Diploma in Ecology Studies Course

The free online course Diploma in Ecology Studies provides information on the principles and practices ecology in conservation, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture and fisheries, as well as the role human interactions play in today's changing world. The course begins by introducing you to the four levels of biological organization - organismal, population, community, and ecosystem. You will then learn about aspects of biogeography, such as the geographic distribution of living things and the abiotic factors that affect their distribution. The course also focuses on the eight major terrestrial biomes: tropical wet forests, savannas, subtropical deserts, temperate grasslands, temperate forests, boreal forests, Arctic tundra and aquatic ecosystems. It explains their various characteristics and the effects industrialization, destructive harvesting and over-fishing has on them. The course also covers how environmental disturbances affect ecosystem structure and dynamics. The main factors in relation to conceptual models, analytical models and simulation models are explained. You will learn how mineral nutrients are cycled through ecosystems and their environment, focusing on the interconnected cycles of water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur. The core threats to biodiversity are also covered, such as human population growth and unsustainable resource use, as well as how habitat loss occurs through deforestation, damming of rivers, and other activities. Finally, you will learn about the legislative framework for biodiversity protection and the cataloging of the planet’s biodiversity using methods such as DNA barcoding and information processing. You will also learn how the science of island biogeography has informed the optimal design and layout of conservation preserves and how they are used for biodiversity protection.