Ecology and Biology

Study of the physiological basis for growth, yield, and adaptation of crop plants. Topics emphasized include: carbohydrate assimilation and partitioning, nitrogen metabolism, crop growth and development, water relations, stress tolerance, and crop improvement using physiological genetics. Typically in Spring only. 3 credits.

Soil and Rhizosphere Microbiology. The soil microbial population and its role in the soil ecosystem; microbial transformations of inorganic and organic compounds; decomposition of residues; and dynamics of soil organic matter. Typically in Spring only. 3 credits.

A study of microbial interactions with other organisms and the environment. Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems as well as interactions between nonpathogenic microbes and plants and animals will be discussed. Typically in Spring only. 2 credits.

A field course in ecology that stresses natural history and testing ecological theory under natural conditions. Group and individual projects include observational and experimental approaches. Emphasis is on the study of plant and animal species interactions in terrestrial (including montane and coastal) and aquatic habitats. Issues in community, population, behavioral, and conservation biology are addressed. Several all-day Saturday and two weekend field trips. Offered in alternate years in Fall. 4 credits.

Weekly meetings to discuss and evaluate seminal papers in the fields of evolutionary, population, and community ecology. During the last week, students will critically evaluate a contemporary paper on a topic related to the “classic” papers discussed during the semester. Students will have a choice among papers submitted by participating faculty members; their critique will be assessed on content, originality, rigor, and clarity. Typically Fall only. 1 credit.

The objective of this course is to build a conceptual model of terrestrial ecosystems and to provide students with the state-ofthe-art mechanisms by which terrestrial ecosystems work. Topics include ecosystem concept, Earth’s climate system, geology and soils, terrestrial water and energy balance, terrestrial production processes, terrestrial decomposition, terrestrial plant nutrient use and cycling, biogeochemical pathways, and ecosystem temporal and spatial dynamics. 3 credits.

Introduction to principles, techniques and tools in vertebrate population dynamics modeling with an emphasis on utilizing mainstream software to perform population characterization and assessments. Typically Fall only. 4 credits.

Advanced lecture- and discussion-based class examining how disturbance shapes the composition and structure of communities and landscapes across major terrestrial biomes. Students will examine and discuss the relationships between disturbance intensity, frequency, and spatial extent and how these characteristics affect ecological processes and ecologically-based management of forest and grassland ecosystems. The class will also examine the synergistic effects of multiple disturbances and the restoration of endemic disturbance regimes in contemporary ecosystems. Course is reading intensive; students will read and discuss on average 3-8 journal articles per week. Alternating years typically in Spring. 2 credits.

Introduction to conservation biology, including population dynamics and genetic structure of rare organisms. Recovery planning, restoration ecology, environmental policy making, and sustainable developments are considered, as is ethics in conservation of biological diversity. Offered in odd-numbered years. Typically Fall only. 3 credits.

This course will cover fundamental principles of ecology as applied in urban and other coupled human-natural systems with emphasis on the impact of modern industrial society on ecosystem structure and function. The course is designed to be broadly accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds, interests, and majors who are interested in environmental science and engineering and will emphasize the importance of incorporating an ecological perspective in environmental engineering and natural resource management. Organizing themes addressed in this class include macroscale processes, systems thinking, and topics related to urban systems. Typically Fall only.

The use of epidemiological methods to study the adverse effects of environmental agents on human health. Study designs, association and causation, statistical analysis, bias and confounding, modeling of exposure-response relationships, molecular epidemiology, and investigation of disease outbreaks. The emphasis of the course is on analytical studies, quantitative measures of association, and critical readings of current literature. Typically Fall only. 3 credits.

Introduction to general principles of toxicology, target organ toxicity, and safety evaluation. Covers toxicity of metals, solvents, pesticides, gases, dusts, and food additives. Typically Fall only. 3 credits.