Course looks at the earth as an ecosystem composed of biological, chemical, and physical systems. Focus is on the interaction of these systems with each other and with human population, technology, and production. Students should acquire the fundamentals of a scientific understanding of the ecological implications of human activities. Specific topics treated within the context of ecosystem analysis include energy flows, nutrient cycles, pollution, resource use, climate changes, species diversity, and population dynamics.

Evaluates sustainable management of ecosystems by local indigenous people, using traditional resource management, traditional ecological knowledge and Western science. Familiarizes students with the fields of ethnobiology, ethnoecology, and historical ecology. Students learn about the relationship between people and plants, with a focus on how traditional plant knowledge reflects and is reflected by environmental perceptions.

Note: Field Trip. Required field trip to Chawse Indian Grinding Rocks State Park. Fee Course. $15 per student.