Account for the high productivity and diversity of coral reefs, and their vulnerability to environmental stressors and human impacts [BIOL 3761] Apply ecological concepts to birds. [BIOL 3622] Apply quantitative field methods to assess species diversity, abundance and biomass in rocky shores and soft-sediment habitats [BIOL 3664] Appreciate the variety of coastal ecosystems within Nova Scotia [BIOL 3623] Contrast methods of mapping habitats and the distribution and abundance of marine organisms using scuba. [BIOL 3680] Contrast the physical and chemical environment in the ocean with that on land, and explain how the ocean milieu has shaped the evolution of life and the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems [BIOL 3761] Contrast the physical and chemical environment in the ocean with that on land, and explain how the ocean milieu has shaped the evolution of life and the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. [BIOL 3761] Demonstrate a basic knowledge of human population issues. [BIOL 3060] Demonstrate critical and independent thinking skills to understand coastal policies and action plans in Nova Scotia [BIOL 3623] Describe major kinds of disturbances. [BIOL 3060] Describe the basic elements of how the field of ‘metagenomics’ examines the genetic diversity of microbial communities and how the new methods of DNA sequencing are revolutionizing this field [BIOL 3042] Describe the concept of effective population size (Ne), its importance in population and conservation biology, and the different ways in which it is estimated [BIOL 3042] Describe the differences and similarities between marine and terrestrial mammals and their relative ecological importance [BIOL 3090] Describe the distribution, environmental features, and trophic structure of tropical coral reefs [BIOL 3761] Describe the patterns, drivers, and consequences of the distribution of global biodiversity on land and sea [BIOL 3065] Describe the physical, chemical and biological environment of the deep-sea, and explain how this accounts for patterns of species abundance and diversity [BIOL 3761] Discuss current topics in marine sciences that are at the forefront of fundamental and applied research. [MARI 4350] Discuss the genetics of invasive species [BIOL 3042] Evaluate current literature on the applications of biologging methods to a variety of species and ecological topics. [BIOL 4323] Evaluate the effects of humans, past and present, on marine species, populations and ecosystems worldwide [BIOL 3761] Evaluate the mechanisms involved in primary and secondary succession. [BIOL 3762] Examine the principles and theories on the relationships between terrestrial life (individual organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems) and both biotic and abiotic factors in the environment. [BIOL 3762] Explain how landscape characteristics and patterns influence species distribution. [BIOL 3762] Explain how the ecosystem approach is relevant to watershed dynamics [BIOL 3061] Explain processes that determine patterns of distribution, abundance and productivity of kelp beds/forests along temperate coasts [BIOL 3761] Explain the fundamental principles and ethics of resource management and conservation [BIOL 3063] Explain the interplay of biological interactions and physical factors in determining patterns of intertidal zonation on rocky shores [BIOL 3761] Explain the roles of disturbance and biological interactions (competition, grazing, predation and disease) in shaping community organization in kelp beds/forests worldwide, and the impact of invasive species on the kelp-bed ecosystem of the Northwest Atlantic [BIOL 3761] Identify environmental factors and biological interactions that influence resource abundance [BIOL 3063] Identify factors that affect primary production. [BIOL 3066] Identify tools and instruments used for recording physical variables in shallow marine habitats and methods of deployment using scuba. [BIOL 3680] Integrate knowledge of principles and methods into the design of a research proposal that effectively addresses a realistic and unique problem in ecology. [BIOL 4323] Outline and explain the biotic and abiotic process that cause zonation in intertidal habitats [BIOL 3664] Produce an independent project researching the biology, population status, exploitation history, management and conservation of a resource species [BIOL 3063] Provide examples of plant adaptations to different conditions, including shade, drought, wind, and cold. [BIOL 3066] Summarize key features of model-based clustering approaches to estimating population structure and gene flow [BIOL 3042] Understand ecological integrity and its indicators. [BIOL 3060] Understand environmental stressors, both natural and anthropogenic. [BIOL 3060] Understand how marine mammal abundance is measured and the significance of life history parameters in population dynamics and have a basic understanding of the factors which contribute to the formation of new colonies [BIOL 3090] Understand how social systems have evolved, the types of social systems in marine mammals and the evolution of mating strategies as an example of a social system Describe the influence of social structure on vocal categories [BIOL 3090] Understand key toxins and pollution (toxic and greenhouse gases, metals, nutrients, petroleum, pesticides). [BIOL 3060] Understand large scale biogeographic and macroecological patterns [BIOL 3065] Understand optimal foraging theory, the pros and cons of dietary techniques for estimating diet and the importance of the development of new technologies [BIOL 3090] Understand sustainability and ecological sustainability. [BIOL 3060] Understand the biology, ecology, assemblages and distributions of both plants and animals in coastal ecosystems (rocky shores, sandy shores, salt marshes, dunes, mudflats) [BIOL 3623] Understand the concepts and role genetics plays in conservation of marine mammals [BIOL 3090] Understand the evolutionary physiological adaptations in marine mammals to adapt to diving, cold and swimming [BIOL 3090] Understand the meaning of life history and the life history characteristics of cetaceans and pinniped and the factors that shape their evolution [BIOL 3090] Understand the origins, taxonomic diversity, structure and ecological importance of the marine mammal orders and families [BIOL 3090] Understand the processes of ecological succession in coastal ecosystems [BIOL 3623] Understand the similarities and differences of the biology, ecology, assemblages and distributions of both plant and animal species of pristine versus human-impacted coastal zones (rocky shores, sandy shores, salt marshes, dunes, mudflats) [BIOL 3623] Understand what makes the same type of ecosystem (i.e. a salt marsh or a rocky shore) different in different areas of Nova Scotia [BIOL 3623]
BIOL 2060
