BIOR30 Theoretical Ecology 7,5 ECTS credits

Course description

This course focuses on ecological and evolutionary theory, and how it can aid our understanding of ecological systems, from the level of the gene or individual, all the way to complex food webs. You will learn to understand the most important theories and models, but also to develop and analyze models of ecological systems on your own. Many of the topics that are treated here are touched upon in other courses, but we try to dig a bit deeper for better understanding.

First, we analyze and discuss models of population growth and interactions. What is density dependence? How can you model and understand the growth of age- or stage-structured populations? Is the reproduction of two-year-olds more important than the survival of three-year-olds? How does competition or predation affect the growth and equilibrium density of a population? How do environmental fluctuations come into play?

The second part of the course is about evolution. We start with the basics of population genetics and selection theory, but quickly move on to optimization theory, game theory, behavioral ecology and evolutionary dynamics. What really is fitness and does it matter? What is optimized in optimal migration, optimal fat storage or optimal life history? Does natural selection always optimize? Is there a connection between fitness and population growth? Come to think of it, is fitness density dependent and does it matter? How do species co-evolve? Can natural selection cause speciation and in that case how?

Activities

The course is a mixture of ordinary lectures, independent studies, computer exercises and small modeling projects. We emphasize understanding of ecological and evolutionary principles and hands-on experience of model design and analysis.

Exam

There is a written exam at the end of the course.

The aftermath

After completion of this course you will have a deeper understanding of main ecological concepts and theories. You will also be familiar with a number of analytical tools, useful in many areas even outside ecology. You will have experience in designing a model for a particular ecological problem or system, for deeper understanding or useful predictions. You are also better fit to grasp new concepts or theories, or to scrutinize them. These skills are almost indispensible to any researcher, but are also extremely useful in many types of work outside academia.

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Page manager: Inger Ekström
Questions about the website: Web Group
Publisher: Department of Biology

Last modified 5 Oct 2011

Study coordinator

Lotta Persmark
Student Advisor
Education office

Phone:
+46 46-2223728

E-mail:
Lotta.Persmark@biol.lu.se

Course coordinator

Jörgen Ripa
Researcher
Evolutionary ecology

Phone:
+46 46-2223770

E-mail:
Jorgen.Ripa@biol.lu.se

Course literature

See the timetable (pdf)

Course period

The course will be given during the second part of the autumn semester.

Lund University, Box 117, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Tel: +46 (0)46 222 00 00