FALL 2022 COURSES

AN 353D Evolution of the Human Diet, Instructor: K. Baustian

An anthropological exploration of the origins of human nutrition and subsistence practices and an examination of how social and technological innovations shape the modern diet.  Students will develop an understanding of selective pressures and anatomical adaptations for an omnivorous diet, investigate food-related cultural and technological practices, and learn about health consequences of prehistoric and modern food ways.  Students will investigate controversial issues such as food production and factory farming, inequality and food resources, and fad diets and veganism.  Drawing on primary literature and classroom discussions, students will be introduced to methods from anthropology and related disciplines and hone skills in literature reviews, research, oral presentations, writing, and critical thinking. 

BI 252 Conservation and Biodiversity, Instructor: S. Ratnayeke

This course covers the ecological and evolutionary bases of biodiversity while highlighting important links between biodiversity, environmental health, and human wellbeing. Special consideration will be given to rates and causes of extinction of species, hotspots of biodiversity, and modern threats to biodiversity.

Prerequisite: BI 108

BI 352 Colonization Biology, Instructor: J. Ness

Biology defines colonization as the actions of an organism to establish itself in an area, whereas other disciplines equate the term with the pejorative action of appropriating a place or domain for one's own use.  What ecological and evolutionary characteristics of organisms and destinations inform the distinctions between immigration and invasion?  The accelerations in global transportation networks, habitat alteration, climate-encouraged range expansions, and human-assisted migrations and re-introductions make this a compelling question.  This course explores the characteristics by which organisms – animals, plants, and microbes – discover and successfully navigate novel environments, and the associated lab explores colonization and associated consequences in river networks, islands, forests, and abandoned industrial sites. 

Prerequisites: one 200-level biology course, not including BI 299 or BI 275. 

ES 252D Landscape Dynamics: Environmental Change and Conservation in the Saratoga Region, Instructor: M. Gaige

The contemporary landscape is shaped by natural processes and human activities of the past. Beginning with the most recent glaciation ending ~12,000 years ago and ranging up to current land protection and conservation efforts, students will explore how the Saratoga region (broadly defined) came to be organized the way it has, why species occur where they do, and how land has developed as it has. Focus will be given to substrate conditions created by geological processes, natural ecological communities, and the past 300 years of agriculture and land use change. The framework established in this course will allow students to approach any landscape or region through its deep history and the dynamic interplay between the physical, biological, and cultural landscapes. There will be lab work and field trips.

Prerequisite: ES 100.

ES 352D Wicked Environmental Problems and Systemic Solutions, Instructor K. Covey

“Wicked problems” are challenges for which there is no optimal solution. In this in-depth field-intensive investigation of environmental management, students will explore the science of dynamic ecosystems and study the ways environmental managers tackle complex problems in the real world. How do we decide what we want from human dominated and natural systems now, and how do we manage them to ensure they provide what we need tomorrow? Can we balance functional resiliency with human health and prosperity? Lectures, field tours, and quantitative laboratory exercises investigate pressing global environmental challenges in a local context. Students will critically evaluate management strategies and explore practicable solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity, fire, landscape-scale conservation, and sustainable resource use through ecosystem-focused modules exploring natural and urban environments. One weekend field trip is mandatory.

Prerequisites: ES 205 or ES 206 or ES 252D (Regenerative Systems), or ES 100 and any 200-level natural science course. Note: Three hours of lecture, three hours of lab per week.

GE 205 Intro to Energy Resources, Instructor: J. Cholnoky

Where would we be as a society or even a species without energy? Our ability to produce and harness energy allows us to live in all kinds of climates, extend our productive hours in a day, and keep our food fresh. This course will introduce you to a variety of energy resources – how they are identified, explored, and harnessed to produce power. You will learn about the geologic processes that concentrate materials and/or processes in a way that they can be useful for energy generation and how we use that knowledge to optimize our use of them. We will consider how energy generation has environmental, economic, societal, and political impacts. You will use the course information as a springboard to think critically about how and why different energy resources are used and contextualize how various energy resources fit into our overall energy system.