According to most estimates, 47% of the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems are grazed. In this survey we take a holistic view of grazed ecosystems and their interacting components, including biotic and abiotic interactions among plants, animals, soils/topography, climate, and humans. We begin by exploring various grazed systems and the known suite of biotic adaptations to specific environments. We then explore the behavioral and physiological adaptations of the grazing animal to their foraging environments. We use our knowledge of these co-evolutionary adaptations to develop ecologically-based strategies for managing domestic and native grassland herbivores. During this course we use case studies to demonstrate the tensions that can arise between conflicting human values and their use of these landscapes. This course is offered through distance-learning.
Course Faculty
Gwyneth Harris
Gwyneth has been gardening for as long as she can remember, and got her first livestock (a goat named “Creamy”) at the age of 5. Thirty-five years later, she still finds…
