Population Biology: Program Courses and Seminars
Population Biology 201, "Principles of Population Biology"
6 units - Offered Fall Quarter
Lecture/discussion, 6 hours per week. Letter grade.
Covers principles of single-species ecology and evolution, including ecological and evolutionary processes that shape population dynamics, as well as genetic and phenotypic variation within species using modeling, experimental, and molecular approaches.
Population Biology 202, "Principles of Population Biology"
6 units - Offered Winter Quarter
Prerequisites: PBG 201 and consent of instructor.
Open to Population Biology graduate students only, or by consent of instructor. No credit for students who have taken PBG 200B or PBG 200C.
Lecture/discussion, 6 hours per week. Letter grade.
Focuses on principles of multi-species ecology and evolution, including ecological and evolutionary processes underlying the formation and maintenance of biodiversity, as well as natural history, modeling, experimental, and molecular approaches to community ecology and evolutionary biology.
Special Note Regarding PBG 201 and 202:
PBG 201 and 202, also known as "the core," are the foundation of our curriculum for Population Biology students. The core is a two-quarter series: PBG 201 (Fall Quarter) and PBG 202 (Winter Quarter). Each course has three modules (ecological, evolutionary, and integrative), and students can take the full 6-unit course or a single 2-unit module as PBG 298. Graduate students outside Population Biology can apply to take the core through a short online form: https://forms.gle/oaeLmLLd8bp8xtT4A
Population Biology 207 (cross-listed as ECL 207), "Plant Population Biology," Jennifer Gremer
4 units - Generally offered Winter Quarter in alternate years
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 225 (cross-listed as ECL 225 and ENT 225), "Terrestrial Field Ecology," Rachel Vannette
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," Sebastian Schreiber
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 233 (cross-listed as ECL 233), "Computational Methods in Population Biology," Marissa Baskett
3 units - Offered Spring Quarter in alternate years
Prerequisite: A course in theoretical ecology (e.g., ECL 231 or an equivalent to ESP 121 from your undergraduate institution) or consent of instructor; no programming experience required.
Numerical methods for simulating population dynamics using the computational software package R. Emphasis placed on model formulation and development, theoretical concepts and philosophical principles to guide simulation efforts, model parameterization, and implementing simulations with R.
Population Biology 270, "Research Conference in Evolutionary Biology"
1 unit - Generally 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.
Population Biology 271, (cross-listed as ECL 271), " Research Conference in Ecology"
1 unit - Offered Fall and Winter quarters each year (and occasionally Spring Quarter)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor
S/U grading only
Critical presentation and evaluation of current literature and ongoing research in ecology. Requirements include active participation in weekly discussions and the presentation of a paper or chapter once per quarter. May be repeated for credit.
Population Biology 290, "Seminar" (The Center for Population Biology Tuesday Seminar Series)
1 unit - Offered each quarter each year
S/U grading only
The Tuesday seminar series presented by visiting lecturers, UC Davis graduate students, and faculty.
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.
Population Biology 292 (cross-listed as ECL 296), "Topics in Ecology & Evolution" (The Eco Evo Thursday Seminar Series)
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.
Population Biology 296, "Seminar in Geographical Ecology," Arthur 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.
Population Biology 298, "Group Study"
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 past Monte Carlo seminars.
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.
UC Davis General Catalog:
Link here to catalog, program and course descriptions, etc.: https://ucdavis.pubs.curricunet.com/Catalog
Other Courses of Interest:
Environmental Science and Policy
Integrated Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group
Other Campus Seminars of Interest:
Storer Lectureship in the Life Sciences Series
For other seminars across campus, please visit the UC Davis Calendar of Events, and/or related departments seminar listings (i.e., Agriculture and Resource Economics, Animal Behavior, Ecology, Entomology, Genetics, Genome Center, Horticulture and Agronomy, Microbiology, Plant Biology...).