Evolutionary ecology

This unit introduces key concepts in evolutionary ecology, equipping you with research and communication skills, and knowledge of how evolution shapes ecological processes. The unit commences with a refresher of fundamental definitions of evolution, selection, and adaptation. You will then apply this knowledge to the study of life-history theory, seeking to come up with answers for how organisms should allocate their limited resources to survival and reproduction, to maximise their fitness. You will then turn your attention to questions that have persistently captivated the attention of biologists, such as why do we grow old, how do new species emerge, and why do males and females of many species look and behave so differently? The unit goes on to explore the genetic basis of evolution, through examination of fundamental evolutionary principles and approaches including Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, fitness, adaptive genetic variation, heritability of complex traits and their response to natural selection. This leads on to exploration of how evolutionary principles and genetic information can be applied to understand ecological and evolutionary patterns and processes in the wild, including the capacity of populations to adapt to rapidly changing environments. Throughout the unit, you will build research skills in biology, through focus in labs on conceptualisation of research questions and hypotheses, best practice in experimental design, analysis and interpretation of data.