ENSC 240 - Environmental Biology

Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-B2; Sustainability
Introduction to living organisms focusing on organismal interactions with their environment and with other organisms, relationships between organismal structure and function, effects of humans on biological diversity and ecosystems, and conservation of species.

Possible Instructional Methods: On-ground, or Hybrid or Online-Asynchronous.
Grading: A-F or CR/NC (student choice).
Breadth Area(s) Satisfied: GE-B2 - Lower Division Life Sciences, Overlay - Sustainability
Course Typically Offered: Fall & Spring

Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Will become familiar with two major organizing themes of biology: (a) evolution, and (b) ecology, with a focus on biodiversity and organism/environment interactions.
Explore the role of species (e.g., cyanobacteria, humans) in shaping global ecology, including biological and environmental impacts.
Identify the major “domains” and “kingdoms” of living organisms, give examples of species in each domain or kingdom, and discuss how environments influenced the evolution of life.
Identify organisms and adaptations that evolved in response to specific environmental conditions, and explain how organisms (including humans) influenced their environments.
Place organisms in their environmental context in biomes/ecosystems.
Express themselves clearly in project form on a biology-related topic of personal interest.

B2. Life Sciences Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate knowledge of scientific theories, concepts, and data about the life sciences;
demonstrate an understanding of scientific practices, including the scientific method; and
describe the potential limits of scientific endeavors, including the accepted standards and ethics associated with scientific inquiry.

Sustainability Overlay Learning Outcomes

identify the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability, either in general or in relation to a specific problem;
analyze interactions between human activities and natural systems;
describe key threats to environmental sustainability;
explain how individual and societal choices affect prospects for sustainability at the local, regional, and/or global levels.