Population Ecology

Year
2

Academic year
2022-2023

Code
02043495

Subject Area
Ecology

Language of Instruction
English

Other Languages of Instruction
Portuguese

Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face

Duration
SEMESTRIAL

ECTS Credits
6.0

Type
Elective

Level
2nd Cycle Studies - Mestrado

Recommended Prerequisites

Biostatistics; Ecology; English.

Teaching Methods

Intensive course with 2 weks duration. Lectures: theoretical, theoretical and practical; Field work; Students autonomous group work; Research Project.

Learning Outcomes

After attending the course, the sudents will have acquired specific skills regarding the main factors that affect population ecology. It will be highlighted the main features and variations of distribution, abundance, growth and population dynamics. A special focus will be given to the effect of human activities on the population dynamics of abundant species.

Work Placement(s)

Syllabus

The distribution and abundances of populations focusing on their limits and patterns.

Population dynamics addressing patterns of survival, dispersion rates, variation and structure;

Populational growth focusing on geometric, exponential and logistic, limits and intrinsic growth rates;

Interaction among species, focusing on predation, competition and symbiosis;

The concept of ecological niche;

Population dynamics as indicator of the effect of pollutants.

Head Lecturer(s)

Miguel Ângelo do Carmo Pardal

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Research work: 20.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 20.0%
Resolution Problems: 30.0%
Project: 30.0%

Bibliography

Begon M., et al. (1996). Ecology (3rd Edition). Blackwell Science, 1047p

Brey T (2013). Virtual Handbook on Population Dynamics .01.2. http://www.thomas-brey.de/science/virtualhandbook/navlog/index.html

Crespo D, Grilo TF, Baptista J, Coelho JP, Lillebø AI, Cássio F, Fernandes I, Pascoal C, Pardal MA, Dolbeth M (2017). New climatic targets against global warming: will the maximum 2ºC temperature rise affect estuarine benthic communities? Scientific Reports 7: 3918

Dolbeth M, Dolédec S, Pardal MA (2015). Relationship between functional diversity and benthic secondary production in a disturbed estuary. Marine Ecology Progress Series 539: 33–46.

Molles Jr MC 1999. Ecology. Concepts and applications. McGraw-Hill, Dubuque IA, 509p.

Rockwood LL (2006). Introduction to Population Ecology. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK

Vandermeer JH and Goldberg DE (2013). Population Ecology: First Principles. Princeton University Press. 304pp.