Current Topics in Ecology. 3 credits. (Same as BIO 580)

Catalog description

The focus of this course will be advanced topics in ecology, with an emphasis on the concepts and current approaches in ecosystem ecology. Primary literature will serve as a key resource for students. The structure and function of several model ecosystems will be explored in detail, with particular attention to the concepts of biodiversity, productivity, decomposition and nutrient cycling. ln addition, the degree of human alteration of ecosystem structure and function as well as consequences for global ecological processes will be presented. P: BIO 481 , BIO 485 or EVS 481 , EVS 485 ; Contemporary Composition; Oral Communication.