Biodiversity and Niche Theory

This course provides an introduction to the historical development of biodiversity and niche theory. We will trace the development of major concepts of species coexistence and biodiversity. In particular we will explore factors controlling species diversity, species abundance, and the structure and function of communities in space and time. We will cover the historical development of the role of theory in ecology, starting with Darwin’s On the Origin of Species to contemporary ideas related to niche theory and neutral theory. The exercise component will include an introduction to coexistence models using R.

Participants are expected to actively take part in lectures, reading, exercises, discussions, all together around 30 h of homework and self-study.

Programme:

11 March - Introduction

18/19 March - Discussion of reading material

21/22 March - Modelling