Student information
Disease Ecology, WEC-33306
The overarching aim of the course is to offer a current and comprehensive view of the causes and consequences of infectious disease at the levels of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Primary objectives are that students understand 1) the host-parasite relationship as a key ecological interaction (i.e., analogous to the predator-prey relationship) and 2) the general approaches and specific techniques essential to the study disease ecology.
Course
Credits:
6.00
Language of instruction:
English
Components:
- Classroom lectures
- Computer tutorials with instructions
- Computer modelling
- Patractical lab and field training
- Self-study
Continuation courses:
Thesis MFN
Activities:
- Reading assigned literature
- Participating in lectures, practicals, and collaborative activities
- Modelling diseases
- Carrying out experiments and analyzing data
Assumed prerequisite knowledge
Ecological interactions, basic physiology, basic microbiology, e.g.,
- MBI: CBI-20306 Cell Biology and Health, HAP-21806 Behavioural Endocrinology, NEM-20806 Basics of Infectious Diseases
- MFN: WEC-20803 Applied Animal Ecology, WEC-30306 Animal Ecology
- MAS: QVE-20306 Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, QVE-30306 Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, QVE-30806 Management of Infections and Diseases in Animal Populations.
Examination:
Three main components will contribute equally to the final grade:
- Final examination (based on entire lecture/theory component)
- Project I (based on computer modelling practical
- Project II (based on results from field/laboratory practical; a short talk with audio-visual and/or slide (e.g. PowerPoint) support)
- To pass the course, a minimum grade of 5.5 is required for each component.
Continuation courses:
Thesis MFN, MAS, MBI
Literature:
A reader will be available, digital and hardcopy.