Courses, Seminars, and Workshops

PBG 200, also known as "the core", represents the foundation of our curriculum for Population Biology students. The core is comprised of three parts - PBG 200 A, B, and C. Non-Pop Bio students interested in taking the Core are required to petition for entry in late Spring or early Summer and no later than August 15th. For information on how to petition for entry into our Core (PBG 200 A, B and C), please contact Stephanie Macey-Gallow, Graduate Coordinator. Please Note: The Core is a three-part course that must be taken in its entirety; therefore, students interested in taking a section will be required to take the entire core series (A, B and C). No exceptions.

• Population Biology 200A, "Principles of Population Biology"

  5 units - Offered Fall Quarter each year
  Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in PBG 231 and consent of instructor (see note above).
  

  Principles of single-species ecology and evolution. Topics include ecology of individuals, population growth models, structured populations, life history strategies, stochastic populations, basic population genetics theory, deleterious alleles in natural populations, and molecular population genetics.

• Population Biology 200B, "Principles of Population Biology"

  6 units - Offered Winter Quarter each year
  Prerequisites: PBG 200A, PBG 231, and consent of instructor (see note above).
  

  Principles of multi-species communities. Topics include competition, mutualism, metapopulations, food webs and trophic cascades, interactions between simple ecologic communities, island biogeography, succession, and large-scale patterns.

• Population Biology 200C, "Principles of Population Biology"

  6 units - Offered Spring Quarter each year
  Prerequisites: PBG 200B and consent of instructor (see note above).
  

  Principles of microevolution and macroevolution. Topics include evolutionary quantitative genetics, analysis of hybrid zones, speciation, the fossil record, biogeography, and phylogeny reconstruction.

• Population Biology 207 (cross-listed as ECL 207), "Plant Population Biology," Dr. Rice

  4 units - Offered Winter Quarter in alternate years (Winter 2007 will be next offering)
  Prerequisites: advanced undergraduate ecology course (e.g., ESP 100, EVE 101, ENT 104, PLB 117) and advanced undergraduate course in genetics and/or evolution (e.g., BIS 101, EVE 100)

  Introduction to theoretical and empirical research in plant population biology. Emphasis placed on linking ecological and genetic approaches to plant population biology.

• Population Biology 212, "Topics in Invertebrate Evolution," Drs. Grosberg and Stachowicz

  2 units - Next offering is Spring 2007
  Prerequisites: EVE 112 and EVE 112L; courses in evolutionary biology, systematics, and ecology highly recommended
  S/U grading only

  Advanced seminar that critically examines problems relevant to evolutionary patterns among the invertebrates. May be repeated for credit when topic differs.

• Population Biology 221 (cross-listed with ANB 221), "Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution," Dr. Stamps

  3 units - Offered Fall Quarter each year
  Prerequisites: NPB 102, EVE 100, EVE 101, and consent of instructor

  The interface between animal behavior, ecology, and evolution. New developments in behavioral ecology and development and testing of hypotheses in this discipline.

• Population Biology 225 (cross-listed as ECL 225 and ENT 225), "Terrestrial Field Ecology," Dr. Karban

  4 units - Offered Spring Quarter each year
  Prerequisites: introductory ecology and introductory statistics, or consent of instructor

  A field course conducted over spring break and four weekends at Bodega Bay, emphasizing student projects. Ecological hypothesis testing, data gathering, analysis, and written and oral presentation of results will be stressed.

• Population Biology 231 (cross-listed as ECL 231), "Mathematical Methods in Population Biology," Dr. Hastings

  3 units - Offered Fall Quarter each year
  Prerequisite: MAT 16C or 21 C or equivalent

  Mathematical methods used in population biology. Linear and nonlinear difference equation and differential equation models are studied, using stability analysis and qualitative methods. Partial differential equation models are introduced. Applications to population biology models are stressed.

• Population Biology 270, "Research Conference in Evolutionary Biology," Drs. Grosberg, Shaffer, and Turelli

  1 unit - Offered each quarter each year
  Prerequisite: consent of instructor
  S/U grading only

  Critical presentation and evaluation of current literature and ongoing research in evolutionary biology.
  May be repeated for credit.

• Population Biology 287 (cross-listed as ANB 287), "Advanced Animal Behavior," Dr. Stamps

  2 units - Offered Spring Quarter each year
  Note: This course will not be offered this academic year (next offering is Spring 2008)
  Prerequisites: NPB 102 or equivalent, EVE 100 or 101 or the equivalent of either, and consent of instructor

  Reading, reports, and discussion on current topics in animal behavior, with a focus on topics that lie at the interface between animal behavior, ecology, and evolution. May be repeated twice for credit.

• Population Biology 290, "Seminar" (the Population Biology Seminar Series)

  1 unit - Offered each quarter each year
  S/U grading only

  The Tuesday seminar series presented by visiting lecturers, UCD graduate students, and faculty. May be repeated for credit.

• Population Biology 290C "Research Conference in Population Biology"

  1 unit - Available each quarter each year
  Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in PBG 299 and consent of instructor
  S/U grading only

  Presentation and discussion of faculty and graduate student research in population biology. May be repeated for credit.

• Population Biology 292 (cross-listed as ECL 296), "Topics in Ecology & Evolution"

  1 unit - Offered each quarter each year
  S/U grading only

  The Thursday seminar series presented by visiting lecturers, UC-Davis faculty, and graduate students.
  May be repeated for credit.

• Population Biology 296, "Seminar in Geographical Ecology," Dr. Shapiro

  2 units - Offered Spring Quarter each year
  Prerequisites: EVE 100 or EVE 101 or consent of instructor
  S/U grading only

  Recent developments in theoretical and experimental biogeography, historical biogeography and related themes in systematics, the biology of colonizing species, and related topics. May be repeated for credit.

• Population Biology 298, "Group Study" (including Monte Carlo seminars)

  1-5 units (variable unit) - Available each quarter each year
  Prerequisite: consent of instructor
  S/U grading only

  A variety of informal seminars use this course number, including the Monte Carlo seminars. Most may be repeated for credit.

• Population Biology 299, "Research"

  1-12 units (variable unit) - Available each quarter each year
  Prerequisites: concurrent enrollment in PBG 290C and consent of instructor
  S/U grading only

  Conducting research in population biology. May be repeated for credit.

• For additional information regarding classes for all of UC Davis, please visit the Office of University Registrar for either the 2006-2008 UC Davis General Catalog or visit their site for the most current quarterly registration guide.