Global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, overpopulation, etc. are based on the actions and interactions between organisms and their environment, and the outcome of these issues will be felt by all species as they attempt to adapt to the new, impaired environment. Two concepts help unify this course. One is the role of diversity . The idea of the value of diversity is fundamental to evolution, population biology and ecology. The other unifying concept is spatial and temporal heterogeneity .
All systems are variable in space and time.
This idea underlies the development of new species, genetic drift, predator-prey dynamics, coexistence of competing species and seasonality, the structure and dynamics of communities and ecosystems. We will organize the course by using these conceptual threads to weave a coherent understanding of the interrelationships between ecology and evolution. My goal for Biology 54 is to teach you to understand the processes that govern the distribution and dynamics of ecological systems. We will explore the problems and challenges of understanding how organisms interact with each other and their environment. Ultimately I want you to understand how ecological systems work.