BIOEE 4780

Ecosystem Biology and Global Change

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

Examines ecosystem structure, carbon and energy flow, and nutrient cycles, and how these processes respond to environmental variations. Reviews classic ecosystem experiments, and considers effects on ecosystems from human-driven environmental changes, such as climate change, air pollution, excess nitrogen use, and land-use change.

Prerequisites BIOEE 1610 or equivalent.

Distribution Requirements (BSC-AG, OPHLS-AG, SCH-AG), (BIO-AS)

Exploratory Studies (CU-SBY)

Last 4 Terms Offered 2023SP, 2021SP, 2019SP, 2017SP

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the theory and measurement of central processes in ecosystem ecology, across a range of ecosystems.
• Predict the response of these processes to variation in biotic and abiotic factors, such as light, water, nutrient supply, community structure, and disturbance.
• Apply understanding of ecosystem processes to predict the impacts of human-accelerated environmental change on ecosystem processes and function.
• Apply a quantitative approach to ecosystem biology.
• Critically evaluate literature on ecosystem ecology through regular reading assignments throughout the term.
• Synthesize information from the primary literature to address a central question of interest in ecosystem ecology.

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