General Catalog 2022-23

Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisite: Life Sciences 1 or 7B. Recommended: course 100 or 122. Community ecology is study of biodiversity in ecological context: structure and dynamics of natural species assemblages in space and time, and ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that determine which species are present or absent from particular assemblages. Examination of existing theories of community organization and evidence, both observational and experimental, bearing on these theories. Consideration of diverse array of communities—plant, animal, microbial, terrestrial, and marine—to give appreciation of extraordinary natural history and diversity of life on Earth as it exists in its living ecological context. Discussion of how ecological communities are responding now and will respond in future to anticipated global change, and conservation implications of these changes. Letter grading.