GEOG 336 - Biogeography

Focuses on the factors that influence plant and animal distributions at scales ranging from population to biome. To set the stage for discussing the geography of life, students first examine the earth’s physical setting. This leads to consideration of the fundamental processes determining plant and animal distributions. The interactions among these processes are also examined, thereby introducing the concept of the ecosystem. The functions of an ecosystem are discussed with focuses on energy and matter flow, population dynamics, succession, and disturbance. The culmination of these processes is reflected in broad-scale geographic patterns. Thus, the characteristics of the major biomes are examined. Finally, because humans and the environment are inextricably linked, students explore several impacts humans have on the landscape, including fragmentation, extinction, and species introductions.

Credits: 1.00
Corequisite: None
Prerequisites: None
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: No First-year
Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Liberal Arts Practices: Quantitative and Algorithmic Reasoning and The Process of Writing
Core Component: None

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