ZL3061:03
Evolutionary Ecology
Townsville
Prerequisites: BS2001 (MB2060 or ZL2007 or ZL2102)
Inadmissable Subject Combination: ZL5061
26 lectures, 13 tutorials. Second semester.
Staff: Dr S Robson.
Classical ecology is concerned with unchanging organisms, but real animals evolve as a result of natural selection. This subject explores how evolution and ecology interact, examining how ecological factors cause natural selection, how the resulting natural selection changes the morphology, physiology, behaviour and life-history properties of animals and how these changes result in ecological changes. Exploration of biological factors which prevent or slow biological change and changes in ecology.
Learning Objectives:
- familiarity with ecological causes of natural selection;
- detect and measure natural selection;
- predict the outcome of natural selection;
- biological factors constraining the action of natural selection and the evolution of ecological phenomena.
Assessment by on-course tests (60%); final examination (40%).
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