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Ecology (ECOL20003)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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Semester 2
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This subject introduces students to four major ecological questions that can be addressed at the levels of individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. Making use of aquatic and terrestrial examples, topics include organisms and the physical environment, life histories, population growth and regulation, managing populations, theoretical models, species interactions, community change and energy flows. The practical component will emphasise approaches to the collection and analysis of ecological data, and how to interpret and write scientific papers.

Intended learning outcomes

Upon completion of this subject students should have an appreciation of four major questions in ecology and the ways in which they can be addressed: What determines the distribution of individuals of a species? What controls the abundance of populations of a species? What determines the richness and diversity of species in a community? What governs the turnover of matter and energy in an ecosystem?

Generic skills

This subject should develop generic skills in: reading, assimilating and writing about scientific information; working in small groups; asking realistic scientific questions; and collecting analysing and interpreting scientific data.

Last updated: 10 December 2024