Course Description
A general ecology course for non-science majors, which is a core course for the environmental ethics certificate. Based on lectures, readings, and laboratories. The course is designed to examine ecological phenomena from global patterns to individual interactions.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will write an essay each week which integrates the lectures, readings, and laboratory. Graduate students also carry out a research project which is presented orally.
Athena Title
ENVIRON CONCEPTS
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Non-science students will learn introductory environmental concepts by examining ecological phenomena from individual interactions to global patterns.
Topical Outline
The course proceeds in logical fashion from individual interactions to global patterns. Concepts included on the level of individual interactions include predation, parasitism, competition, amensalism, commensalism, mutualism, and symbioses. These interactions are incorporated in the larger concepts of the biotic community, island biogeography, natural selection, and ecological succession. Finally, these larger concepts are incorporated into global patterns of ecoregions, biosphere, and the Gaia hypothesis. Laboratory exercises emphasize the concepts of landscape, watersheds, primary production, and organic decomposition.