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Program Requirements
The goal of this specialization is to provide students with an opportunity to further develop their understanding of the ecosystem processes, ecology, and systems thinking necessary to understand, design and manage our interaction with the environment.
Specialization Adviser: Professor James Fyles
Macdonald-Stewart Building, Room 2-063
Telephone: 514-398-7758
Required Courses (12 credits)
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AEMA 406 Quantitative Methods: Ecology (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics (Agric&Envir Sci) : Advanced concepts in theoretical and applied quantitative ecology. Topics include: community matrices, modeling populations and community dynamics, use of null models in ecology, biodiversity assessment and measurement, ordination and multivariate statistics, use of information criterion and bayesian statistics.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Solomon, Christopher (Winter)
- Winter
- Prerequisite(s): AEMA 310 and ENVB 305
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken AEMA 306
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BREE 327 Bio-Environmental Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : Introduction to principles of bio-engineering in solving environmental problems related to the domains of water, soil and air; the capability of each domain to absorb, recycle or treat contaminants.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Lefsrud, Mark (Fall)
- Restrictions: U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken ABEN 305.
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ENVB 305 Population & Community Ecology (3 credits)
Overview
Environmental Biology : Interactions between organisms and their environment; historical and current perspectives in applied and theoretical population and community ecology. Principles of population dynamics, feedback loops, and population regulation. Development and structure of communities; competition, predation and food web dynamics. Biodiversity science in theory and practice.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Buddle, Christopher (Winter)
- Winter
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 205
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ENVB 415 Ecosystem Management (3 credits)
Overview
Environmental Biology : Through the examination of cases studies presented in a modular format, students will be exposed to a variety of ecosystem processes. Choice of components, interactions and type of management to achieve desired endpoints will be discussed.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.
- Fall
- Prerequisites: BREE 327 and WILD 205 or ENVB 305
Complementary Courses (12 credits)
12 credits of complementary courses selected as follows:
6 credits - Abiotic
6 credits - Biotic
6 credits are selected from the Abiotic list below:
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AGRI 435 Soil and Water Quality Management (3 credits)
Overview
Agriculture : Management of soil and water systems for sustainability. Cause of soil degradation, surface and groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals and toxic pollutants. Human health and safety concerns. Water-table management. Soil and water conservation techniques will be examined with an emphasis on methods of prediction and best management practices.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Clark, Grant (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
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BREE 217 Hydrology and Water Resources (3 credits)
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : Measurements and analysis of components of the water cycle. Precipitation, evaporation, infiltration and groundwater. Analysis of hydrologic data. Hydrograph theory. Hydrologic estimations for design of water control projects; flood control and reservoir routing. Integrated watershed management and water conservation. Water management systems for environmental protection.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Prasher, Shiv (Winter)
- 3 lectures, one 2 hour lab
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 217.
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BREE 322 Organic Waste Management (3 credits)
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : An introduction to engineering aspects of handling, storage and treatment of all biological and food industry wastes. Design criteria will be elaborated and related to characteristics of wastes. Physical, chemical and biological treatment systems.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: King, Susan (Fall)
- 2 lectures and one 2-hour lab
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 322.
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ENVB 301 Meteorology (3 credits)
Overview
Environmental Biology : The physical processes underlying weather. Topics include: the atmosphere - its properties (structure and motion), and thermodynamics (stability, heat and moisture); clouds and precipitation; air masses and fronts; mid-latitude weather systems and severe weather.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Strachan, Ian Brett (Fall)
- Fall
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 201
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MICR 450 Environmental Microbiology (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : Focus on microbes in the environment. Topics include extreme environments, polar microbiology, biotechnology and bioremediation. Emphasis will be on population studies based upon molecular biological methods.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Whyte, Lyle (Winter)
- Winter
- Prerequisites: MICR 230 or LSCI 230
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SOIL 300 Geosystems (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : Interactions between Earth's various geologic systems and how these interactions lead to mineral and rock formation. Geomorphic processes and how various landforms are created by the interactions at the Earth's surface between the various geologic systems.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: McCourt, George (Winter)
- Winter
- Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 200. Restricted to U2 students and above.
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SOIL 326 Soils in a Changing Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : Soil processes responsible for soil formation will be studied and the impact of changes to the physical and chemical environment will be discussed.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Hendershot, William H (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
- Prerequisite: A previous course in soil science, geography, geology or permission of instructor.
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SOIL 510 Environmental Soil Chemistry (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : Soil chemical principles are presented in a series of problem sets covering basic concepts as well as applications to environmental and agricultural situations.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.
- Winter
- Prerequisite(s): A course in Soil Science or permission of instructor
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 410.
6 credits are selected from the Biotic list below:
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AGRI 340 Principles of Ecological Agriculture (3 credits)
Overview
Agriculture : Focus on low-input, sustainable, and organic agriculture: the farm as an ecosystem; complex system theory; practical examples of soil management, pest control, integrated crop and livestock production, and marketing systems.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Begg, Caroline B (Winter)
- 3 lectures and one 2-hour seminar
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken AGRI 250
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ENTO 440 Insect Diversity (3 credits)
Overview
Entomology : Ecology, evolution and systematics of insects and their relatives. Classification and phylogeny of selected insect families; use of diagnostic characters and taxonomic keys. Ecological interactions at an individual, population and community level with emphasis on diversity patterns in space and time.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.
- Fall
- 1 lecture, 1 lab and project
- Prerequisite: ENTO 330 or permission of instructor
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ENTO 425
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ENVB 315 Science of Inland Waters (3 credits)
Overview
Environmental Biology : Nature and history of limnology; divisions of inland waters; properties of fresh water; habitats; zones; nutrient cycles; biota; adaptations; seasonal variation; distributions; pollution; succession and evolution of fresh water environments. Includes field excursions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.
- Fall
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 315.
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MICR 331 Microbial Ecology (3 credits)
Overview
Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : The ecology of microorganisms, primarily bacteria and archaea, and their roles in biogeochemical cycles will be discussed. Microbial interactions with the environment, plants, animals and other microbes emphasizing the underlying genetics and physiology. Diversity, evolution (microbial phylogenetics) and the application of molecular biology in microbial ecology.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Driscoll, Brian T (Winter)
- Winter
- Restriction: Not open to students who have successfully completed NRSC 331
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PLNT 358 Flowering Plant Diversity (3 credits)
Overview
Plant Science : Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Waterway, Marcia J (Fall)
- 2 lectures, one 3-hour lab, plus a 4-day field week held the week preceding the start of classes
- A $50 fee is charged to all students registered in this course, which has a fieldwork component prior to the beginning of classes in August. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, a hand lens, instructional handouts and identification aids. Students who have already received a hand lens may request a reimbursement of a portion of this charge through their department.
- Prerequisites: PLNT 201 or AEBI 210 or ENVR 202 or permission of instructor
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PLNT 426 Plant Ecophysiology (3 credits)
Overview
Plant Science : Investigates of the complex interactions between plants and their environment, focusing on the mechanisms underlying plant physiological processes. Plasticity of plants to their ecological environment; topics include phytoremediation, plant stress responses, plant-symbiosis and plant-insect interactions.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Bede, Jacqueline (Winter)
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PLNT 460 Plant Ecology (3 credits)
Overview
Plant Science : Theory and practice of plant ecology with an emphasis on the interaction between patterns and ecological processes and the dynamics, conservation and management of plant populations and communities over a range of temporal and spatial scales.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: de Blois, Sylvie (Fall)
- 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
- Prerequisite: AEMA 310 or permission of instructor.
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WILD 307 Natural History of Vertebrates (3 credits)
Overview
Resource Development : Review of higher taxonomic groups of vertebrates and prochordates, emphasizing diagnostic characters evolution and distribution.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Humphries, Murray Mitchell (Fall)
- Fall
- Lectures and modules
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ZOOL 307
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated Jan. 19, 2011) (disclaimer)