ENVS 646 - A Primer on Stream and River Ecology

Institution:

University of Pennsylvania

Subject:

Description:

Blain. This class explores streams and rivers from the perspectives of both the natural and social sciences. Students will get a solid grounding in the hydrology, geology, physics, chemistry, and biology of streams and rivers, and they will learn how all these fit together in a watersheds ecosystem. They will also examine the impacts that human development has had on such ecosystems over time -- how rivers have become polluted, what mechanisms they have to fight pollution, and what we need to do to protect, maintain and restore them now and in the future. In addition to considering such questions within a theoretical framework, the class will look at issues in the real world. Students will set up an actual monitoring system, in which they will process samples taken from above and below a sewage treatment plant in a local stream, and then analyze and interpret the sample data. They will also learn about ongoing research projects in the watersheds that supply New York City its drinking water and in the streams and rivers of developing nations. In both cases, they will not only study the science but also the politics of streams, rivers, and the water that they convey.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.upenn.edu

Phone Number:

(215) 898-5000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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