Northwest Forest Ecology

Catalog description

This integrated lecture and laboratory course explores topics in forest ecology with an emphasis on interactions between species within the ecological communities of the Pacific Northwest. Course participants will engage in the process of scientific inquiry and discovery, while examining fundamentals of forest ecosystems, including factors that influence forest composition, structure, and function across space and time. This course explores ecosystem interactions and processes, species traits and adaptations, population dynamics, community ecology, forest distribution and disturbance-succession cycles, biodiversity and current issues affecting forest ecosystems. Students will engage in meaningful field work, research and communication.