BIOL 245 Ecology This course introduces basic principles of ecology- the study of relationships among living organisms, their environment and each other. We examine ecological concepts applied to individuals, populations and communities of both plants and animals. Topics include plant and animal adaptations to the environment, the role environmental factors in the distribution and abundance of organisms, the dynamics of population growth, species interactions including competition and predation, the structure of ecological communities, and the application of ecology to problems in conservation.