Limnology (EVSC 4290/7290)
Limnology is the study of inland waters mainly through a system perspective and focuses on energy and material flows, productivity, biogeochemistry, and regulation of ecological processes. The course reviews fundamentals of the physical, chemical and biological aspects of inland waters and reviews the structural and functional properties of lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs. Human impacts on inland waters including nutrient enrichment, acidification, fisheries exploitation, exotic species invasion, and contaminant pollution are also considered. A project is required that involves developing a question, collecting data from literature sources, and conducting an analysis of the data to test the question. The project is summarized in a presentation and research paper. For the syllabus from the most recent version of the course click here.
Ecosystem Ecology (EVSC 4250/7250)
This course considers the use of the ecosystem concept and approach in the analysis of ecological issues and environmental problems. Course topics include: history of ecosystem science, carbon cycling, nutrient cycling, resource utilization, the importance of predators in ecosystems, interactions of disease and ecosystems, large scale forces driving change in ecosystems, regime shifts, ecosystems and human well-being, and ecosystem stewardship. The course is taught in a seminar style and is based mainly on readings of contemporary papers. Students are required to keep a written journal of their readings and give a research presentation on ecosystem services. For the syllabus from the most recent version of the course click here.
Ecology (EVSC 3200, Spring Semester)
This course is offered every semester by the ecology faculty of the Department of Environmental Sciences. An independent lab course (EVSC 3201) is also taught. I teach the course approximately every other spring semester. Ecology is the study of the distribution and abundance of organisms. Course topics include natural selection and ecological genetics, adaptation of plants and animals, life history and reproduction, population dynamics, metapopulations, community structure and diversity, landscape ecology, ecosystems, biogeochemical cycling, conservation, human ecology, and global ecology. For the syllabus from the most recent version of the course that I taught click here.