Biology 312 - Ecosystem Ecology

Ecosystem ecology provides a framework for understanding the organization and function of the biosphere and insights into the critical environmental issues of our time. Through lecture, discussion, and collaborative work, we explore interactions between organisms and the environment from the molecular to the global scale. With a focus on energy and material flow through living and non-living components of the Earth system we take a mechanistic perspective on topics that include the energy and water balances, cycling of carbon and nutrients, plant-soil- microbe interactions, and landscape heterogeneity driven by disturbance regimes. We discuss how ecosystem structure and function relates to applied issues of conservation, sustainability, and climate change. We engage with the scientific process by critically evaluating scientific literature, assessing frontiers in ecological research, and developing written and oral science communication skills.

Requisites: ENST 110 or BIOL 181 or consent of instructor. Course offered Spring semester 2026. Professor Rebecca Hewitt.

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Emphasis on written work, readings, quantitative work, group work, discussions, and oral presentations.