BIOL 2060
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] Describe the mechanisms that drive primary and secondary succession [BIOL 2060] [BIOL 1030] Explain major gradients of species diversity in terrestrial and marine ecosystems [BIOL 2060] Write a properly formatted CSE-style (Council of Science Editors) citation for a website, article or book; quote from and/or cite published material as appropriate; read an article from a scientific journal and discuss its content with classmates. [BIOL 1010] [BIOL 1011] 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] Outline examples of positive (e.g. mutualism, symbiosis, facilitation) and negative (e.g. competition, predation, parasitism) biological interactions [BIOL 2060] Provide an example of a life history trade-off [BIOL 1011] 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] Outline the major biogeochemical cycles on the planet (e.g. water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) [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]
Explain relationships between pattern and process at the landscape level.Interpret different spatial patterns of plants.Understand concepts of fragmentation and edge influence.Understand the importance of scale and microhabitat in plant ecologyCalculate different types of plant diversity.Compare different views and theories of plant communities and mechanisms of succession.Describe plant growth forms and other vegetation characteristics for different terrestrial biomes.Identify factors that affect primary production.Compare life history strategies of annual, biennial and perennial plants.Describe the mechanisms through which plants interact amongst themselves.Identify effects of and defense strategies for seed predation, grazing and parasitism.Provide examples of plant adaptations to different conditions, including shade, drought, wind, and cold.Understand the importance of below-ground processes for plants including obtaining nutrients, mycorrhizae and decomposition.Complete a plant ecology study: develop objectives, plan the sampling design, collect data, communicate the results and write a report.Describe differences between plant and animal populations including modular growth.Develop and use different methods and analyses for sampling plant communities.Outline the nitrogen biogeochemical cycle.Read and interpret scientific papers presenting studies or theory in plant ecology.
