人口論[国際環境学コース]

Bio-demography is a discipline studying the mechanisms that cause the transition of population structure and the increases and decreases in population size. It provides important theories for epidemiology, anthropology, population ecology, and evolutionary ecology of plants and animals. Understanding the essence of the subjects relating to bio-demography cannot be attained solely by verbal reasoning, but also requires mathematical abstraction, reasoning, and practical modeling. Therefore, we have to learn bio-demography as a mathematical science. In this class, we learn (i) ways of mathematical thinking, (ii) elementary knowledge of practical mathematical techniques, and (iii) their application to real demographic issues of plants and animals, including humans. In part one, we learn the ideas and methods for mathematical modeling of the basic processes of population transition, and additionally the calculation methods and interpretation of a variety of indices that indicate population characteristics. Additionally, we learn how to study the evolution and adaptation of the life history of organisms, applying the basic theory of bio-demography. In part two, we learn a mathematical modeling that can be applied to species with various and complicated life histories, and the analytical methods for real plants and animals. Furthermore, we learn the usage of databases on life history patterns of biological species and how to apply the methods in conservation ecology.