BIOL 3220

Defined as "the direct knowledge of organisms in their environments," natural history remains a critical link between science and society. In this course, students learn to identify the dominant flora and fauna, as well as their patterns of distribution, in key ecosystems throughout southern British Columbia (or another regional location). Students synthesize key climatic, geological and biotic processes responsible for the observed patterns. Through close reading and emulation of writer-naturalists, students relate the science of natural history to a larger human truth or societal concern. In addition, students evaluate the changing relationship between humans and their inhabited landscapes by considering such topics as invasive species, habitat fragmentation and climate change.