*INTRODUCTION TO WILDLAND ECOLOGY

Catalog description

Ecological principles will be applied to understand contemporary issues related to wildlands, specifically the rangeland biomes that comprises over 50% of the Earth's surface (FAO, SRM, USDA ERS). Topics to be covered fall into the following categories: Fundamentals of Ecology; Animals (wildlife & livestock); Disturbance (e.g., invasive species, fire, mineral extraction, etc.); Ecosystem Goods & Services (e.g., carbon sequestration, watersheds, biodiversity, recreation, etc.). The course will largely focus on U.S. wildlands, however a portion will examine the ecology and issues of international rangelands in Africa, Eurasia, Australia, and South America.