CWS 320: Wildlife Ecology and Management

This upper-level course focuses on developing the ecological and quantitative knowledge necessary for the modern wildlife professional. Students examine the ecological theory underlying wildlife populations and habitats, with a primary focus on the drivers of population change, energy flow, and the spatial requirements of species. Moving beyond simple observation, students develop the basic quantitative skills required to model population dynamics, evaluate complex habitat relationships, and interpret monitoring data through a lens of statistical uncertainty. 
The curriculum integrates advanced themes in animal behavior and extinction theory, exploring how behavioral budgets and the "Ecology of Fear" influence habitat selection and population persistence. Students will learn information-theoretic methods, such as AIC model ranking, and learn to navigate the philosophy of science by moving beyond null-hypothesis significance testing toward biological relevance and multiple competing hypotheses.