Course uses case studies to explore human impacts on ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie life (e.g., reproduction, mating systems, life histories) and death (e.g., predation, disease, decomposition) across a diversity of species. Human-environment interactions that impact ecological populations, species interactions, and students’ daily lives will be emphasized.
Athena Title
Ecol Life and Death
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Through this course, students will improve their ability to think critically about natural processes and how they are affected by human-induced environmental change at various levels (individuals to ecosystems).
Through this course, students will improve their ability to apply scientific reasoning to explain complex phenomena, particularly those ecological phenomena that are relevant to students’ daily lives.
Through this course, students will improve their ability to Interpret quantitative data through figures and graphs.
Through this course, students will improve their ability to evaluate and predict how human-environment interactions affect biodiversity.
Through this course, students will improve their ability communicate effectively through speech (i.e., oral presentation and classroom participation during activities). By the end of this course, students will have experience incorporating logic and scientific inference into their decision making.
Topical Outline
I. Life: Reproductive Strategies & Mating Systems
a. Plants
i. Vegetative propagation & Asexual Reproduction
ii. Sexual Reproduction: Monoecious, diecious, and hermaphroditic plants; Case Study 1: Genetically Modified organisms: Cross-breeding and Genome editing
iii. Self-pollination, cross-pollination, and pollinators; Case Study 2: Impacts of human-environment interactions on pollinator health; Case Study 3: Impacts of climate on pollen production
b. Animals
i. Insects and Other Invertebrates: Reproduction and mating systems; Case Study 4: Light pollution impacts on fireflies (mate choice)
ii. Birds: Reproduction and mating systems; Case Study 5: Noise pollution impacts on songbird breeding (nest site choice and acoustic communication); Case Study 6: Climate and mating systems (monogamy in harsh environments)
iii. Reptiles and Amphibians: Reproduction and mating systems; Case Study 7: Light pollution impacts on beach breeders
iv. Fishes: Reproduction and mating systems
v. Mammals: Reproduction and mating systems; Case Study 8: Habitat fragmentation in Yellowstone affects breeding mule deer populations
c. Bacteria and fungi
i. Binary Fission; Case Study 9: Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria; Case Study 10: Nutrient pollution impacts on cyanobacteria population growth (i.e. algal blooms)
ii. Budding and spore formation
iii. Self-fertilization, outbreeding, and mating types in fungi; Case Study 11: Agricultural use of fungicide and prevalence of mycorrhizal fungi
II. Life: Life History Traits, Sex Ratios, and Age Structure
a. Life History Traits and Tradeoffs
i. Life Span, Age at Sexual Maturity, Parity and Fecundity; Case Study 12: Climate impacts on plant breeding phenology; Case Study 13: Overfishing impacts on age at sexual maturity
ii. Parental investment vs. generation-time
b. Sex Ratios
i. 1:1 Sex ratios
ii. Sex ratios that differ from 1:1; Case Study 14: Temperature impacts reptile sex ratios; Case Study 15: Preferences for male trees alter tree sex ratios in urban areas
c. Population age structure and impacts on the reproductive potential of a population; Case Study 16: Trophy hunting alters wildlife population age structure
III. Death: Predation & Herbivory
a. Plants and Herbivores
i. Herbivore weapons and adaptations
ii. Anti-herbivory defenses and adaptations; Case Study 17: Invasive herbivores – causes and mitigation strategies
b. Predators and Prey
i. Predator weapons and adaptations
ii. Anti-predator defenses and adaptations; Case Study 18: Invasive predators - causes and mitigation strategies
c. Trophic interactions: Green food web
IV. Death: Parasitism and Disease
a. Ecto- vs. endo-parasites; Case Study 19: Habitat fragmentation and Lyme Disease
b. Impacts of parasites on hosts; Case Study 20: Climate impacts on vector abundance and disease transmission
V. Death: Decomposition
a. Organic matter in the soil; Case Study 21: Climate impacts on thawing permafrost
b. Soil and fossil fuel formation; Case Study 22: Fossil fuel extraction and climate
c. Trophic interactions: Brown food web
i. Microorganisms; Case Study 23: What is compost and why does it help a garden?
ii. Scavengers
