GEOG 570 Lecture 1: GEOG 573 syllabus 2014 v2
Document Summary
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of organisms. We will use both historical and ecological perspectives to understand the patterns of plant and animal species occurrence at a range of spatial and temporal scales. We will also explore the natural and human-mediated processes responsible for these distributions, with implications for the management and conservation of biological diversity in a changing world. A background in either physical geography and/or basic knowledge of ecology and evolution would be helpful, but we will cover the necessary basics from each of these fields in order to accommodate students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. Text and materials: macdonald, glen m. 2002. Isbn: 9780471241935: additional reading materials linked from the syllabus on blackboard. These will comprise scientific papers, blog posts, and popular-press articles. Educated skepticism will be enhanced: you will explore and engage with recent and classic peer-reviewed, primary scientific literature, and become familiar with reading and interpreting scientific publications.