Stream Ecology
BIOL 4241 – Offered in the Fall term, alternate years only (i.e., 2020, 2022)
Stream ecology is the study of running water systems which includes streams, drains and rivers. We will take a holistic approach to learning about their structure, function and management. We will explore both the physical properties and biotic responses in streams and rivers, including watershed geomorphology, energy processing, behavioural adaptations of organisms, and interactions among organisms across global ecosystems. Guest lectures will be included to provide broader perspectives of this interdisciplinary field. Assessments will emphasize scientific writing and interpretation skills through navigation of the primary literature, exploration and interpretation of datasets, and in applying fundamental concepts to applied management contexts.
Course Goals:
By the end of this course, students will:
Understand fundamental concepts and terminology used in stream ecology
Understand how running waters are structured and function at a range of scales, and across a watershed
Understand how biological systems influence and are influenced by running water systems
Understand biotic and abiotic interactions in running water systems
Understand the impacts of human actions (land use, climate change) on critical stream and river processes, transformations and biodiversity
Understand and be familiar with the primary literature in stream ecology, confidently discuss the relevance of their findings to problem-solving and applied issues
Develop critical skills needed to read, interpret and analyse ecological data and apply them to environmental problem-solving
Engage in interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional thinking on issues related to freshwater science and management
