ENVS-Environmental Studies

Intended to provide a perspective on the entire range of substantive, analytic, and professional concerns represented in the environmental studies curriculum. All of the current faculty participate in the course; thus it conveys both the diversity and the integrity of the field.

Intensive field course designed for first-year students to gain hands-on experience in our campus and Big Creek Natural Reserves. Four-day field trip accompanied by readings and discussion on ecology and conservation of central coast habitats. College Eight students are encouraged to enroll.

Introduction to geography, geology, climate, hydrology, biotic communities, flora, wildlife, and scenic and recreational resources of the Santa Cruz mountains. Orientation in the field to the peaks, ridges, rivers, creeks, watersheds, vegetation, public lands, trail systems, and land uses of the range enables students to become familiar with natural history and ecology of the mountains.

Principles of ecology are presented as they relate to the current threats to Earth's life-support systems. Ecology is seen as a way of understanding the causes and the long-term solutions for environmental problems. Designed for non-science majors.

A broad overview of both ecological and social aspects related to tropical rain forests drawing on case studies worldwide. Topics include the biology and distribution of rain forests, causes and effects of their destruction, and management options to facilitate their conservation.

Addresses contemporary domestic and international environmental issues through use of feature, animated, and documentary films. Discussions focus on how environmental problems and solutions are depicted in visual media and the impacts on public opinion.

Interdisciplinary two-credit seminar designed to introduce students to concepts of community and agroecology in the context of sustainability. Course can serve as a gateway to or as a continuing basis for participation in PICA (Program in Community and Agroecology). Specific topics and readings change each quarter.

Supervised research or organized projects for lower-division students conducted off campus within regular commuting distance of the campus. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Provides for department-sponsored individual field study for lower-division students in the vicinity of the campus under the direct supervision of a faculty sponsor. May not be counted toward major requirements. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Evolution, ecology, and behavior of mammals, emphasizing a habitat/biome approach within the traditional study of systematics, physiology, and natural history. Focus on adaptations to selected environments and on major terrestrial communities of North America. Examples of field studies and conservation issues.

The evolution, anatomy, physiology, reproduction, behavior, ecology, and systematics of amphibians and reptiles. Emphasis on conservation and management. Lecture/lab/field projects. Student teams read and present topics from research literature in a partial seminar format.

Taxonomy, species identification, and functional morphology with emphasis on terrestrial species of North America. Topics include dentition, claws and nails, horns and antlers, locomotion, reproduction, sensory specializations, and field techniques. Concurrent enrollment in course 106C is required.

A second course in statistics for the environmental sciences. Topics cover design of experiments and observational surveys, descriptive statistics, (histogram, average, standard deviation, and normal approximation), measurement uncertainty, regression, correlation, formal probability theory, sampling, and tests of significance. An introductory statistics course and calculus through integration are required preparation. Permission to take this course will be granted to those who pass a basic skills test to be given on the first day.

Field and laboratory exercises are designed to test hypotheses or demonstrate principles in areas such as behavior, mutualism theory, community ecology, and agricultural ecology. Experimental design, analysis and interpretation of data are emphasized along with observational skills.

Laboratory and field studies allow students to learn the taxonomy of important useful plant families, carry out field studies on local plant use and management practices, and investigate in detail home garden agroecosystems and model systems.

Trains students in the concepts and skills required to make decisions about energy production.

Assessment of local, state, and federal environmental agency performance, with particular attention to regulatory development and compliance enforcement. Emphasis on successes and failures of both traditional environmental regulations and new policy approaches. Students examine various industry responses to environmental regulations, each case set in the context of overall business performance and sustainability.

The primary objective is to enhance an understanding of environmental issues as elements of social processes. Using sustainable development as conceptual framework, identifies linkages between the empirical manifestation of environmental problems at the U.S.-Mexico border and socioeconomic issues associated with them at the local, transnational, and global levels.

Provides hands-on experience in restoration ecology to complement lecture material in course 160. Students work on implementing, monitoring, and evaluating a number of restoration projects in the vicinity of UCSC. Concurrent enrollment in course 160 is required.

Soil management in agroecosystems with an emphasis on enhancing and maintaining soil quality. Emphasis placed on influence of soil properties on crop development and productivity. Topics include conservation, tillage, fertilization, disease suppression, organic matter management, irrigation, and simulation models.

Surveys the rapid development of genetic engineering science and biotechnology-based industries and examines the economic, health, environmental, legal, and social justice dimensions of new biotechnology applications: genetic screening, cloning, transgenic animals and crops, genetically engineered food, and biodiversity prospecting. Readings, lectures, World Wide Web site reviews, student presentations, and papers will address controversial choices faced now by scientists, farmers, doctors, consumers, public officials, and global governance agencies.

Involves independent and group field projects investigating ecology and conservation of rare plants. Also introduces students to the primary literature in plant ecology and conservation. Prior course work in conservation biology, ecology, and plant systematics is recommended. Offered in conjunction with courses 162 and 195B.

Supervised learning experience working with the faculty and staff, utilizing facilities of the UCSC Arboretum. Students learn general horticultural techniques through work at the Arboretum. They also gain specialized knowledge of plant conservation, systematics, habitat restoration, and plant care. Prerequisite(s): course 100 or Biology 20C and permission of instructor.

Supervised research or organized projects relating to environmental problems, supplemented by guided individual study. May be repeated for credit with consent of the chairperson of environmental studies. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Provides for department-sponsored individual field study in the vicinity of the campus under the direct supervision of a faculty sponsor. May not be counted toward major requirements. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Through selected readings, explores natural reserve and biodiversity management. Completion of an individual/team project related to University of California, Santa Cruz, natural reserves (campus, Younger Lagoon, Fort Ord). Project focus may be on reserve planning and policy, ecological diversity, design and management, or program development. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L. Enrollment restricted to senior environmental studies majors and by permission of instructor.

Introduction to some of the tools in environmental policy analysis, ranging from quantitative techniques (drawing on economics and statistics) to cross-cutting, qualitative designs. Students perform policy analysis exercises throughout the quarter and evaluate normative dimensions of competing analytic techniques. Prerequisite(s): instructor determination based on student's academic background.

Introduction to the conceptual and empirical tools used in analysis of the economic geography of rural resource-based activities, such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Students learn to investigate the structure of local production activities and their linkages with regional, national, and global institutions and markets.

Advanced readings and research on environmental risk and public choice and policy. Builds on course 172 and explores the values and choices implicit in conventional risk assessment methodologies as well as those in emergent alternatives, such as the precautionary principle. Prerequisite(s): course 172 and interview to determine level of preparation and appropriateness of background. Enrollment restricted to senior and graduate environmental studies majors and Earth sciences, biology, and economics combined majors.

Explores a range of approaches to examine agroecosystem function and concepts of sustainability. The Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems farm and its surrounding habitat will be the major focus of independent or group field research, but off-site locations may also be studied. Students will learn field and analytical techniques, formulate a research project, design a data collection scheme, conduct research, and provide a written analysis and discussion of their results. Prerequisite(s): course 130A or 130B.

Using developing countries as an analytical framework, studies problems created by pollution, the use of natural resources, and environmental disasters, as well as the socioeconomic issues associated with them at the local, regional, and global level. Enrollment restricted to senior majors in environmental studies and the combined majors in Earth sciences, biology and economics; interview to determine level of preparation and appropriateness of background.

Interdisciplinary investigation of a local/regional water management issue. Students work individually and in teams to identify and characterize a water management issue. Students study how the issue is currently being handled and then propose and describe alternative management approaches. Environmental studies majors have first priority; open to Earth sciences majors.

Analyzes selected topics in policy issues surrounding sustainable development in developing countries. Theoretical issues/definitions of sustainability will be examined, and concrete cases of environmental and natural resource policy choices will be analyzed. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor only with assessment of level and suitability of prior coursework.

This course combines directed field research with independent research projects to examine plant responses to the environment. Students will be introduced to the operation of specialized instrumentation under field conditions. Students will develop a research hypothesis, design an experiment, collect data, and produce a written review of their results.

This course involves supervised individual and group interdisciplinary research on ecological and social justice dimensions of food production and community food security in the Monterey Bay region. Students are expected to actively engage with regional actors, local agencies, and community programs. Prerequisite(s): interview to determine background and interest in doing advanced field research on local agro-food issues with assessment of quality of work in relevant courses.

Faculty-facilitated research projects conducted within a central theme to satisfy the senior exit writing requirement. Themes have theoretical and applied components and encompass multiple disciplinary approaches. Examples include Forest Ecology and Exploitation and Transgenic technologies: Science and Policy. Prerequisite(s): student must present theme-based research ideas in interview with instructor.

Students present an idea for a project, review relevant literature, develop a research question/hypothesis, design and execute an experiment, collect and analyze data, and write a report. The instructor evaluates the feasibility of each student's project initially. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor only with assessment of level and suitability of prior coursework. Enrollment restricted to seniors.

Interdisciplinary research seminar examining scientific theory and practice of organic agriculture in both biological and social contexts. Research emphasis placed on ecology of organically-managed agroecosystems and the growing market and consumption of organic commodities. Prerequisite(s): course 129, or 130A or 133 or 161; interview to determine level of preparation and appropriateness of background. Enrollment restricted to senior environmental studies majors and the combined majors with biology, Earth sciences, and economics.

Student's supervision is conducted by a regularly appointed officer of instruction by means other than usual supervision in person (e.g., by correspondence) or student is doing all or most of the course work off campus. Prerequisite(s): suitable preparation for fieldwork and facility and competence in subject matter area; students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Provides for department-sponsored individual field study off campus for which faculty supervision is not in person but by correspondence. May not be counted toward major requirements. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Explores geographic information systems as the technology of digital processing of spatial data, including subsystems of input, storage and retrieval, manipulation and analysis, and data reporting and map output. Applications emphasize GIS as a decision support system for environmental problem solving.

Focuses on the economy's utilization of natural resources and ecosystems from the perspectives of New Institutional Economics (NIE) and Ecological Economics (EE). Concepts and tools from NIE and EE are introduced and then explored in the context of the extraction, transformation, transfer (sale), end-use, and deposition/recycling of natural resources. Open to advanced undergraduates with instructor permission.

Examines the property rights bases of environmental change and resource-based conflict. Early sessions offer a theoretical understanding of property rights. Subsequent sessions apply the theory to local, national, and international environmental issues and conflicts. Companion course to course 260/Economics 275.

Advanced readings and research on environmental risk and public policy. Explores environmental decision making given the question of the burden of proof and scientific uncertainty and grapples, in an advanced manner, with emergent policy alternatives, such as the precautionary principle. Also offered as course 291C for 3 credits.