Stochastic Population Models

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.

1. Knowledge. The student has learned basic population dynamics, including different applications of the concept of probability in population dynamics. The student can solve problemsrelated to modern research in ecology and conservation biology based on stochastic modelling. In particular the student knows how to perform viability analyses in populations withno density regulation, including predictions by stochastic simulations when parameters areunknown.2. Skills. The student can read literature in population dynamics and communicate withbiologists on construction of stochastic models in this field. The student can also formulatestochastic models by the diffusion approximation and perform simple analytical and somemore complex numerical computations by diffusion theory. The student can further performsimple analyses using stochastic age structured population models.

Lectures. An oral final examination is the basis for the grade awarded in the course. The lectures may be given in English. If the course is taught in English, the exam may be given only in English. Students are free to choose Norwegian or English for written assessments.