BIOL 2060 OR INTD 2001 OR INTD 2002
Describe how abiotic factors influence the distribution and abundance of organisms [BIOL 2060] Describe major drivers of, and differences among, terrestrial, marine and freshwater biomes [BIOL 2060] Describe the effects of disturbance on species diversity and other aspects of community structure [BIOL 2060] [BIOL 1030] Explain major gradients of species diversity in terrestrial and marine ecosystems [BIOL 2060] Apply the scientific method to approach a research question [BIOL 2060] Communicate research results as a formal report in the style of a scientific paper [BIOL 2060] Explain the concept of a fundamental and realized ecological niche [BIOL 2060] Interpret food-web diagrams in terms of indirect interactions including trophic cascades [BIOL 2060] Outline examples of positive (e.g. mutualism, symbiosis, facilitation) and negative (e.g. competition, predation, parasitism) biological interactions [BIOL 2060] Understand the basic principles of experimental design and apply that knowledge to design or critique a laboratory or field study [BIOL 2060] Generate and interpret appropriate tables and graphs to represent ecological data [BIOL 2060] Manipulate and interpret results of the Lotka-Volterra competition and predator-prey models [BIOL 2060] Predict major human impacts on natural ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles [BIOL 2060] Read and interpret a scientific paper describing a straightforward experimental or observational study [BIOL 2060] Use the BIDE (births, deaths, immigration, emigration), exponential and logistic population growth models to make predictions [BIOL 2060]
Use the library and internet to conduct appropriate literature searchesExplain how the ecosystem approach is relevant to watershed dynamicsAnalyze the main types of biological interactions (competition, predation and mutualism) with mathematical modelsContrast the pros and cons of niche theoryDifferentiate food web models including loop analysis and contrast their potential to be usefulDiscover the relationship between biological interactions and community structureHypothesize casual relationships among community diversity, ecological stability and complexityIdentify a range of community descriptors that are useful for characterizing natural community structure in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater communities.Account for the interrelationships of major historical developments in ecosystem-level ecology (ELE)Analyze diverse examples of environmental problems & issuesAssess the community structure controversy using real-world examples from the ecological literatureAssess the usefulness of a range of environmental indicatorsCompare relative usefulness of qualitative versus quantitative approaches and models in ecosystem-level ecology (ELE)Compare several approaches frequently used to explain human-environment interactions and environmental problems (case studies of population-scarcity, markets and commodities, institutions, environmental ethics, risks and hazards, political economy, and the social construction of nature)Conclude holistic, whole system approaches are useful for ecosystem-level ecology (ELE) and environmental problemsContrast a set of environmental management concepts and applicationsFormulate a comparative analysis in a case study format using three of these approaches to illustrate how the environment and society are linkedIllustrate how resilience theory is useful in environmental managementWrite clear environmental descriptions and well-organized scientific reports
