BIOL 307 Island Biogeography in the Galapagos (SI)
In this course, students will examine the geographic, ecological, and evolutionary underpinnings of biodiversity on islands. Students will compare the species diversity in mainland Ecuador around Guayaquil to that of the Galapagos Islands and present their findings to the group. The course includes two rigorous hikes with camping (one in a tropical mainland location and one in the Galapagos) and hotel stays elsewhere. Students will use readings from conservation philosophy to examine themselves as individuals and as interconnected pieces of the ecological whole. Readings will include travel journals, and students will write their own travel journal that include their observations, drawings, and insights. The first week of the course will include lecture, research, and preparation on campus at Augustana.