University College Roosevelt Academy Middelburg - Science

SCI 233 Ecology and Evolution

Content

Ecology is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions that determine distribution and abundance. Over the past decades, ecology has grown from an obscure science into a position at the forefront of public and political consciousness. Applied ecology has become an important scientific tool to address important political and environmental issues.

Ecology is generally divided into 3 levels: the individual organism, the population (consisting of individuals of the same species) and the community, in which several species are living together. In addition, ecology focuses on the relationship between living creatures and their chemical and physical surroundings, which together make up an ecosystem.

Ecology is a complex science. It draws on many areas of knowledge such as organic and inorganic chemistry, plant and animal biology, physiology, meteorology, and even economics. This course focuses on the basic principles of ecology, from individuals to ecosystems. We will start with a brief introduction in evolutionary ecology, because this is necessary to make sense of all ecological patterns. We then proceed to environmental conditions and resources. The core of the course will deal with the 4 levels of ecology: individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. We will conclude with some actual cases of applied ecology.