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GEOS 335

GEOS 335
BIOGEOGRAPHY

Catalog Entry

GEOS 335. Biogeography. (PS)
Three hours lecture (3)

Prerequisites: GEOS 130; or BIOL 105, 215, or 216; or permission of the instructor.

Study of the processes influencing the distribution patterns of terrestrial organisms. Introduction to applied biogeography.

Note(s): Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course.

 

Detailed Description of Course Content

Examination of the major processes influencing the distribution and abundance of terrestrial organisms at continental and biome scales. Includes concepts from evolutionary biology, taxonomy, ecology, and historical geology, as well as geography. The course also introduces students to the relevance of these concepts in various aspects of applied biogeography.

 

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

This is a three-hour lecture course. Discussion is encouraged. Exercises and--during some semesters--optional field trips are used.

 

Goals and Objectives of the Course

The geography major and other non-science majors will gain an appreciation of the variety and the dynamics of the natural world. By the end of the course the student is expected to have developed a basic vocabulary in ecology and biogeography; to be able to describe the distribution and nature of earth's major biomes; and to be able to formulate sound hypotheses to explain or predict the ever-changing distribution patterns of living organisms.

 

Assessment Measures

Two midterm examinations, a set of exercises, and a comprehensive final exam evaluate the extent to which students have achieved the goals and objectives of the course. Examinations require short answer and essay responses and typically include definitions of terms, application of concepts, and mapping or diagramming biogeographic patterns.

 

Other Course Information

NONE.

 

APPROVAL AND SUBSEQUENT REVIEWS

DATE ACTION APPROVED BY

September 2005 Reviewed Bernd H. Kuennecke

February, 2010

March 01, 2021