Models in Ecology

This course develops the methods, models and tools for quantitative ecology. Students learn to formulate, analyse, parameterize, and validate quantitative models for ecological processes and data. Applications include population dynamics, species interactions, movement, and spatial processes. Approaches involve classical hypothesis testing, computer simulation, differential equations, individual-based models, least squares, likelihood, matrix equations, Markov processes, multiple working hypotheses, and stochastic processes. A computer lab covers simulation and programming methods. Course discussion entails evaluation and appraisal of current literature. There is a term project in which students apply methods learned in the course to an ecological problem.