Animals and their Environments

Catalog description

This course provides an exploration of terrestrial and aquatic animal ecology with a focus on the ecology of vertebrates in a rapidly changing world. Students will investigate how animal ecology is shaped by the environment and how animals in turn shape their biotic and abiotic environments. Lectures will be composed of small group work to synthesize information from primary literature readings and other sources. Field laboratory topics will involve travel to various local ecosystems. Students will build skills with techniques used in ecological studies focused on various local taxa and ecological communities. Students will build transferable skills in experimental design, field techniques, problem solving, data management, manipulation, visualization and analysis via activities embedded in both lecture and laboratory throughout the course. Students will use these skills to collaboratively design, complete and present course-based field research projects.