Fundamentals of Environmental Science I

Catalog description

An introduction to the basic concepts of environmental biology, chemistry and physics. We will examine living systems and the chemical and physical principles governing the environment that sustains them, using case studies relating to important environmental issues faced by society. Students will learn about the organization of living systems, from organisms to ecosystems, and about how living and non-living elements interact to regulate Earth’s systems. We will emphasize how environmental scientists and managers apply this information to understand and design solutions for environmental problems, including unsustainable resource use and recycling, eutrophication and nutrient management, species extinction and conservation, and species invasions and restoration ecology.