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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
ESCID019.
Course Title (CB02)
Environmental Biology
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
An introduction to environmental biology as a branch of the environmental sciences and its relation to the scientific field. Review of the principles of environmental biology, ecology and conservation as they relate to natural resource use, the biodiversity crisis, pollution, human population, climate change and the impacts on all cultural, ethnic and gender groups.<br /> <br /> (Field trip outside of scheduled class time may be required for this course.)
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course meets a general education requirement for °®¶¹´«Ã½, CSUGE and IGETC and provides an introductory general education lab science with a focus on environmental biology in a lecture and lab setting. It is UC and CSU transferable. It emphasizes an introduction to the principles of environmental biology, ecology (including ecosystems) and conservation as they relate to natural resource use and the human impacts on the Earth's natural resources.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
°®¶¹´«Ã½ GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GBX°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE Area B - Natural SciencesApproved
2GES°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE - Environment Sustainability and Global CitizenshipApproved
CSU GEArea(s)StatusDetails
CGB2CSU GE Area B2 - Life ScienceApproved
CGB3CSU GE Area B3 - Science Laboratory ActivityApproved
IGETCArea(s)StatusDetails
IG5BIGETC Area 5B - Biological ScienceApproved
IG5CIGETC Area 5C - Science LaboratoryApproved

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
5.0
Maximum Credit Units
5.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours3.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
36.0
Total
84.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

In-class exploration of Internet sites

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Field observation and field trips

Guest speakers

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Collaborative projects

Laboratory experience which involve students in formal exercises of data collection and analysis

Laboratory discussion sessions and quizzes that evaluate the proceedings weekly laboratory exercises

Assignments

  1. Reading assignment from the texts and other pertinent sources.
  2. Written homework assignments involving summary, synthesis, and critical analysis of data.
  3. Select, develop, and present on an Environmental Biology topic.
  4. Laboratory assignments, such as microorganism identification and field trips.
  5. In class assignments, midterm, final exam, and a group based assignment requiring analysis of an Environmental Biology topic requiring group based research, analysis, synthesis, and presentation.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Assess reading comprehension through class activities and discussion.
  2. Evaluation of writing assignments to determine understanding of content.
  3. Oral and written assessment of Environmental Biology topic using a predetermined rubric.
  4. Adequate completion of lab activities.
  5. Assessment of oral presentations, written paper, and final exam to determine demonstrated understanding of Environmental Biology topics at an adequate level.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies including Stewardship Resource Center (SRC) and Cheeseman Environmental Study Area (ESA)

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Withgott & Laposta, "Environmental: The Science Behind the Stories," 6th Edition. 2018.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Simon, Dickey, Hogan, Reece, "Campbell Essential Biology", 6th Edition. 2016
Raven, Hassenzahl, Hager, Gift, Berg. "Environment." 10th Edition, 2018
OpenStax College, Biology, openstaxcollege.org, 2016
OpenStax College, Concepts of Biology, openstaxcollege.org, 2016

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Examine environmental biology as a branch of the environmental sciences and its relation to the scientific field
  • Evaluate the characteristics of life
  • Assess and analyze the ecological components and interrelationships of communities, ecosystems and the biosphere
  • Examine and describe the world's natural resources including air (the atmosphere), water (the hydrosphere), soil (the lithosphere) and species (the biosphere)
  • Assess and debate the current state of the world's natural resources and the impacts on human populations
  • Compare and contrast possible solutions to the current state of the world's resources
  • Evaluate the impacts of Climate Change on the biosphere.

CSLOs

  • Compare Environmental and ecological principles, concepts, and possible solutions and sustainable practices.

Outline

  1. Examine environmental biology as a branch of the environmental sciences and its relation to the scientific field
    1. Introduce concepts and vocabulary in environmental biology such as Cell Theory, membrane transport, properties of water, and macromolecules.
    2. Analyze the characteristics of environmental science
    3. Formulate and solve problems utilizing the scientific method, including experimentation
    4. Examine the environmental science fields, including sub-disciplines with emphasis on environmental biology, including career opportunities
    5. Examine role of science in a changing society such as significance in health field, agriculture, industry and technology and transportation
    6. Assess the contributions to scientific studies by cultural, ethnic and gender groups
  2. Evaluate the characteristics of life
    1. Compare and discuss the basic properties shared by all living things
    2. Compare and contrast the basic molecules of life: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids
    3. Examine the processes that sustain life, including photosynthesis, cellular respiration and energy flow
    4. Compare and contrast the diversity of life on earth, including the three Domains of life
    5. Integrate the diversity of life with the Darwin's theory of evolution
    6. Assess the impacts of our industrial society on these life-sustaining systems by examining the impacts of toxic chemicals on cell function and food webs (bioaccumulation and biomagnification).
  3. Assess and analyze the ecological components and interrelationships of communities, ecosystems and the biosphere
    1. Introduce ecological concepts and vocabulary
    2. Examination of the principles of ecology including trophic pyramids, food webs, species and speciation, characteristics of populations and resource partitioning
    3. Compare and contrast the characteristics of ecosystems including both aquatic ecosystems (i.e. estuaries, the ocean and coral reefs) and terrestrial ecosystems (i.e. tropical rainforests, deserts and tundra)
    4. Examine the flow of energy and cycling of materials through ecosystems
    5. Assess the impacts of our industrial society on the world's ecosystems such as loss of the world's tropical rainforests as the demand for raw resources of the forests increases
  4. Examine and describe the world's natural resources including air (the atmosphere), water (the hydrosphere), soil (the lithosphere) and species (the biosphere)
    1. Examine the characteristics of the atmosphere, including the greenhouse effect (troposphere), the ozone layer (stratosphere) and the composition of air
    2. Inventory of the world's natural resources
    3. Examine the characteristics of the hydrosphere, including the hydrologic cycle, ground water versus surface water, and freshwater versus saltwater ecosystems
    4. Examine the characteristics of the lithosphere, including the characteristics of soil, the biogeochemical cycles (such as the carbon and phosphorus cycles), and the biomes (such as forests, deserts and grasslands)
    5. Evaluate and assess how the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere interact to create the biosphere, the living component of the planet
  5. Assess and debate the current state of the world's natural resources and the impacts on human populations
    1. Compare and contrast the worldwide use of resources, including an assessment of resource use by developing countries versus developed countries
    2. Evaluate the problems associated with the use of the world's resources, including pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, soil erosion, the biodiversity crisis, and deforestation
    3. Evaluate the impact of human population growth on the world's resources
    4. Examine the impacts of environmental degradation (including the cycle of poverty, lack of access to resources, etc.) on cultural, ethnic and gender groups, including children
  6. Compare and contrast possible solutions to the current state of the world's resources
    1. Examine the current state of world's resources
    2. Assess sustainable uses of the world's resources, such as sustainable harvesting of our forests, protection of water, air and soil resources through regulations and citizen involvement
    3. Assess sustainable uses of wildlife and ecosystems including programs that include captive breeding programs, sustainable fisheries, seed banks, and habitat restoration
    4. Assess local use of resources and analyze solutions to local and national problems, including protection of the San Francisco Estuary, wildlife corridors, groundwater sources and air quality
    5. Assess and evaluate industrialized agriculture versus subsistence agriculture and the impact of each upon the world's ecosystems.
  7. Evaluate the impacts of Climate Change on the biosphere.
    1. Examine the Greenhouse Effect and the role of fossil fuels.
    2. Differentiate between weather and climate and global warming versus global climate change.
    3. Assess the different aspects of Climate Change and how they impact the biology of Earth.

Lab Topics

  1. Scientific Method protocol
  2. Introduction to a Light Microscope
  3. Three Domains of Life overview
  4. Ecology Lab
  5. Evolution and Natural Selection
  6. Data collection techniques
  7. Field identification of biotic and abiotic aspects of ecosystems
  8. Membrane Transport
  9. Photosynthesis
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