WETS1047 Ecological and evolutionary parasitology (5 cr)
Description
Ecology and evolution of host-parasite relationships
Abundance and diversity of parasites
Factors affecting occurrence and abundance of parasites
Effects of parasites on host individuals and populations
Role of parasites in ecosystems
Learning outcomes
Knows the basic concepts in ecological and evolutionary parasitology.
Knows the processes that shape number of parasites within a host individual, working through the interaction between the parasite and the host.
Knows the factors affecting the ecological patterns in host-parasite relationships, and the processes influencing the evolution between host and parasite.
Understands the mechanisms of host-parasite interaction at individual, population, community and ecosystem level.
Is able to explain the changes taken place in host-parasite interaction, and able to predict the short and long term changes to come in the future – in parasite abundance and parasite community structure.
Is able to discuss about the current problems, hypotheses and trends in ecological and evolutionary parasitology.
Literature
- Schmid-Hempel, Paul (2011): Evolutionary Parasitology (The Integrated Study of Infections, Immunology, Ecology and Genetics). Oxford University Press.; ISBN 978-0-19-922949-9
Completion methods
Method 1
Teaching (5 cr)
Lectures, Lab work, Data analysis & Presentation