Population and Community Ecology

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Why competition occurs, why predator-prey. interactions tend to cycle, and, generally, how heterogeneity stabilises species interactions.
• Understand the basic predator-prey and parasite-host models (Lotka-Volterra, Nicholson-Bailey) as well as the basic epidemiology model (S-I-R) and its relevance to disease dynamics.
• Examine the ecological roles of symbiotic interactions and how community dynamics shape ecosystem structure and function.
• Understand the key aspects of trophic cascades and food webs.
• Explain how populations grow, interpret their dynamics, and evaluate how life history strategies affect species survival and reproduction.
• Describe and apply the different concepts and measures of biodiversity, and their relationship to ecosystem function.
• Interpret the role of animal movement in shaping metapopulation and distribution dynamics.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.