20412 Ecology
Credits: 4 intermediate credits in Life Sciences
Prerequisites: none
Required: General Biology I, General Biology II, and General Chemistry1 (or General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II, for Biology Students; or General Chemistry I + General Chemistry II), or World of Chemistry
Recommended: Genetics,2 Introduction to Statistics and Probability for Science Students
Authors: Uzi Ritte, Dan Cohen, Ayelet Schuster
The course familiarizes students with ecology science by providing both theoretical explanations and illustrations using research examples, with an emphasis on research conducted in Israel. The course includes two mandatory day-long field trips that familiarize students with conservation and other environmental issues.
Topics: General introduction – areas of activity and research in ecology science, basic concepts; Energy flow and materials cycles in ecological systems; Ecology, genetics and evolution – the strong link between ecology and evolution, the development of adaptation of species throughout evolution and the relationship between existing adaptation and the ecological and evolutionary processes; Populations – single-species populations – demography and population processes and their effect on changes in the geographical dispersion of populations in space and over time; Interspecific interactions – species interactions in nature and their effect on population dynamics; Competition and mutualism between species; Predator-prey relations; Biological communities and ecological systems – the effect of different factors on the structure, function and stability of ecological systems; Human intervention in ecological systems – the effect of humans on abiotic components of the ecological system (land, water, air) and their direct and indirect effects on biological communities.
1or General Chemistry (20477 or 20487), which is no longer offered.
2or the previous version of the course, From Mendelism to Genetic Engineering.