This course is designed for life science majors, providing a foundational understanding of ecology and evolution. The course emphasizes an integrated approach, highlighting recent advances in the field. Topics include fundamental ecological principles, evolutionary mechanisms, and their application to natural systems—with a special focus on Hawaiian ecosystems. BIOL 265 serves as a gateway for students pursuing careers in biology, microbiology, botany, forestry, marine biology, and aquaculture.
Prerequisites
Credit for BIOL 171 and 172; or one year of introductory college biology plus labs; or equivalent preparation; or consent of the instructor.
Corequisites
Recommended Co-requisite: Biology 265L will provide practical application of course material.
Course Outcomes
- Apply appropriate terminology and foundational concepts to explain ecological and evolutionary principles, including population, community, and ecosystem ecology, in an evolutionary context.
- Analyze and explain evolutionary relationships among organisms, the mechanisms driving evolution, and how these processes contribute to biodiversity.
- Analyze ecological relationships among organisms and their environments using examples that illustrate evolutionary processes.
- Create an understanding of Hawai‘i’s unique evolutionary history and ecology while applying these concepts to analyze current conservation issues, such as habitat modification, introduced species, population growth, climate change, resource use, and pollution.
- Critically assess ecology and evolution theories and concepts in the primary literature, interpret and/or produce and analyze ecological data, and apply various ecological methods to evaluate hypotheses.