Course description for 2025/26
Ecology 2
BIO2014
Course description for 2025/26
Ecology 2
BIO2014
To be able to understand and predict outcomes of complex ecological changes such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution requires mastering some basic ecological principles. Such principles are typically formalized as mathematical models that can be used in analysis or simulation of complex problems. This course covers the most common mathematical models in population and community ecology describing the dynamics of single populations as well as interacting populations.
The subject is reserved for students of the following study programmes:
• Biology, Bachelor's Programme
Prior knowledge equivalent to
BIO1017, MAT1014
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Knowledge
- Have broad knowledge of the principles and underlying assumptions of basic mathematical models in ecology;
- Know of the development of central theories in ecology and its application in the study of population dynamics.
Skills
- Can construct basic mathematical models for analyzing problems in population dynamics;
- Can use computer simulations as a tool in analyzing ecological problems;
- Can analyze the dynamics of populations by use of mathematical models.
General competence
- Can make decisions on what to sample to effectively quantify population dynamics of natural populations;
- Can describe and analyze the dynamics of populations based on suitable data sets;
- Can partake in scientific discussions of mechanisms behind variability in population size and distribution.
In addition to the semester fee and curriculum literature, it is assumed that the student has a laptop computer at his/her disposal.
Elective for the bachelor programme in Biology
Lectures, practice sessions, seminars, assignment work.
The study programme is evaluated annually by students by way of course evaluation studies (mid-term evaluation and final evaluation). These evaluations are included in the university¿s quality assurance system.
The exam consists of:
- Portfolio submission - Passed/not passed - 0 % of grade
- Home exam - 4 hours - 100 % of grade
Generating an answer using ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence and submitting it wholly or partially as one's own answer is considered cheating.
No prior knowledge is required beyond the admission requirement.
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
BI230F - Ecology 2 - 7.5 credits