BIOL 265: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Discipline
Credits 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB
Principles of ecology and evolution for life science majors stressing integrated approach and recent advance.
Prerequisites

Credit for BIOL 171/171L and 172/172L; or one year of introductory college biology plus labs; or equivalent preparation; or consent of the instructor

Corequisites

BIOL 265L; or consent of instructor

Course Outcomes
  • Apply the appropriate terminology when describing, explaining, and applying ecological theory.
  • Summarize abiotic environmental features including climate, soil and geographical structure.
  • Identify the biological and physical structures of ecosystems, major biogeochemical cycles, and energy flow.
  • Examine the basic principles of population dynamics including birth and mortality rates, population growth models, life history strategies, competition and carrying capacity.
  • Define the interactions within communities including interspecific competition, predation, and mutualism.
  • Describe the evolutionary adaptations of organisms to their environment.
  • Give examples of evolutionary principles that produced unique island communities.
  • Evaluate the impact of habitat alteration and destruction, loss of biodiversity, and effects of alien species.
  • Interpret and produce tabular and graphical representations of information, including tables, graphs, and maps.
  • Locate and critique the value of printed and online resources.
  • Evaluate the consequences of population growth, increased resource use and pollution on global ecosystems.