Biology 105. Environmental Biology.

Current Environmental Issues

Elizabeth Thomas 5110 Life Sciences Building 293-5201, extension 31543 Beth.Thomas@mail.wvu.edu Office Hours: MWF 12:00 1:00 TR 11:00 12:00 Or by appointment

Electronic Access to Course Support Materials All information needed for Biology 105 is accessible through the internet at the following URL: http://www.as.wvu.edu/~bio105 Use this homepage as the entry point for readings, learning objectives, practice quizzes, etc.

Syllabus
Module Topic

Introduction to the Class & Instructor Overview of Environmental Concepts 1 State of the World Human Population Earth Capital Natural Resources Renewable Solar, Wind Non-renewable Coal, Oil Potentially Renewable water, soil Ecosystem Services Processes Biogeochemical Cycles Redundancy & Biodiversity Environmental Degradation Society and Fossil Fuels Global Change Ozone Layer & UV Radiation CFCs and Ozone Depletion Carbon Dioxide & Global Warming Biodiversity & Introduced Species

Ecosystem Components Abiotic Biotic Species Interactions Habitat Adaptation The Biomes of North America Energy & Matter Cycles in Ecosystems Primary Productivity Simple Ecosystem Models

Case Studies of Environmental Problems 4 The Georges Bank An Introduction to Ocean Ecosystems Resources Ground Fisheries Structure & Function Energy Flow Ocean Ecosystem Issues Resource Over-Exploitation Population Dynamics Cod & Haddock Fisheries Sustainable Yield Coral Reefs Coral Reefs Where and Why Resources Coral Structure and Function Coral Reef Problems Ocean Pollution Land-Water Connections Chesapeake Bay Watershed An Introduction to Coastal Ecosystems Resources Shell Fisheries Structure & Function Habitat for Fisheries SAV Water Purification Estuarine Problems Resource Exploitation American Oyster & Striped Bass Urbanization & Suburbanization Loss of Watershed Processing Water Pollution Issues Eutrophication Pfiesteria - The Cell from Hell

The Great Lakes An Introduction to Lake Ecosystems Resources Water Structure & Function Eutrophic versus Oligotrophic Why are the Great Lakes Great? The Watershed Environmental Problems in the Great Lakes Chemicals and Bioamplification Introduced Species Sea Lamprey, Zebra Mussels Trends and Outlook The Eastern Deciduous Forest An Introduction to Forest Ecosystems Resources Timber Structure & Function Succession The Nitrogen Cycle Role in the Carbon & Hydrologic Cycles Environmental Problems in the Forest Introduced Species Chestnut Blight (role of biodiversity) Air Pollution & the Nitrogen Cycle Logging & Mining

Major Concepts Highlighted in Each Module 1 State of the World Concepts: The History & Nature of Human Population Growth Types of Natural Resources Natures Services Human Impact on Nature

Global Climate Change Factors Concepts: Human Impacts on Major Earth Systems Ozone depletion Global warming Biodiversity Ecosystem Components Concepts: Abiotic & Biotic Factors Habitat The Nature of Biogeochemical Cycles The Carbon Cycle Georges Bank Fisheries Concepts: Food Webs Population Dynamics Sustainable Yield Coral Reefs Concepts: Productivity and Biodiversity Hotspots Symbiotic Associations Marine Pollution

The Chesapeake Bay Concepts: The Hydrologic Cycle Land-Water Interactions Eutrophication The Great Lakes Concepts: Chemical Pollutants & Bioamplification Introduced Species

The Eastern Deciduous Forest Concepts: Forest Succession The Nitrogen Cycle Importance of Biodiversity Air Pollution Impacts