Graduate Seminar in Population Biology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their participation are encouraged to discuss this with the subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

This subject provides advanced critical appraisal of contemporary and controversial issues in population biology, including terrestrial and marine population ecology, evolutionary biology, and behavioural ecology. Each week, students will provide a seminar of a particular issue (reflecting a fundamental idea or a controversy of competing ideas or empirical evidence), which will form the basis of subsequent critical discussion. The choice of issues will be determined at the start of the subject.

The objectives of this subject are to provide students with:

· a detailed understanding of selected contemporary issues in population biology, including evolutionary and population ecology;

· the capacity to appraise critically theoretical concepts and empirical tests of those concepts;

· the capacity to articulate complex biological ideas in both an oral and written format;

· an appreciation of the significance of these topics in a broader picture.

One two-hour seminar presentation (35%), and written supporting material (1000 words) (15%), given during the semester; six peer reviews (totalling 3000 words), due evenly throughout the semester (30%); seminar participation (20%)

No prescribed text, but a monograph may form a central component of the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of this subject, students should gain skills in:

• demonstrating the breadth of knowledge gained in an particular discipline;

• developing the ability to exercise critical judgement and rigorous and independent thinking;

• high level oral and written communication and presentation skills;

• leading group discussions of complex issues, and providing persuasive intellectual arguments;

• providing critical appraisal of draft documents;

• time management and self-management skills.

This subject assumes higher-level undergraduate knowledge in ecology and evolution.

Students undertaking this subject will be expected to regularly access an internet-enabled computer.