The Wiki Assignment

Author

Affiliation

About Wikis

Wikis are collaborative web platforms that allow many users to co-create, edit, and organise content collectively. Wikis were originally made popular by Wikipedia, and have since become embedded in academia. They are based on a system of the markdown language that allows for easy formatting and linking of content. I’ll discuss a few of the benefits at the start of the assignment.

Access on iKamva

To access the Wiki software, you need to be logged in to iKamva. Once you are logged in, you can access the Wiki tool from the left-hand menu. I have already set up much of what you need there, and all you need to do is navigate via the ‘Macroecology Wiki’ link to the list of topics. At present they are all empty (as indicated by the ‘?’ at the end of the titles), but you can click on the title (which is the link) to create a new page. Once you have made a new page, added some text, and saved it, you can edit any of the existing pages also from under the ‘Macroecology Wiki’ link.

Writing and Editing

Once you started to contribute portions of text to the Wiki, you will be able to see the changes that you and others make to your work. The editorial changes that others make to your work will help you see how others interpret your work, and how they might improve it. You can then accept or reject these changes, and you can also make changes to the work of others. You can also ask questions about the changes that others make, and you can discuss the changes that you make to others’ work. These are a very powerful learning tools, and I hope that you will use it to its full potential.

Once you start editing, I will be able to see the editorial contributions you make to your peers’ Wiki pages. In fact, I will use this facility to allocate marks that will capture how thoroughly and consistently you participate in collaborative editing.

Collobaration

During this project, two things are expected of you to develop a successful collaboration on your Wiki essays:

that you contribute sections of text to the Wiki, and
that you edit the work of others, both within your own essay topic and within that of others.

This collaborative editing will serve three purposes:

it will improve the language and readability of your own and classmates’ Wiki pages,
it will raise concerns around the factual, structural, logical, contextual, and content of your own and your colleagues’ Wiki pages, and in this way promote continual editing so that you may submit a polished product at the end of Term 3, and
it will form the basis of the learning experience itself.

This collaborative editing will enhance your personal understanding of the breadth of topics that will form part of the Biogeography and Global Ecology theory section. It will necessitate your interaction with the reading material provided (the PDFs of important papers, and other which you will find, use, cite, and upload for others to read) at a deep level.

What Do I Do With This Knowledge?

Each of the Wiki pages that you create will be open to examination (tests and exams), so it is imperative that all of you read and comment on each other’s work. This will ensure that you have a broad understanding of the topics that will be covered in the course, and that you are able to answer questions on them in the tests and exams.

Most practical time slots are available for this project (4 remaining weeks, 6 hours per week, and the contributions of 3 team members make for approximately 72 hours of continuous editing), so use this time fully and wisely. Articles must be well researched, referenced (if you cite facts), thorough, in-depth, and coherent, with clear aims and objectives spelt out near the start. I will post more writing tips here as we progress, but for now the various Wikipedia help pages will provide sufficient introductory material to get you started.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated at all, and the entire group will receive 0% for their effort.

How to use it is self-explanatory (after you know what markdown iKamva’s Wiki uses), but I will provide a brief overview of the topics to guide your essays. You can also find help on how to use Wikis on iKamva.

The Topics

Below are short overviews for each topic to provide guidance for your wiki essays—they have already been added as link under the ‘Macroecology Wiki’, so find them there. As soon as you have selected a Wiki topic of interest, follow the link and enter your name together with your partners’ names in the ‘Authors’ section. You can then start writing your essay. It is important to be quick in selecting topics so that others do not take the one you want. If you are not quick enough, you can always ask me to add more topics (come with some ideas).

Groups are also welcome to seek advice from me on how to approach their topics, and I will be available to help you with your research and writing. I will also be available to help you with the editing process, and to provide feedback on your work (to a limited extent—it is yoour work, after all!).

Decoupling Sustainability and Growth: A False Dichotomy or the Key to a Thriving Planet?
- Can we make a case for decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation? Or is our future dictated by Malthusian limits? Discuss the concept of decoupling, its feasibility, and implications for global sustainability.
The Impact of Climate Change on Southern African Species Distribution
- Investigate the specific effects of climate change on species distribution within Southern Africa. Focus on vulnerable ecosystems and endemic species.
Climate Change and Extreme Weather Phenomena
- Discuss how climate change is linked to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, storm surges, and wildfire intensity. Delve in their ecological, economic, and social impacts.
Upwelling Ecosystems as Refugia for Biodiversity Threatened by Climate Change
- Assess the role of upwelling zones as potential refugia that support biodiversity in the face of climate change by providing stable environmental conditions and abundant resources.
Ecologists’ Worldview: Do They Hold a Unique Perspective on Nature and Society?
- Explore the philosophical underpinnings of ecology and how they shape ecologists’ perspectives on nature, society, and the environment. How do ecologists view the world differently from other disciplines or society around us?
Conservation Biology: Unpacking Its Colonial Roots and Modern Implications
- Examine the historical context of conservation biology, its possible colonial origins, and the implications for modern conservation efforts, including the role of indigenous knowledge and community-based conservation. Is conservation biology a Western-centric field and does it have a something to offer to the Global South?
Universal Truths: Can Science Bridge Cultures and Continents?
- Discuss the role of science in bridging cultural divides and fostering international collaboration to address global challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Is science in South Africa different from science in the USA?
Development vs. Climate Responsibility: Navigating the Global South’s Quest for Growth Amid Climate Challenges
- Analyse the tensions between development aspirations and climate responsibilities in the Global South and explore the trade-offs, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable development in the face of climate change.
Biogeographical Patterns in the Deep Ocean
- Explore the unique biogeographical patterns found in the deep ocean, highlighting the adaptations of deep-sea species and the challenges of studying these environments.
The Global Nitrogen Cycle and Consequences for Biodiversity
- How have human activities altered the global nitrogen cycle? What are the impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and ecological processes?
Pleistocene Refugia: Past, Present, and Future
- Analyse the concept of Pleistocene refugia and their role in shaping current biodiversity patterns. Explore how these areas may serve as refuges under future climate change scenarios.
De-extinction
- Discuss the scientific, ethical, and ecological implications of de-extinction, the process of reviving extinct species, and its potential impact on conservation efforts.
Bioengineering for Conservation
- Explore how bioengineering technologies, such as genetic modification, can be used to address conservation challenges and enhance the resilience of species to environmental changes.
Geoengineering to Combat Climate Change
- What potential do geoengineering strategies have to mitigate climate change? Focus on their scientific basis, feasibility, and environmental risks.
Attribution of Climate Change to Human Influence
- Investigate the evidence linking human activities to climate change. What methodologies are used to attribute specific climate impacts to anthropogenic causes?
Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation Practices
- Discuss the role of indigenous knowledge in conservation efforts, highlighting successful practices and potential conflicts with modern scientific approaches.
Renewable Energy Development and Wildlife Conservation
- Discuss the environmental trade-offs associated with renewable energy development, such as wind and solar power, and their impact on wildlife and ecosystems.
Deep-Sea Mining
- Explore the emerging industry of deep-sea mining, focusing on its potential environmental impacts and the challenges of balancing resource extraction with marine conservation.
Environmental Justice
- Examine the concept of environmental justice, addressing how environmental policies and practices can disproportionately affect marginalized communities and ecosystems.
The Role of Citizen Science in Biodiversity Conservation
- Explore the contributions of citizen science to biodiversity monitoring, research, and conservation efforts, highlighting successful projects and challenges.

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CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Citation

BibTeX citation:

@online{j._smit,
  author = {J. Smit, Albertus},
  title = {The {Wiki} {Assignment}},
  url = {http://tangledbank.netlify.app/BDC334/wikis.html},
  langid = {en}
}

For attribution, please cite this work as:

J. Smit A The Wiki Assignment. http://tangledbank.netlify.app/BDC334/wikis.html.

--- title: "The Wiki Assignment" --- ## About Wikis {.unnumbered} Wikis are collaborative web platforms that allow many users to co-create, edit, and organise content collectively. Wikis were originally made popular by Wikipedia, and have since become embedded in academia. They are based on a system of the markdown language that allows for easy formatting and linking of content. I'll discuss a few of the benefits at the start of the assignment. ### Access on iKamva {.unnumbered} To access the Wiki software, you need to be logged in to iKamva. Once you are logged in, you can access the Wiki tool from the left-hand menu. I have already set up much of what you need there, and all you need to do is navigate via the 'Macroecology Wiki' link to the list of topics. At present they are all empty (as indicated by the '?' at the end of the titles), but you can click on the title (which is the link) to create a new page. Once you have made a new page, added some text, and saved it, you can edit any of the existing pages also from under the 'Macroecology Wiki' link. ### Writing and Editing {.unnumbered} Once you started to contribute portions of text to the Wiki, you will be able to see the changes that *you and others* make to your work. The editorial changes that others make to your work will help you see how others interpret your work, and how they might improve it. You can then accept or reject these changes, and you can also make changes to the work of others. You can also ask questions about the changes that others make, and you can discuss the changes that you make to others' work. These are a very powerful learning tools, and I hope that you will use it to its full potential. Once you start editing, I will be able to see the editorial contributions you make to your peers' Wiki pages. In fact, I will use this facility to allocate marks that will capture how thoroughly and consistently you participate in collaborative editing. ### Collobaration {.unnumbered} During this project, two things are expected of you to develop a successful collaboration on your Wiki essays: - that you contribute sections of text to the Wiki, and - that you edit the work of others, both within your own essay topic and within that of others. This collaborative editing will serve three purposes: * it will improve the language and readability of your own and classmates' Wiki pages, * it will raise concerns around the factual, structural, logical, contextual, and content of your own and your colleagues' Wiki pages, and in this way promote continual editing so that you may submit a polished product at the end of Term 3, and * it will form the basis of the learning experience itself. This collaborative editing will enhance your personal understanding of the breadth of topics that will form part of the Biogeography and Global Ecology theory section. It will necessitate your interaction with the reading material provided (the PDFs of important papers, and other which you will find, use, cite, and upload for others to read) at a deep level. ### What Do I Do With This Knowledge? {.unnumbered} Each of the Wiki pages that you create will be open to examination (tests and exams), so it is imperative that all of you read and comment on each other's work. This will ensure that you have a broad understanding of the topics that will be covered in the course, and that you are able to answer questions on them in the tests and exams. Most practical time slots are available for this project (4 remaining weeks, 6 hours per week, and the contributions of 3 team members make for approximately 72 hours of continuous editing), so use this time fully and wisely. Articles must be well researched, referenced (if you cite facts), thorough, in-depth, and coherent, with clear aims and objectives spelt out near the start. I will post more writing tips here as we progress, but for now the various [Wikipedia help pages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Directory) will provide sufficient introductory material to get you started. Plagiarism will not be tolerated at all, and the entire group will receive 0% for their effort. How to use it is self-explanatory (after you know what markdown iKamva's Wiki uses), but I will provide a brief overview of the topics to guide your essays. You can also find help on how to use Wikis on iKamva. ## The Topics {.unnumbered} Below are short overviews for each topic to provide guidance for your wiki essays---they have already been added as link under the 'Macroecology Wiki', so find them there. As soon as you have selected a Wiki topic of interest, follow the link and enter your name together with your partners' names in the 'Authors' section. You can then start writing your essay. It is important to be quick in selecting topics so that others do not take the one you want. If you are not quick enough, you can always ask me to add more topics (come with some ideas). Groups are also welcome to seek advice from me on how to approach their topics, and I will be available to help you with your research and writing. I will also be available to help you with the editing process, and to provide feedback on your work (to a limited extent---it is yoour work, after all!). 1. **Decoupling Sustainability and Growth: A False Dichotomy or the Key to a Thriving Planet?** - Can we make a case for decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation? Or is our future dictated by Malthusian limits? Discuss the concept of decoupling, its feasibility, and implications for global sustainability. 2. **The Impact of Climate Change on Southern African Species Distribution** - Investigate the specific effects of climate change on species distribution within Southern Africa. Focus on vulnerable ecosystems and endemic species. 3. **Climate Change and Extreme Weather Phenomena** - Discuss how climate change is linked to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, storm surges, and wildfire intensity. Delve in their ecological, economic, and social impacts. 4. **Upwelling Ecosystems as Refugia for Biodiversity Threatened by Climate Change** - Assess the role of upwelling zones as potential refugia that support biodiversity in the face of climate change by providing stable environmental conditions and abundant resources. 5. **Ecologists’ Worldview: Do They Hold a Unique Perspective on Nature and Society?** - Explore the philosophical underpinnings of ecology and how they shape ecologists' perspectives on nature, society, and the environment. How do ecologists view the world differently from other disciplines or society around us? 6. **Conservation Biology: Unpacking Its Colonial Roots and Modern Implications** - Examine the historical context of conservation biology, its possible colonial origins, and the implications for modern conservation efforts, including the role of indigenous knowledge and community-based conservation. Is conservation biology a Western-centric field and does it have a something to offer to the Global South? 7. **Universal Truths: Can Science Bridge Cultures and Continents?** - Discuss the role of science in bridging cultural divides and fostering international collaboration to address global challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Is science in South Africa different from science in the USA? 8. **Development vs. Climate Responsibility: Navigating the Global South’s Quest for Growth Amid Climate Challenges** - Analyse the tensions between development aspirations and climate responsibilities in the Global South and explore the trade-offs, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable development in the face of climate change. 9. **Biogeographical Patterns in the Deep Ocean** - Explore the unique biogeographical patterns found in the deep ocean, highlighting the adaptations of deep-sea species and the challenges of studying these environments. 10. **The Global Nitrogen Cycle and Consequences for Biodiversity** - How have human activities altered the global nitrogen cycle? What are the impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and ecological processes? 11. **Pleistocene Refugia: Past, Present, and Future** - Analyse the concept of Pleistocene refugia and their role in shaping current biodiversity patterns. Explore how these areas may serve as refuges under future climate change scenarios. 12. **De-extinction** - Discuss the scientific, ethical, and ecological implications of de-extinction, the process of reviving extinct species, and its potential impact on conservation efforts. 13. **Bioengineering for Conservation** - Explore how bioengineering technologies, such as genetic modification, can be used to address conservation challenges and enhance the resilience of species to environmental changes. 14. **Geoengineering to Combat Climate Change** - What potential do geoengineering strategies have to mitigate climate change? Focus on their scientific basis, feasibility, and environmental risks. 15. **Attribution of Climate Change to Human Influence** - Investigate the evidence linking human activities to climate change. What methodologies are used to attribute specific climate impacts to anthropogenic causes? 16. **Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation Practices** - Discuss the role of indigenous knowledge in conservation efforts, highlighting successful practices and potential conflicts with modern scientific approaches. 17. **Renewable Energy Development and Wildlife Conservation** - Discuss the environmental trade-offs associated with renewable energy development, such as wind and solar power, and their impact on wildlife and ecosystems. 18. **Deep-Sea Mining** - Explore the emerging industry of deep-sea mining, focusing on its potential environmental impacts and the challenges of balancing resource extraction with marine conservation. 19. **Environmental Justice** - Examine the concept of environmental justice, addressing how environmental policies and practices can disproportionately affect marginalized communities and ecosystems. 20. **The Role of Citizen Science in Biodiversity Conservation** - Explore the contributions of citizen science to biodiversity monitoring, research, and conservation efforts, highlighting successful projects and challenges.