Course Description
Macroecology is a rapidly emerging field focused on understanding ecological and evolutionary patterns and processes on large spatial and temporal scales. Macroecology lies at the interface of ecology, conservation biology, biogeography, phylogeography, and paleobiology. The course format is a combination of lectures and graduate seminar on current literature.
Athena Title
MACROECOLOGY SEM
Prerequisite
BIOL 1104
Pre or Corequisite
ECOL 4000/6000
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Most contemporary empirical and theoretical ecology focuses on the ecological interactions of individuals and populations on small temporal and spatial scales. Macroecology takes a much larger perspective and explores recent concepts for the organization and maintenance of biological diversity on landscape to continental spatial scales and on deep-time paleobiological scales. The objective of the course is to expose students to ecological questions at these large scales and to the variety of approaches for attacking them.
Topical Outline
1. Macroecology as an emerging discipline 2. Regulation of the biosphere 3. Global vegetation, energy and water. 4. The distribution and abundance of species at large scales 5. Macroecological scaling relationships and global biodiversity 6. The neutral theory of biodiversity and biogeography 7. The dynamics of ecological communities at large scales 8. Biodiversity: a deep-time perspective 9. Community ecology: a paleobiological perspective 10. Historical biogeography and phylogeography 11. Extinctions, past, present and future 12. Human ecology in a macroecological perspective 13. Conservation and the future of life on Earth