Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment, both physical and biotic. We will look at how these interactions shape fundamental characteristics of populations, communities, and ecosystems. Topics will include predation, competition, symbioses, and effects of stress and resource limitation in diverse environments. We will cover important consequences of interactions such as patterns of biodiversity, ecological succession, population outbreaks, species invasions, nutrient and energy cycling, variation in productivity and ecosystem services, and the global distribution of biomes. |