Topic: Humans and Ecosystems

Catalog description

The objective of this course is to explore our current understanding of how humans are impacting the function of ecosystems, and how changes in ecosystems affect the provisioning of ecosystem services and ultimately human well-being. This course discusses alterations and interactions among major biogeochemical cycles, including the nitrogen and carbon cycles. These introductory discussions of human impacts on ecosystem functioning are complemented with discussions of potential applied solutions to environmental problems. The course includes classes on alternative biofuels and their impacts on the environment, encompassing ecosystem-level effects, from greenhouse gas emissions to nitrogen pollution and biodiversity loss.