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ENVS
149 - Spring 2009 Syllabus |
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| Date | Topics | Reading (Miller 12th ed.) | Assignments |
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red - homework assignments green - termpaper assignments brown - reading assignments |
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week 1 |
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| Jan 20 | intro
stuff, overview, hypotheses, predictions, scientific method and such |
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| Jan 22 | linear
- exponential growth economic growth natural capital, sustainability ecological footprint |
Chapter 1 - env. problems President Obama's new science advisor and a famous bet some background |
correlation between academic and
athletic success (due in class 01-27) start ecological footprint exercise |
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week 2 |
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| Jan 27 |
discussion of term paper topics, scientific method - one more time, basic properties of matter, energy, basic thermodynamic laws, recycling of matter and energy |
Chapter 2 - science, matter, energy |
select collaborators for
term paper
read: |
| Jan 29 | |||
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week 3 |
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| Feb 3 | definition of a system, ecosystem components, trophic levels, flow of energy and matter in ecosystems, importance of biodiversity, study of ecosystems | Chapter 3 - ecosystems | paper topics (due in class) |
| Feb 5 | |||
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week 4 |
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| Feb 10 |
overview of evolution - evidence for evolution,
controls on evolution, ecological niches, geological record,
extinction, speciation survival of the fittest, smartest, luckiest? |
Chapter 4 - evolution and biodiversity |
read: Evolution "for the Good of the Group" (used by permission from Sigma Xi) |
| Feb 12 |
one reading worksheet per person (due in class) |
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week 5 |
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| Feb 17 | the earth's climate, effect on biodiversity | Chapter 5 - climate and biodiversity |
ecological footprint exercise (due in class today) |
| Feb 19 | no class | ||
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week 6 |
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| Feb 24 | biodiversity and stability of ecosystems / communities | Chapter 6 - community / population ecology | extended outline and annotated bibliography (due in class) |
| Feb 26 | Trinity Days - no class | ||
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week 7 |
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| Mar 3 | human population growth, carrying capacity of earth, controls on population size, age structures, control of population growth, population distribution on earth, sustainability issues |
Chapter 7 - human population growth Population Growth and Tricky Graphs (used by permission from Sigma Xi) |
read: Rethinking Population |
| Mar 5 | |||
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week 8 |
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| Mar 10 | human influences on biodiversity, ecosystem management, deforestation, expanse of agriculture, value of forests/ 'wastelands', national parks, wildlife preserves, priorities for conservation | Chapter 8 - ecosystem approach to biodiversity |
read: Preserving Biodiversity Coldspots (used by permission from Sigma Xi) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities (used by permission from Sigma Xi) |
| Mar 12 | preservation of species, value of biodiversity | Chapter 9 - species approach to biodiversity |
manuscript submission for peer review (electronic
submission)
read: |
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week 9 |
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| Mar 17 | Spring Break | ||
| Mar 19 | |||
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week 10 |
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| Mar 24 | history of agriculture, the Green Revolution, agribusiness, sustainability of large-scale agriculture | Chapter 10 - food and agriculture |
peer reviews (due in class)
read: |
| Mar 26 | |||
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week 11 |
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| Mar 31 | water cycle, major water reservoirs, distribution of useable water, stress on aquifers, effects of dams, water quality, sustainable use of water, sewage treatment, eutrophication, | Chapter 11 - water | read: water quality in Gaza irrigation in Israel |
| Apr 2 | |||
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week 12 |
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| Apr 7 | mineral resources, geology for dummies, effects of mining, mineral resources in the future, sustainable use | Chapter 12 - non-renewable resources |
Analyzing data: Fuel Efficiency and Gasoline Prices (due 4-14 in class) |
| Apr 9 | |||
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week 13 |
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| Apr 14 | fossil fuels, Hubbert's peak, size of reservoirs, ecological impact, alternative fuels, nuclear power, sustainability issues | Chapter 13 - energy resources |
Oil in the ANWR (due 4-21 in class) |
| Apr 16 | human health and the environment, natural, anthropogenic hazards, perception of risk | Chapter 14 - human health | final termpaper (due in class) |
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week 14 |
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| Apr 21 | atmosphere and climate, air pollution, effects of global warming, measures against global warming | Chapter 15 - atmosphere and climate | |
| Apr 23 | |||
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week 15 |
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| Apr 28 | poster session | ||
back to ENVS 149 |
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