Kent State University

basic notes

basic notes

basic notes

basic notes

basic notes

These notes discuss community ecology, and its relationships with ecological disturbances. In addition to disturbance, notes include trophic levels and their corresponding functional groups and biotic interactions, along with how energy is transferred within an ecosystem. Includes nutrient cycles such as carbon and nitrogen cycles.

In-depth discussion of community and population ecology. Discusses foraging theories, life histories, resource allocation, and how to analyze a life table. Explains density dependent and independent factors, along with logistic growth rates and real world patterns of ecology. Includes competition for resources and other factors that limit population size.

Introduction to concepts needed for ecology: levels of ecological systems, physical factors of ecosystems, climate and precipitation patterns, soil types. Also introduces the two biome classification methods, and the various biome types found all over the world. Introduces adaptations to survive varying environments, and how these adaptations yield greater survivorship.

Evolution notes discussing the 3 main species definitions, and models of speciation, including visual aids. Discusses mechanisms of speciation including pre and post zygotic barriers, and genetic drift.

In-depth notes explaining the four evolutionary forces: natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow, including alternatives to adaptation, such as indirect selection and exaptations. These notes explain frequency dependent selection, both positive and negative forms. Also explains the four genomic signatures of neutral sequence evolution, along with coevolution and mutualistic relationships. Discussion of sexual selection and its effect on microevolution patterns.