7. Fundamentals of Ecology Course Structure: Lectures: 2 /
Labs: 1 Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: None Objectives: An introduction to ecology at the population, community and
ecosystems levels
. This course is designed to present an introduction to
current theories and practices in ecology. It covers fundamental ecological
principles with special reference to levels of organization, population and
community properties, structural adaptation, functional adjustments, and
other factors affecting the distribution of organisms.
Course Outline: Topics covered include: factors governing species
distribution, population growth and regulation; species interactions,
community description and classification; factors determining community
structure and diversity, emergent properties of communities, succession and
ecosystem energetics; island biogeographic theory; community stability,
Community Types, Community Metrics, Diversity and Stability, Succession
and Biogeography, Trophic Strucure, Energy and Nutrient Flow
Lab Outline: Lab Introduction, Spreadsheets, Demography, Population Size
Estimation, Forest Ecosystem - Spatial Patterns, Predation and Functional
Response
