Biology 117: Environmental Science

Fall 2001

Dr. Renee Godard T/Th 10:30-12:00

Dana 211, x6457 Dana 201

Office Hours: MW 10:30-11:30, TTh 10:00-10:30

Text: Miller, G. Tyler , 2001. Environmental Science - Working with the Earth, 8^th edition. Brooks/Cole. Pacific Grove, Ca.

Course objectives: Humans, more than any other species on earth, have developed the ability to modify their environment. This ability has resulted in beautiful music, global warming, glorious art, unprecedented extinction rates of other species, impressive buildings and bridges, loss of ancient forests, bountiful food production, drought & famine, intricate protection from disease, and the evolution of more virulent strains of viruses to name a few. Evidence today suggests that in our quest to manipulate the world around us, we are consuming resources and degrading critical resources at an unsustainable rate while making critical changes to the ecosystems that sustain us.

In this environmental science lecture/laboratory course we will explore the environment. We will examine how organisms and communities function under natural conditions as well as how they function under the influences of humans. With a foundation in basic principles of the natural sciences, we will explore a variety of topics including: community ecology, extinction rates, global warming, genetic modification of organisms, acid rain, toxicology, water pollution, solid waste management, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. Though grounded in the natural sciences, a course in environmental science cannot ignore the social and cultural world. As such, in this course we will also consider aspects of constitutional law, ethics, political science, religion, art, economics and history.

By the end of this course, you should have a basic understanding of the pressing environmental issues confronting our generation. You should also have improved on your skills of observation of organisms in the world around you, developed an understanding of how to carry out a basic scientific research project (including the collection of data using the appropriate methodology and instrumentation, analysis of results and interpretation of findings) and gained confidence in analyzing environmental problems using a scientific approach.

Course structure: This course will include lecture, discussion and laboratory projects (both in and outside of class). Lectures will use powerpoint which will enable you to review slides on the Hollins intranet (Click on Other Online Courses, then on Division III, then on Biology). Powerpoint lectures however provide only a sketch of the topics covered in class. As such it is essential that you attend every class in order to have a full understanding of the material as well as to participate in daily class discussions. Some class days will be solely lecture/discussion, others will have a combination of lecture/discussion and hands-on laboratory work and some will be solely devoted to hands-on laboratory/field work.

You will have three exams, as indicated on the syllabus. You are also responsible for an independent natural history project, one research project and write-up and ten question/analyses problem sets that focus on laboratory and lecture/discussion work.

You are expected to attend every class and to have studied and prepared for assigned topics and laboratories. I will monitor attendance and I expect you to turn in all assigned work on time. Failure to attend class and turn in work and take exams on time will result in significant penalties to your final grade. If you are unavoidably absent (serious illness, death in the family, participation in a Hollins sanctioned event,…) you should discuss your situation with me as soon as it arises.

Course grade

Assignment

Point Score

Exams (3 @ 100 points each)

300

Natural History Project

Acid Deposition Lab Scientific Write-up

(First Draft and Final Paper)

Questions and Analyses from labs and discussions

(10 top scores @ 10 points each)

100

TOTAL

540

Syllabus

Date	Topic	Reading
8-30	Course Introduction (Acid Deposition Lab - Explanation)
9-4	Setting the Stage: A Glance at Environmental Issues	Chapter 1
9-6	How the World Works: Ecosystems & Food Webs	Chapter 4 (84-99)
9-11	How the World Works: Nutrient Cycles & Soils	Chapter 4 (99-107)
9-13	How the World Works: Evolution & Biodiversity	Chapter 5 (109-120)
9-18	Natural History Project - Looking at the World	Meet outside by Carvin's Creek across from Dana
9-20	How the World Works: Community Processes	Chapter 5 (120-134)
9-25	How the World Works: Climates & Biomes	Chapter 6 (135-155)
9-27	How the World Works: Populations Due: 3 of 10 species summaries for Natural History Project	Chapter 7
10-2	Review and Synthesis
10-4	EXAM 1: How the World Works
10-9	Environmental Concerns: Human Populations	Chapter 9
10-11	Fall Break
10-16	Environmental Concerns: Human Health and Environmental Change	Chapter 8
10-18	ENERGY & Environment: Fossil Fuel Dependence & Nuclear Power	Chapter 19
10-23	ENERGY & Environment: Air Pollution	Chapter 10
10-25	ENERGY & Environment: Global Warming and Ozone Depletion	Chapter 11
Date	Topic	Reading
10-30	ENERGY & Environment: Improving Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy	Chapter 20
11-1	Review and Synthesis
11-6	EXAM 2: Human populations, health and energy
11-8	Environmental Concerns: Water Resources and Pollution (Water Pollution Lab)	Chapter 12
11-13	Environmental Concerns: Solid & Hazardous Waste - NIMBY	Chapter 14
11-15	Food: Resources, Pest Control & Genetic Modification Due: Natural History Project (last 7 of 10 species)	Chapters 15 & 16
	Thanksgiving Break
11-27	Food: Genetic Modification (Lab) Due: Draft of Acid Deposition Lab	Chapters 15 & 16
11-29	Sustaining Wild Places	Chapter 17
12-4	Sustaining Species	Chapter 18
12-6	Review and Synthesis Due: Final Paper Acid Deposition Lab
Dec 11^th 9:00a.m.	EXAM 3: Water, solid waste, food resources and sustaining species & ecosystems