Course Description: Ecology online (NR 321, Semester in the Wild | fall semesters, 3 credits)
  Fundamental principles of the science of ecology. Major topics covered by the course include the physical environment, how organisms interact with each other and their environment, evolutionary processes, population dynamics, communities, energy flow and ecosystems, human influences on ecosystems, and the integration and scaling of ecological processes through systems ecology. This course is only offered in a wilderness setting and is complementary to the re-required co-requisite course, Field Ecology (NR 322). Computer-based materials are used extensively for guided independent learning of ecology. Recommended Preparation: Introductory botany and zoology.
 
Recommended preparation: Introductory botany & zoology (e.g., Biology 213)
Prerequisites: Introductory biology, or permission.
This online course is designed for highly motivated students who can study independently. Carefully review the course guidelines before registering for this course.

 

For course preparation: Explore what you know about ...
Explore what you know about general ecologyExplore what you know about the environmentExplore what you know about organisms and their response to the environmentExplore what you know about communities and ecosystemsExplore what you know about ecology at the global scale

 

The physical environment
An introduction to the major environmental factors that affect organisms, including solar and terrestrial radiation, energy balance, temperature, water, wind, and climate.

 

The response of individual organisms to their environment
Topics on how organisms interact with various environmental factors, including discussions on individual acclimation and species adaptation to the environment.

 

The nature of species, adaptation, and population dynamics
This section includes discussions on ecotypes, species, and populations, including the structure and growth of populations, interactions among species, and models of population fluctuations.
Communities and ecosystems
These major sections cover the major theories of communities and succession, and the structure and function of ecosystems. Topics of discussion include community structure and distribution in nature, energy flow and global mineral cycles, a review of world ecosystems, and human influences on ecosystems.