Ecology in Changing Environments

This subject explores the relevance of ecological and evolutionary theory for understanding the distributions of species, their interactions, their life history characteristics and how these traits are impacted by changing environmental conditions. Topics include spatial ecology and metapopulations, climatic impacts on distribution and abundance, life history evolution and ecosystem stability and resilience. The skills developed in this subject provide an essential grounding for careers in ecology.

• 1Conduct ecological research relevant to global and local ecological and environmental change;
• 2Read, comprehend, represent and critically evaluate relevant contemporary ideas and methodologies in ecology in oral and written form;
• 3Design an experiment appropriate for a given ecological question and interpret data from ecological studies;
• 4Use computer-based modelling and simulations to investigate contemporary issues in ecology and changing environments.