Biodiversity: Genes to Ecosyst

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Earth's biota are currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction event that is largely due to human activities. However, understanding the factors that structure biodiversity has proven an exceptionally difficult task since these factors change dramatically across space and time. In this course, we explore classic and current thoery in community ecology, with an emphasis on the roles of molecular genetics and evolutionary theory in shaping community ecology and helping ecologists make sense out of chaos. Moreover, because biodiversity can in turn impact ecosystem function, we will examine the interplay between community and ecosystem dynamics to determine how population declines, species extinctions, and community reorganization may alter critical ecosystem properties.