BIOHOPK 47: Introduction to Research in Ecology and Ecological Physiology

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Abstract
This is the research collection for Stanford undergraduate course BIOHOPK 47, Introduction to Research in Ecology and Ecological Physiology, based at Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, CA. This course is a field-based inquiry into rocky intertidal shores that introduces students to ecology and environmental physiology and the research methods used to study them. Students in this course learn how to detect patterns quantitatively in nature through appropriate sampling methods & statistical analysis. Following exploration of appropriate background material in class and through exploration of the scientific literature, students learn how to formulate testable hypotheses regarding the underlying causes of the patterns they discern. A variety of different aspects of ecology and physiology are investigated cooperatively by the students during the quarter, culminating in development of an individual final paper in the form of a research proposal based on data collected during the course. The course provides a broad conceptual introduction to the underlying biological principles that influence adaptation to the planet's dynamic habitats, as well as inquiry-based experience in how to explore and understand complex systems in nature.

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