Students will be introduced to quantitative methods of research in ecology and evolution including experimental design, data collection, analysis, interpretation and scientific writing using field and laboratory studies. They will work with plant and animal models from local ecosystems to empirically test concepts in population growth, competition, resource utilization, foraging behaviour, communication, ecological parameters on bacterial growth (e.g. pH and temperature). The course aims at giving an experience of concepts and methods discussed in theory courses of ecology and evolutionary biology.