Course - Stochastic Population Models - ST2302
Stochastic Population Models
About
About the course
Course content
Modelling of natural populations as stochastic processes. Multiplicative models. Stochastic
growth rates. Environmental stochasticity. Demographic stochasticity. Density regulation.
Diffusion processes. Stationary distributions. Quasi-stationary distributions. Extinction processes. Age structured populations. Applications in ecology and population genetics with
emphasis on conservation of biodiversity.
Learning outcome
1. Knowledge. The student has learned basic population dynamics, including different applications of the concept of probability in population dynamics. The student can solve problems
related to modern research in ecology and conservation biology based on stochastic modelling. In particular the student knows how to perform viability analyses in populations with
no density regulation, including predictions by stochastic simulations when parameters are
unknown.
2. Skills. The student can read literature in population dynamics and communicate with
biologists on construction of stochastic models in this field. The student can also formulate
stochastic models by the diffusion approximation and perform simple analytical and some
more complex numerical computations by diffusion theory. The student can further perform
simple analyses using stochastic age structured population models.
Learning methods and activities
Lectures. An oral final examination is the basis for the grade awarded in the course. The
lectures may be given in English.
Recommended previous knowledge
ST1101 Probability and statistics.
Course materials
Will be announced at the start of the course.
Subject areas
- Statistics