MB5260 - Ecological Dynamics: An Introduction to Modelling
| Credit points: | 03 |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Student Contribution Band: | Band 4 |
| Administered by: | School of Marine & Tropical Biology |
Available to GDipResMeth, GCertResMeth, GDipSc, MAppSc students.
This subject examines classical and contemporary issues in ecology at the population, community, and ecosystem levels, with a focus on marine systems. Emphasis is on relating findings from small-scale field and laboratory studies to the larger spatial and temporal scales relevant to major research priorities in ecology, conservation, and management. Ecological models are central to this endeavor and are the principal focus in lectures and practicals. Topics covered include population dynamics and extinction risk; dispersal and connectivity; species interactions (e.g., competition, predator-prey dynamics); biodiversity; and ecological resilience. Practicals focus on the use of computer software as a tool to understand ecological models and the modelling process. This subject is appropriate for field-oriented students interested in ecological dynamics at the population and ecosystem levels, as well as for students interest specifically in postgraduate work in ecological modelling. Students will be required to attend lectures and practicals for MB3260.
Learning Outcomes
- become familiar with the formulation and analysis of ecological models, assisted by computer software;
- develop the capacity to use models as a means of integrating information about ecological processes that operate on multiple scales and assessing how those processes interact to determine ecological dynamics at population and ecosystem levels;
- understand the effects of spatial and temporal scale on the dynamics of marine ecosystems;
- understand the relationship between ecological models and data;
- understand the major ecological processes influencing marine populations.
| Assumed Knowledge: | Students enrolling in this subject should have an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline and some university-level background in ecology. University-level mathematics is recommended, but not essential. |
| Inadmissible Subject Combinations: | MB3260 AND MB3269 |
Availabilities | |
| Townsville, Internal, Study Period 2 | |
| Census Date 26-Aug-2010 | |
| Coord/Lect: | Professor Sean Connolly. |
| Contact hours: |
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| Assessment: | end of semester exam (36% - 40%); quizzes or tests (16% - 20%); assignments (24%); modelling project: written report (20%). |
Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.