SCI1270 BCB: Biomes, Climate Change, and Biodiversity
Biology, by definition, is the study of life. In this course we will travel from the biosphere to the molecular level as we learn about how life works and the intersections between global warming and the resultant changes to climate that affect all organisms that inhabit planet Earth. Student experience will preference hands-on project-based learning including an experiential learning opportunity in the biology laboratory, in the kitchen laboratory learning how to prepare nutritious meatless meals, and there may be opportunities for fieldwork. There will be several student designed projects that encourage creativity and depth of understanding of topics of interest. Basic principles of genetics, evolution and molecular biology will form a framework for comprehensive understanding and from which biodiversity will be studied and biomes understood. Appreciation for the diversity and kinship of all living organisms is one important outcome and it also requires that all of us understand the obligation to stewardship of the earth through efforts to mitigate climate change and make room for wildlife. This course is for anyone interested in the sustainability of our planet from the perspective of biology. As such the course content is inextricably linked to topics such as environmental justice, agricultural practices, and human population growth. This course will fulfill the biology requirement, or it can be used as an E: Sustainability concentration elective.
Hours
4-3-5