BIOE 370 - General Ecology

4 Credit(s)

This course will introduce students to the study and scientific practice of ecology—the relationship between organisms and their environment. Students will consider ecologically interesting questions and develop hypotheses that they will learn to evaluate using a combination of literature review, field studies, and laboratory experiments. Topics include individual, population, community, and ecosystem-level processes (e.g., natural history, population growth and dynamics, life history, competition, predation, diversity, community organization, nutrient cycling, energy flow, and succession). Experiential learning activities include participation in multiple long-term ecological field research projects, development of a student research proposal, and a 3-day field experience in Yellowstone National Park. Students will be assessed based on written exams, data analyses and research proposals, demonstrations of oral communication and teamwork skill in gathering and analyzing ecological data, and the quality of a data collection notebook. $140 Course Fee.

Prerequisite(s): BIOB 170 or BIOO 220 ; or c/i.
(spring)