Introduction to Population Ecology is a self-paced, online course offering a comprehensive look at community dynamics, species interactions, predator-prey cycles, species distribution, population growth and regulation, niches, and competition. It is an excellent progression from our Introduction to Ecology course or as a standalone resource for those with some preexisting ecological knowledge. It is designed for individuals pursuing ecological consultancy, research, or conservation careers. Introduction to Population Ecology will give you essential insights and practical understanding that can be applied to various ecological and environmental disciplines.
Course format: The course is presented as nine self-study modules that you can read through in your own time. To further enhance your knowledge and learning experience, there will be some directed reading for each module. It is essential that you complete this to make sure you get the most out of the course. There will be a short quiz at the end, and if you get over 70%, you will receive a Certificate.
Time commitment: We advise students to allow 2-4 hours per module to complete each module and to read around the subject.
How to book: You can book on-line here. Once you have booked, we will e-mail you to confirm that your booking has been received and you will then be able to start the course.
Module 2
Predicting population size
Module 3
Survival and reproduction
Module 4
Population growth and regulation
Module 5
Interactions between populations
Module 9
Population Ecology END OF COURSE QUIZ
Introduction to Population Ecology Course Outline
Module 1 – What is a population?
- Populations definition and examples
- Demography – describing populations
- Population size and density and methods for measuring
- Species distribution – uniform, random, clumped
Module 2 – Predicting population size
- Life tables
- Survivorship
- Age-sex structure
Module 3 – Survival and reproduction in populations
- Life history strategies
- Parental care vs fecundity
- Single vs multiple reproduction
Module 4 – Population growth
- Density dependent and independent factors
- Predator-prey cycles (also Module 9)
- Exponential and logistic growth
- Carrying capacity
Module 5 – Population regulation
- Density dependent and independent factors
- Population fluctuations
- Population cycles
Module 6 – Interactions between populations
- Ecological communities
- Interspecific interactions – competition, predation, symbiosis, mutualism. Commensalism, parasitism
Module 7 – Ecological interactions
- Consumer/heterotroph
- Predators and prey
- Carnivores and herbivores
- Autotrophs
- Primary, secondary, tertiary consumers
- Competition
Module 8 – Niches and competition
- What is a niche?
- Interspecific competition
- Competitive Exclusion Principle
- Resource partitioning
Module 9 – Predator-prey cycles
- Predators
- Predator-prey population dynamics
- Defence mechanisms
- Course Summary
It was very informative and easy to access and navigate.
Very easy to understand and accessible
I liked the ability to undertake the course at my own pace.
The course was enjoyable and informative. I found it particularly helpful in how flexible the study time was. You could do one module and then leave it a day or two when you had more time. It has also helped my career prospects.
Flexibility and easy to follow layout.
Depth of knowledge was excellent.
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Yes! We want you to get as much out of this course as possible. We encourage you to refer back to your course materials from time to time to refresh your memory and ensure that you are confident on the subject. Therefore, when you purchase this course, you will have lifetime access to the course materials.
The final exam is designed to test whether you have learned the appropriate knowledge and skills during this course. If you take the final exam and do not pass, we encourage you to review the course material and ensure you have read, understood and remembered the lessons. We want you to get the most out of this course and provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to apply what you learn to your job or career. You may retake the final test once you have revisited the course material.
