Amazon: Avian & Tropical Ecology

Catalog description

In the Amazonian Neotropical regions of Peru, reality has attained mythic proportions: more than 400 species of mammal, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 fish, 40,000 plants, and 2.5 million insect species. And still counting. Why is this area of South America the most diverse on the planet? How have the varied human groups that inhabit this region adapted to their unique environments? And perhaps the most relevant question for life on Earth, what is the future of the Amazon? Students travel to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest and work with educators, researchers, and local communities to better understand the evolution and maintenance of biodiversity in this region, and to experience firsthand the effects of human interventions in the Amazon, from deforestation and urbanization to restoration efforts by local groups. Prior to and following the field experience in the Amazon, students complete coursework via Dragonfly's Web-Based Learning Community as they apply experiences to their home institutions. Cross-listed with BIO.