GEOL 115 - Coral Reefs: Biology, Geology and Politics

This course may also count for the major in (consult the program or department major requirements) :
Environmental Studies
Semester Offered: Second Semester
Full Course
Credits: 4 credits
Attribute: 4NS

Coral reefs are dynamic systems that boast the greatest diversity on Earth. This interdisciplinary course considers modern and fossil reefs over scales of millimeters to miles and minutes to millennia. We will examine recent reef decline against the backdrop of long-term natural processes and recent anthropogenic stresses; the goal is to better understand how things like a growing human population and climate change affect modern coral reefs and our ability to craft effective mitigation strategies that take into account both natural and human impacts. The class will utilize a mixture of discussions and supplementary lab-type exercises to supplement traditional lectures.
Enrollment Limit: 30
Instructor: D. Hubbard