BIODIVERSITY AND GLOBAL CHANGE

ENTOM 450

Covers population and community ecology, plant-insect interactions, insect biodiversity and biogeography, and applied ecology. Weaves basic ecological theory and principles with their application to entomological problems such as conservation, biological control, agriculture, and insect-vectored diseases of plants and humans. Uses current entomological and ecological scientific literature and draws on examples from a broad range of natural and managed ecosystems. Broadens from pairwise species interactions (e.g., a predator and its prey) to the entire community of organisms and their physical environment. Emphasizes the theoretical principles and historical background underlying the various topics with a link to potential applications in agriculture, conservation, pest management, and/or invasion biology.

ENVIRST 251

Ecology is the study of relationships in the natural world, many of which are increasingly being altered by human activities. These disruptions modify the environment on a global scale, affecting populations and communities of plants, animals, and other organisms, and making Earth increasingly inhospitable for life, including for humans. Explore the natural world and humans' role within it, as both instigators and managers of global environmental change.

BOTANY/GEOG 338

Explores how physical and biological factors affect the distribution of terrestrial biomes, ecosystem types, and biodiversity, as well as the role of disturbance and recent human activities on differences in past and modern day species distributions.

F&WECOL/ZOOLOGY 660

The evidence that the Earth's climate is changing at unprecedented rates is now overwhelming. Environmental tipping points are being crossed and many species are adapting or failing to adapt. Climate change poses a significant problem for conserving and managing wildlife and their habitats. Climate change, its ecological impacts, and the principle of climate change adaptation in natural resources conservation will be discussed.

ENVIRST/F&WECOL/ZOOLOGY 360

A comprehensive treatment of the ecology, causes, and consequences of species extinction. Ecology and problems of individual species, habitat alteration and degradation, socio-economic pressures and conservation techniques and strategies.