Evolutionary Ecology

Catalog description

Have you ever wondered why organisms do things?  Why do males fight?  Why do predators go after certain prey?  Why is there infanticide?  Behavior is fascinating, and understanding behavior is even more fascinating!  This course will explore these topics and the theoretical and practical interaction between the fields of ecology and evolution through the lens of optimality theory.  Separate sections of the course will examine individual/population and community processes.  The course aims to concretely connect evolution and ecology, allowing students to understand that little ecology is done without reference to evolution and vice versa.  All topics will be explored through the lens of current research, allowing students to explore the whys about the world around them.