Ecosystem Analysis students on the Richardson property Ecosystem Analysis enclosure on marsh, to exclude rain Ecosystem Analysis students sampling plankton on the Hudson River

Courses

Ecosystem science provides a unique vantage point from which scientists can approach complex adaptive systems. The basis of ecosystem science is to determine how patterns in biological processes emerge from interactions between organisms and the abiotic environment. This course introduces the ecosystem concept, investigates the structure and function of ecological systems, studies the response of systems to changing environmental conditions and applies resulting knowledge to preservation and management issues. Presentation is balanced between terrestrial and aquatic/marine systems.

A field-based overview of major themes in the study of ecosystems, including biogeochemistry, primary productivity, and relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function. Special topics include trophic dynamics and impacts of global change on ecosystem structure and function. Experimental, descriptive, and analytical approaches are explored through field-based group and independent projects focused on New England ecosystems. Syllabus.

This course explores abiotic and biotic controls on the cycling of water and chemicals within watershed systems. Students will gain an understanding of the coupled roles of climate, hydrology, and biogeochemistry in regulating the fate of nutrients, carbon, and pollutants in watersheds. The class will also feature six guest lectures on issues at the forefront of watershed science. Upon successful completion of the course, students will have acquired scientific knowledge that is relevant to interpreting watershed-based observations and to informing watershed-management decisions.