Ecosystem Biology

Catalog description

Prerequisite: Graduate–level standing in Biology or Biotechnology, or Consent of Instructor and Advisor. An approach to ecology that treats organisms and the physical environment as an integrated system. Focus on abiotic feedbacks between plant and microbial function including decomposition, greenhouse gas flux, and major biogeochemical cycles. Potentially strenuous field work is a component of the course. Laboratory analysis of field samples are part of projects that develop quantitative skills using student-collected data. Shares lecture with Ecosystem Biology BIOL 4002 with additional expectations for graduate credit that include: organizing data collection and group work sessions for undergraduates (4000- level students) and leading manuscript preparation for final group assignments.