BIOL 1020 - Ecology and Global Change

Global changes are occurring at an unprecedented rate. In this course we will study the impact of global warming, a changing atmosphere, land-use changes, and other human-related activities on the Earth's biological systems. An emphasis is placed on understanding the linkages between biological and physical processes and the role of humans in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Current issues such as climate change, biodiversity, species extinction, sustainability, and the provision of ecosystem goods and services are examined from a scientific basis with the goal of understanding how these issues impact society.