Organisms that inhabit northern climes face the incessant challenges of dramatic seasonal changes, intense cold, limited energy resources, reduced light levels, long-term snow and ice cover, and an ever-increasing amount of rain. Winter ecologists investigate physiological and behavioural adaptations of organisms to winter conditions. During this course we study the winter ecology of Vermont ecosystems including coniferous boreal and deciduous broad-leaved forests, mountains and streams, lakes, and wetlands. We practice winter field skills while studying human responses to cold, and learn how to stay safe and enjoy the winter environment.
Course Faculty
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,…