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Population and Community Ecology (BSC 441, 541)
• Syllabus
• Course webpage: http://ichthyology.usm.edu/courses/community/
• Please email me so I can put together an email list for
announcements
• Course Logistics
– IVN
– Labs and travel
– Exams and papers
– Groups and projects
– Field work
Why the peer review system?
• Science is universally based on the peer review system
• Reviewers = anonymous, independent, and of equal standing (scientist)
• Avoids cronyism, encourages critical and constructive review.
Definitions
•Ecology - study of the interactions between organisms
and the environment.
–Population - group of interbreeding individuals of the
same species. Typically isolated from other groups of
the same species.
–Community - assemblage of spatially delimited
species. Often defined by a characteristic physical
attribute; e.g., the oak- savanna community of High
Park, or the riffle community in streams.
–Ecosystem – Combination of a community and its
physical characteristics. Also includes the ways these
organisms interact with the physical space and each
other.
What is Ecology?
Physiology
Genetics
Systematics
Taxonomy
Microbiology
Ecology
and
Evolution
Developmental
Biology
