Lakes, rivers, and streams are some of the most threatened ecosystems on Earth, and they provide critical ecosystem services: providing food and freshwater, regulating climate, and detoxifying pollutants. In this course, we will examine inland waters as ecological systems that interact with their drainage basin and the atmosphere. We will also explore how physical, chemical, and biological processes operate and impact the organisms found within each ecosystem. Case studies of real-world problems will be used to assess the effect of anthropogenic changes on inland waters and watersheds.
This elective will be taught with an in-person and an online component. Students will study streams on campus, learning how to characterize streams and study parameters like discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, sediment concentrations, nutrients, primary production, etc. Students will also do some lab work to support their field work. Students will write a research paper using primary literature, and will write up reports based on their on-campus research.
CLASS SCHEDULE: Monday nights, 6pm-10pm