300379 VO Population and community ecology (2015S)

This lecture series deals with basic concepts of general and applied population and community ecology. Topics include population structures (demographic, genetic, and spatial), regulation of population size, density dependence, top-down vs. bottom-up control, r- and K-selection, temporal dynamics of populations and cyclic populations, spatial aspects of population biology including metapopulation concepts , habitat fragmentation and quality, consequences of population dynamics for conservation biology, minimum viable population, Allee effects, biological pest control, structure and diversity of communities, or assembly rules.