Writing assignment for week of Nov 12  -- Dean Urban

Consider a topic or issue in community ecology that is one of your own personal interests.  Outline the key questions that frame the issue, focusing on the conventional scale of analysis (i.e., stand-level or the scale of typical sampling quadrats).  Then, reconsider this issue from the perspective of a larger spatial scale (kilometers to hundreds of kilometers). What new processes and constraints come into play?  What new questions emerge?  How does landscape heterogeneity influence these issues?  From this perspective, write a short discussion of how a change in scale and an appreciation for spatial pattern might lead to a different perspective and assessment of your chosen issue.  Your discussion should be 3-5 pages in length, and should include key references.
Assignment Due Date: December 2nd, 5 p.m.