BIOL 485Conservation Biology

Units: 0.50
Faculty: Science
Subject: Biology

When it runs

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

An introduction to conservation biology and the ongoing biodiversity crisis. Topics will include the history of conservation biology and impacts on populations, communities, and ecosystems.

Prerequisites

Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
  - BIOL359 - Evolution 1: Mechanisms (0.50)
- Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
  - BIOL150 - Organismal and Evolutionary Ecology (0.50)
  - BIOL251 - Fundamentals of Ecology (0.50)

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
Section	Class	Enrolled	Meets
LEC 001	6881	0 / 63	TTh 10:00–11:20
LEC 701	2572	58 / 9999	Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

67% liked it100% easy88% useful

From 3 ratings and 1 comment on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

I loved this course. As a chemical and genetics based biology student I thought this course would be a breath of fresh air (also a bird) but I was surprised. Some parts were genuinely difficult but other parts extremely easy, but no exam or midterm! Course break down was 20% R-studio based assignment (you dont actually need to know how to code, she gives you the code and you only need to input it) 20% regular assignment (very simple and straightforward), 20% a simbio assignment (only 7$ and very easy to get 100% on), 22% fact checking a scientific paper assignment (extremely time consuming and annoying but technically still "easy"), 15% a pebble pad reflection (very easy and kind of fun…

Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW Flow Remove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

2 posts and comments in 2 threads mention BIOL 485, September 2020 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2024

Dec 16, 2024 BIOL485 2 points, 1 comment

u/coolcat0524: “Has anyone taken BIOL485 recently and knows the demands of the course? I am on co-op next term (not living in Waterloo) and I was wondering if it would be possible to do well in the course without going to classes?”

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Fall 2020

Sep 25, 2020 Override to get into upper year biology course 1 point, 2 comments

“I am currently entering my last term so 4B i need one more level 4 biology to graduate. I need bio 150 and bio 359 to take bio 485 but i did not take bio 150. …”

u/yellowbeaans: “talk to the professor in charge of BIOL485- theyll tell you if theyre willing to do it for you or not :)”