Adaptation to Human Environments

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/AB_1219

Course Objective

This course addresses the ecological and evolutionary processes that are typical of human impacted environments. We will focus on a range of human activities that have profoundly altered ecosystems, or completely replaced natural areas by anthropogenic areas, such as megacities, or highly industrialised agricultural fields. We will discuss differences as well as similarities between natural and anthropogenic habitats and how differences in (a)biotic conditions influence organisms and their local communities. Next we will identify important selection pressures that are likely to be key drivers of anthropogenic biodiversity. Finally, we will focus on the different mechanisms through which organisms can adapt to anthropogenic selection pressures, ranging from behavioural flexibility to rapid evolution via changes in allele frequencies found at genomic hotspots. The final aim of the course is to understand whether and how organisms adapt to human-altered environments and to use this knowledge to improve, or manage biodiversity. At the end of the course the student can:Identify and analyse key drivers of anthropogenic biodiversityExplain how species adapt to specific types of human activitiesDiscuss human
- wildlife interactions from a multidisciplinary perspectiveAdvocate biodiversity values at public, private and governmental institutions

Course Content

comparing anthropogenic and natural environmentsurban ecology / agroecologybiodiversity of anthropogenic habitatsplanetary boundariesgenetic adaptationdevelopmental plasticitybehavioural flexibilityspecies interactionssensory pollutioneco-evolutionary dynamicsscientific advocacy

Teaching Methods

Lectures (ca. 24 hr) Seminar and/or practicals (ca. 60 hr)

Method of Assessment

Written assignment (50%) Oral and written group assignments (50%) Each mark should be 5.5 or higher to pass the course and obtain a final grade.

Literature

online syllabus

Target Audience

BSc Biology (part of minor programme Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, third year). Additionally the course is suitable for students from:BSc Earth sciencesBSc Environment & health

Recommended background knowledge

All preceding ecological courses in the curriculum.Students from outside Biology can take an online crash course.