Environmental Science

Environmental Science is a year long course that includes one semester of Physical Resources and one semester of Ecology.

Physical Resources explores the complex relationships between humans and their environment. Recurring themes include interconnection of the systems that constitute our environment, material and energy cycling, and the question of what is sustainable. Specific topics include water resources, energy sources, soil and food resources, local and global pollution and global climate change. This class involves a significant field component, augmented by in-class labs and modeled simulations. Each student is responsible for weekly assignments, lab reports and a final project.

Ecologyintroduces students to the principal concepts and processes that operate in ecological systems. Beginning with simple interactions between water, the atmosphere, and basic life processes (respiration and photosynthesis), the course develops a dynamic view of ecosystems, covering the principles of energy flow and the cycling of matter, population dynamics, trophic interactions, ecological networks and community change. The course concludes with a brief consideration of human impacts on these global processes and environmental change. Both lab and fieldwork will provide opportunities for students to investigate these concepts and processes in-depth – students will gain experience in experimental design, modeling and statistical interpretation of data.