This course is designed to introduce first-year students, new Environmental Science majors and transfer students to a variety of faculty and environmental science research at UMASS Amherst, with the goal of helping students identify their particular interest and focal area within the discipline. Students will be able to use this information to locate independent study research opportunities, to select upper-level course work, and to further narrow their interests with the broad scope of topics that fall under the Environmental Science heading.

This course will cover a number of methods and applications in GIS. Basic automation methods of repetitive or complex tasks using Model Builder and Python scripting will be covered first. Then these methods will be applied to a number of common problems in Natural Resources including home range definition species habitat relationships, occupancy models, and movement analysis.

The LEED Professional Credentials indicate professional excellence and a strong depth of knowledge as well as practical understanding of the LEED Rating Systems and how they apply to the high-performance design and construction of the built environment. Preparing to take the LEED Green Associate and AP exams requires more than taking one course; it is a process that involves acquisition of disciplinary knowledge and understanding of complex building and environmental systems.

This course will provide students with a deeper understanding of various ways in which scientists can effectively engage and communicate with the public. Topics covered include models of public engagement, science-society interaction, and practical communication skills building.

Introduction to the evolving discipline of landscape ecology, with emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings Focus on ecological scaling; landscape structure; agents of landscape structure; consequences of landscape structure to populations, communities, and ecosystem processes; landscape dynamics; and landscape management. Emphasis on modeling.

Not available at this time.

Urbanization constitutes one of the greatest challenges of this century. Urban ecology is emerging as a critical transdisciplinary field, integrating the life sciences, geosciences, and social sciences to understand and manage effects of urbanization on ecosystems. In addition, urban areas provide unique opportunities for studying rapid evolutionary and behavioral changes induced by novel ecosystems and the role of humans in altering species interactions.

Ecological functions and assessment of resource values of wetlands. Major wetlands of the world used as case history studies.

At the end of this course, students should have all of the basic skills to successfully design, implement, and analyze a survey. Although the content of the course will have a natural resources focus, the principles will be applicable to all surveys of people. After an overview of the survey process, the class will discuss the different types of surveys and their relative strengths and weaknesses. Next, the class will study the ?Dillman? method for designing surveys. The practical elements of implementing a survey, including the Internal Review Board process, will be discussed.

Intermediate statistics illustrated using examples from ecology. Topics include ANOVA, linear regression (simple and multiple), correlation, logistic regression, continency tables and noparametric methods. Techniques discussed in lectures and applied in laboratories.