Course Description

Fundamentals of ecology, considering Earth as an integrated dynamic system.

• Coevolution of the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and oceans.
• Introduction to thermodynamics.
• The Earth's energy budget.
• Photosynthesis and respiration.
• The hydrologic, carbon and nitrogen cycles.
• Flow of energy and materials through ecosystems, regulation of the distribution and abundance of organisms, structure and function of ecosystems. Evolution and natural selection; metabolic diversity; productivity.
• Trophic dynamics; models of population growth, competition, mutualism and predation.

One of the 7.012x classes is recommended.