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ZO5304: POPULATION ECOLOGY (2023-2024)

Last modified: 05 Oct 2023 08:46


Course Overview

The course is structured as a series of weekly themes, which reflect areas of current research in animal ecology and serve to develop your understanding of key principles in population ecology.

Themes cover a range of ecological and spatial scales: from single species’ population dynamics to community dynamics, and from local to macro-scale processes, with a focus on the application of current ecological knowledge and theory.

Computer-based workshops complement lectures to provide opportunities to apply your learning and strengthen your quantitative skills.

By orally presenting a published paper on a topic in population ecology to your peers, you will strengthen your communication skills and develop a more critical understanding of population ecology research.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Lesley Lancaster

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course will explore current understandings of processes operating in populations of organisms, through a combination of theoretical and empirical studies. It will start by developing an understanding of the dynamics of simple non-spatial and discrete-generation populations. This will include concepts related to density and environment dependence and will consider cyclic and chaotic population dynamics. The course will then progress by introducing diff

The course is structured as a series of weekly themes, which reflect areas of current research in animal ecology and serve to develop your understanding of key principles in population ecology.

Themes cover a range of ecological and spatial scales: from single species’ population dynamics to community dynamics, and from local to macro-scale processes, with a focus on the application of current ecological knowledge and theory.

Computer-based workshops complement lectures to provide opportunities to apply your learning and strengthen your quantitative skills.

By orally presenting a published paper on a topic in population ecology to your peers, you will strengthen your communication skills and develop a more critical understanding of population ecology research.

Different forms of realism and complexity, stage and sex-structured population dynamics will be considered. The role of spatial structure with local populations linked by the movement of individuals will be addressed. Finally, we will also introduce some trophic interactions, including predator prey, parasite host and plant herbivores as well as species embedded in more complex set of trophic interactions, including apparent competition.
Throughout the course, we will focus on relatively simple discrete time models and students will be taught how to develop these using R and to use them to explore and describe emergent behaviours. We will also introduce state-of-the-art population modelling software (RangeShifter and MerMADE); students will be provided the opportunity to use these softwares to simulate how (terrestrial and marine) species are likely to change their biogeographic distributions under climate and/or land use change.

 


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Oral Presentation: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback is provided within a week for the oral assessments. This feedback is from two markers and two peers (i.e. peer to peer feedback). Feedback on the written assessment is provided within three weeks of the deadline.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Practical Write Up

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback is provided within a week for the oral assessments. This feedback is from two markers and two peers (i.e. peer to peer feedback). Feedback on the written assessment is provided within three weeks of the deadline.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Practical Write Up

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback is provided within a week for the oral assessments. This feedback is from two markers and two peers (i.e. peer to peer feedback). Feedback on the written assessment is provided within three weeks of the deadline.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of failed elements

Assessment Type Summative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

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