Courses in the FIG:
UGST 109 FIG Seminar
TIME | BUILDING | CRN | 1 Credit
Forest fires are both an integral part of the ecology of the western United States, and yet large severe fires have transformed western Oregon forests over the last several years. The topics of physical geography (the processes driving weather, climate, landforms, and vegetation) and the tools of spatial data science (working with geographic data) provide a sound basis for both describing the pattern of wildland fires but also testing its long-term role in shaping the landscape that we see. In this FIG we will introduce with the basics of fire science, view short films of fire in action, and visit burned and unburned landscapes. We will also touch on the polarization of viewpoints about fire that might stem from underappreciation of the diverse roles of fire across the landscape. By the end of the term students will be well prepared for further coursework on topics of environmental change.
GEOG 141 The Natural Environment
Science (>3)| TIME | BUILDING | CRN | 4 Credits
This course will introduce you to the major processes and systems that shape the natural world, including the weather, climate, vegetation, and landforms that we experience each day. These aspects of the environment are inter-connected in important ways. For example, a changing climate has the potential to affect landforms via floods or landslides, and to change vegetation via drought or fire. By the end of the class students will have a better understanding of how and why the natural environment varies at local to global scales, including the increasing impact of human activities on natural processes. No previous coursework is required beyond an understanding of introductory algebra. The material in this course provides foundations for further study in physical geography. The class is divided into three roughly equal parts: climatology, geomorphology, and biogeography. Climatology is the study of long-term patterns in weather conditions and weather events. What are the processes behind patterns in temperature and rainfall, and their seasonal variation, over the globe? What it the greenhouse effect and how is it affected by humans? This portion of the course also covers wind patterns and storm systems. Geomorphology is the study of landforms, the processes that form them and how they change over time. How do rivers and various types of erosion result in the generation and evolution of landforms? The course also introduces plate-tectonic theory and the formation of major features of continents and oceans. Biogeography is the study of the pattern of life over the surface of the Earth. How do energy and nutrients flow through ecosystems? What are the many processes that affect the abundance and distribution of species? Weekly laboratory sessions will provide opportunities for in-depth learning of specific topics introduced during lecture.
ENVS 202 Introduction to Environmental Studies: Natural Sciences
Science (>3)| TIME | BUILDING | CRN | 4 Credits
This is an introductory course in environmental natural sciences. It is part of the core sequence in Environmental Studies and is required for the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors. It is an introductory course, designed for freshmen and sophomores, and satisfies University general education breadth requirements for natural sciences. The only prerequisite is Math 95 or equivalent. Course goals include to promote understanding of the value and limitations of science in understanding environmental issues; to increase familiarity with scientific concepts underlying selected environmental issues and quantitative techniques that scientists use to evaluate them; to promote an understanding of how science is used to manage natural resources to promote a sustainable economy; to enhance ability to think creatively, analytically, and without bias (i.e. to think critically); and to understand how environmental science issues pervade our lives and gain confidence to understand these issues and make decisions based on your understanding and values. Four environmental issues are examined in some depth: human population growth, loss of biodiversity, climate change, and energy use.