Methods in Ecology and Environmental Biology

This course will introduce students to the diversity of methods and techniques used in ecology and environmental biology. It will focus on major areas of research such as environmental science, population and community ecology, environmental physiology, and ecosystem ecology. In particular, we will discuss the processes that influence the relationships between the biosphere and the atmosphere and the effects of anthropogenic changes, the components and functions of biodiversity, the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environments, and the major biogeochemical cycles. Each topic will be analyzed from a theoretical and an empirical - practical perspective during the weekly sessions.