Introduction to Research in Ecology and Ecological Physiology

This course is a field-based inquiry into rocky intertidal shores at Hopkins Marine Station that introduces students to ecology and environmental physiology and the research methods used to study them. Students will learn how to detect patterns quantitatively in nature through appropriate sampling methods. Following exploration of appropriate background material in class and through exploration of the scientific literature, students will formulate testable hypotheses regarding the underlying causes of the patterns they discern. A variety of different aspects of ecology and physiology will be investigated cooperatively by the students during the quarter, culminating in development of an individual final paper in the form of a research proposal based on data collected during the course. The course will provide a broad conceptual introduction to the underlying biological principles that influence adaptation to dynamic habitats, as well as an inquiry-based experience in how to explore complex systems in nature. This course fulfills the same laboratory requirement as BIO 47. Satisfies WIM in Biology.