Ecology and the Environment

BIOL 111/3.0

How to Apply
Trees near a body of water

Overview

Introduces the basic concepts of ecology and shows how they relate to environmental issues such as population growth, resource management, biodiversity, agriculture, air and water pollution, energy, and climate change, and to solutions leading to a sustainable environment. LEARNING HOURS 108 (36L;72P)

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be better equipped to:

  1. Describe the principal processes that sustain the planetary life support system
  2. Predict most likely future trends of current environmental problems and formulate potential solutions
  3. Describe the earth’s renewable and non-renewable resources, their current status, the factors that influence them and explain how humans can use them in more sustainable ways
  4.  Develop personal and interpersonal capacities in environmental studies: Collaboration, communication, ethical reasoning, and metacognitive skills
  5. Perform research related to environmental studies, write reports, and disseminate results to a general audience

Topics

  • Module 1: Introduction to Environmental Science
  • Module 2: Ecosystems and Food Webs
  • Module 3: Evolution and Biodiversity
  • Module 4: Strategies for Sustaining Biodiversity
  • Module 5: Population Control, the Human Population and its Impact
  • Module 6: Strategies for Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity
  • Module 7: Strategies for Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity
  • Module 8: Renewable and Non-renewable Energy
  • Module 9: Air and Water Pollution
  • Module 10: Climate Disruption and Ozone Depletion
  • Module 11: Social, Economic and Political Issues

Terms

Summer (May–July) 2024
Course Dates
–
Exam Dates (if applicable)
–
Delivery Mode
Online

Evaluation

15% - Tests(3)
20% - Extinction Data Collection (Individual) 
15% - Game-Based Learning (Group) 
15% - Debate/Controversial Issues - OR - Greenwashing (Individual with Interaction)
20% - Multimedia Presentation (Individual)
15% - Reflection (Individual)

**Evaluation Subject to Change**

Live Sessions

This course has optional live sessions (e.g. webinars, synchronous activities).

Textbook and Materials

ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at  to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.

Required Textbooks

  • Living in the Environment, 4th Canadian edition (2016) by Miller, G., Hackett, D., and Wolf, C. ()

    The publisher (Cengage) has extra study material that you can purchase. This is optional. You can get a 2 year access to the supplemental material here:

Time Commitment

Students can expect to spend approximately 9 hours a week (108 hours per term) in study, listening and online activity for this course.

Testimonials

"I really enjoyed this course. I took it as an elective to help me get into teacher’s college later, and I’m quite glad I did. It was the perfect blend of science and geography."
- Course evaluation, BIOL 111: Ecology and the Environment (2011)

Additional Information

NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.