DISTURBANCE ECOLOGY
An introduction to fire, wind, flooding, disease, insects and other disturbance regimes that serve as primary drivers of the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. Discusses how these disturbances interact, using case studies and data that highlight the role of disturbance in different ecosystems (e.g. grasslands, forests, tundra) with a focus on the ecosystem services they provide. Discusses and critiques management strategies used to mitigate biotic and abiotic disturbances, gaining critical insights from the literature as well as personal perspectives and experiences.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130 , ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY/BOTANY 151 , BIOCORE 381 , or graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Breadth - Biological Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify what characteristics are necessary to refer to an event as a disturbance and clearly define ways in which disturbances are categorized Audience: Undergraduate 2. Determine and discuss mechanisms underlying different disturbance regimes in the context of ecological theory and observations Audience: Undergraduate 3. Interpret, critique, and appropriately cite primary scientific literature in the field of disturbance ecology and extract critical information from figures and graphs Audience: Undergraduate 4. Analyze and interpret data collected at various scales that relate to the causes and consequences of various disturbance regimes and identify the limitations and advantages of each data type Audience: Undergraduate 5. Describe (through examples and case studies) how different disturbances interact with each other using appropriate terminology and definitions and evaluate context-dependent consequences for ecosystem function Audience: Undergraduate 6. Evaluate how disturbance risk is assessed in various systems and determine approaches that are most amenable to intervention based on costs, benefits, and feasibility Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify what characteristics are necessary to refer to an event as a disturbance and clearly define ways in which disturbances are categorized Audience: Undergraduate 2. Determine and discuss mechanisms underlying different disturbance regimes in the context of ecological theory and observations Audience: Undergraduate 3. Interpret, critique, and appropriately cite primary scientific literature in the field of disturbance ecology and extract critical information from figures and graphs Audience: Undergraduate 4. Analyze and interpret data collected at various scales that relate to the causes and consequences of various disturbance regimes and identify the limitations and advantages of each data type Audience: Undergraduate 5. Describe (through examples and case studies) how different disturbances interact with each other using appropriate terminology and definitions and evaluate context-dependent consequences for ecosystem function Audience: Undergraduate 6. Evaluate how disturbance risk is assessed in various systems and determine approaches that are most amenable to intervention based on costs, benefits, and feasibility Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027