This course is an introductory survey of concepts in ecology with emphasis on ecosystem processes, community dynamics and biodiversity. Topics include ecosystem energetics, nutrient cycling, global weather and climate, biomes and natural communities, diversity of life, and ecological relationships. We begin with a broad survey of ecological concepts at play in all ecosystems and apply these to specific terrestrial biomes. We conclude with an investigation into the factors affecting local and global patterns of biodiversity.
Course Faculty
Laura Spence
Laura Spence, Ph.D., is originally from South Shropshire, England, a sheep-grazed land reminiscent of the Vermont of 150 years ago. Laura’s journey from Shropshire to the Northwoods, via New Zealand and…
Emily Brodsky
Emily abides by Mary Oliver’s instructions for living (from the poem “Sometimes”): “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” Emily’s insatiable curiosity about the natural world results in daily astonishment,…