CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN EVOLUTION: AFRICAN SAVANNA ECOLOGY AND PALEOECOLOGY

Credit Hours: 2 · Undergraduate Upper-Level

This short, intensive summer field course offers students the unique opportunity for first-hand examination of the ecology of the east African savanna biome both today and throughout the past 15 million years. The major focus of the course is to understand how changes in climate impacted the flora and fauna of the region in ways that influenced the evolution of hominins, the group that includes modern humans, as well as the effects of recent and ongoing climate change on both wildlife and people. Students will learn methodologies and gain practical experience in the fields of ecology, paleontology, and paleoanthropology. Activities will include observing wildlife in natural ecosystems including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park and participating in paleontological excavations at Olduvai Gorge— all UNESCO World Heritage Sites in northern Tanzania. By examining both the dynamics of the modern African savanna ecosystem and the paleoecology of the region, this course provides both a way of understanding our origins as well as a glimpse into our possible future in a rapidly changing world. Instructor Permission Required. Cross-list: BIOS 323 . Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for ANTH 323 if student has credit for ANTH 523.