerthipriya.Palanivel@colostate.edu

Keerthipriya is a Behavioral Ecologist, with broad research interests in behavior, genetics, and conservation/welfare of wildlife, and how these are affected by individual characteristics, social networks, environmental conditions, and interactions with the human world. The work involves using (often long-term) field data and samples, genetic data, and various statistical techniques to examine how and why animals behave the way they do, and how these insights can be applied to their conservation and management.