This course is an introduction to ecology and ecosystem dynamics using a systems thinking lens. Through a case study on Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park, learners will explore how scientists study ecosystems, and investigate the complex array of factors that inform management efforts. At the end of the course, learners will be able to grapple with real-world conservation questions, such as whether an ecosystem can recover from anthropogenic disruption and what role humans can, and should, play in that recovery.
Ecology: Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation
proposé par
Muséum américain d'histoire naturelle
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Muséum américain d'histoire naturelle
Programme du cours : ce que vous apprendrez dans ce cours
Semaine
12 heures pour terminer
Can an Ecosystem Recover?
We begin in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, and pose the question: Can this ecosystem recover after a 15-year civil war? To answer this question, learners must first consider what they need to know—what are the parts that make up this ecosystem, and how do they interact and work together? How do ecosystems react to disruption? How do we know? We will begin to explore the ecosystem as a dynamic whole rather than as a collection of parts, considering how changes might affect the system in a variety of ways. This application of a systems thinking lens to understanding ecosystems will be a common theme throughout the course.
3 vidéos (Total 26 min), 7 lectures, 1 quiz
3 vidéos
Introduction to Module One1 min
Africa's Savanna Ecosystems23 min
7 lectures
Syllabus5 min
Classroom Resources10 min
Course Credits1 min
Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park: Can an Ecosystem Recover?10 min
Introduction to Ecology10 min
Introduction to Biodiversity10 min
Introduction to Systems--and Systems Thinking10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module One: What have you learned?20 min
Semaine
21 heure pour terminer
How Do We Study Populations?
This week, we narrow the focus to populations within ecosystems. Who or what populates an ecosystem, and what are their roles? How do these roles change over time? What happens when a species is removed from a system? How do scientists study the populations within an ecosystem, from its largest to its smallest inhabitants? You will explore the important roles different species can play—such as ecosystem engineers, keystone species, and indicator species—and how they shape their ecosystems.
3 vidéos (Total 38 min), 2 lectures, 1 quiz
3 vidéos
Modeling Population and Species Interactions Holiday Lecture29 min
Surveying Ant Diversity in Gorongosa National Park7 min
2 lectures
How do we Study a Population--and Why? Part I: Population Dynamics10 min
How do we Study a Population--and Why? Part II: Modeling Population Growth10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module Two: What have you learned?20 min
Semaine
32 heures pour terminer
How Do Species Coexist?
This week we focus on community ecology and further explore the interactions between species in an ecosystem. For instance, how does the decline in a population from an ecosystem (as was the case in Gorongosa) affect the other players? How does adding a population -- such as an invasive species or translocated herds -- affect an ecosystem?
4 vidéos (Total 86 min), 2 lectures, 1 quiz
4 vidéos
How Species Coexist26 min
Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others: Keystone Species and Trophic Cascades19 min
Communities as Ecological Networks39 min
2 lectures
Communities and the Interaction Between Species10 min
Community Structure and Dynamics10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module Three: What have you learned?20 min
Semaine
42 heures pour terminer
How is an Ecosystem a System?
This week, we will further their understanding about what makes an ecosystem a system by examining the flow of energy and matter through different parts of the environment. This includes understanding the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystem and the services each component provides. We will introduce the complicated effects of both abiotic (climate change) and biotic (herbivory) interactions within a coastal salt marsh system, touching on ecological concepts of thresholds in a system and ecosystem resistance and resilience.
3 vidéos (Total 52 min), 2 lectures, 1 quiz
3 vidéos
Climate Stress and Coastal Food Webs43 min
Analyzing Patterns in a Savanna Landscape7 min
2 lectures
Flow of Energy and Matter in an Ecosystem10 min
Ecosystem Services, Functioning, and Resilience10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module Four: What have you learned?20 min
Semaine
52 heures pour terminer
Can an Ecosystem Recover?
This week we conclude by focusing on the role of humans in ecosystems: how humans interact with and are shaped by their environments. We explore the meaning of the “anthropocene” (the title given to the current geological age in recognition of significant impact of human activities) and investigate management approaches that balance human needs and biodiversity. We also return to Gorongosa National Park to wrap up the course, shifting the conversation from "Can an ecosystem recover?" to "Should it recover?" and "What does a successful recovery look like?" We explore how conservation might have to adjust to future challenges such as climate change, extinctions, and human population growth. We also introduce the idea that a spectrum of conservation approaches is necessary, from the preservation of land and species, to the integration of biodiversity into market economies, to the creation and management of “novel” ecosystems.
4 vidéos (Total 56 min), 3 lectures, 1 quiz
4 vidéos
Conserving and Restoring Ecosystems24 min
Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation: Looking Ahead15 min
Biocultural Approaches to Conservation13 min
3 lectures
The Anthropocene10 min
Conservation Today and Looking Ahead10 min
Gorongosa: What Does the Future Look Like?10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Module Five: What have you learned?20 min
4.8
40 avis22%
a commencé une nouvelle carrière après avoir terminé ces cours
27%
a bénéficié d'un avantage concret dans sa carrière grâce à ce cours
14%
a obtenu une augmentation de salaire ou une promotion
Meilleurs avis
It was a very informative course giving in depth knowledge about ecology. The lecturers conducting the course have been amazing with their work. Thanks a lot to the entire crew.
I thoroughly enjoyed this course. The material is comprehensive and understandable. The information is relevant and should be viewed by students at all levels. Thank you :)
Enseignant
Ana Luz Porzecanski
DirectorCenter for Biodiversity and Conservation
À propos de Muséum américain d'histoire naturelle
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational and cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has advanced its global mission to discover, interpret, and disseminate information about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe through a wide-ranging program of scientific research, education, and exhibition.
À propos de Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance biomedical research and science education. The HHMI BioInteractive website provides free multimedia resources to science educators and students. They include multimedia interactive resources, such as apps, animations, videos, click and learns, and virtual labs.
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