Ecology: Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation
Course Overview
This course is described as an introduction to ecology, the science of ecology, and to ecosystem dynamics using a systems thinking lens. These topics and more are to be explored through the case study of Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park.
The weeks are divided into the following:
- Can an Ecosystem Recover?
- How Do We Study Populations?
- How Do Species Coexist?
- How is an Ecosystem a System?
- Can an Ecosystem Recover? (conclusion)
Reasons for Taking This Course
I chose to take this course because I found it to be an interesting topic I should learn more about. I want to work in environmental chemistry, so it is important that I am able to understand the complexities of different ecosystems and how different organisms interact with one another. I have taken general biology and field botany, but this course seems like the area of biology I am most interested in. This course also seems like it will enhance my problem solving skills by allowing me to think on the small scale and also to think about how that ties into the grand scheme of nature. This course, while it will not count for my environmental studies minor, should help me to understand environmental discussions and topics better as well. It is important to me that I become a well-rounded scientist who is capable of looking at problems through different lenses. The ecological lens seems like the perfect tool for me to add to my theoretical "toolbox" of skills.
Interesting Takeaways
This class taught me quite a bit of terminology I was not previously aware of, as someone with little biology background. Additionally, I learned how different types of organisms interact with each other, themselves, and their physical environment. I previously had little knowledge of the field of ecology, but this class helped teach me how ecologists collect data, come to conclusions, and make change based on these conclusions. This class also included ethical aspects of ecology such as what kind of environmental and fiscal changes would be most beneficial to those who live in surrounding communities. This is an aspect of science in general that can often be overlooked by both scientists and policy makers, so this class helped me to become more aware of how scientific discoveries can impact people on a day to day basis. This class also covered some mathematical models to population control and how using different software can help ecologists monitor populations. I found this interesting because previously I did not consider ecology to be a field that could benefit from mathematics and computer programs. I did end up seeing some overlap between the way we talk about chemistry and the way we talk about ecology. For example, systems were brought up quite often in this course which was a theme in my physical chemistry class as well. Another great example is discussions on the flow of energy. In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed taking this course and I believe I will be able to apply much of what I learned to my classes and career.