BIOL 285 - Ecology and the Environment

Cross-Listed as ENVI 285

Ecology and the Environment dives into a range of topics to study how species, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes function in our changing climate. The course will emphasize biological nutrient and energy cycling, population dynamics, animal and plant species interactions, disturbances and response to disturbances, and ecology in urban and agricultural landscapes. We will examine Ecology under four conceptual ‘lenses’: Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Land Use, and Ecosystem Services. These lenses provide critical insight into how scientists, policy makers, land managers, and other stakeholders evaluate complex ecological and environmental systems. Labs will be field and data-based, and emphasize the development of hypotheses, novel data collection at Ordway Field Station, and statistical analysis. Three hours lecture and one three-hour lab each week. Offered every semester. (4 Credits)