Earth & Environment Courses

Identification of problems created by humans’ modification of their environment by focusing on ecological interactions involving the human species; investigating the life processes of organisms as they relate to specific environments. Environmental Science 10, 11, and 12 may be combined for a maximum of 4 units.

Identification of problems created by humans’ modification of their environment by focusing on ecological interactions involving the human species; investigating the life processes of organisms as they relate to specific environments. Includes basic ecological concepts, evolution, biodiversity, human population growth, environmental policy, water, land and energy resources. Environmental Science 10, 11, and 12 may be combined for a maximum of 4 units. (Formerly Ecology 11)

Identification of problems created by humans’ modification of their environment by focusing on ecological interactions involving the human species. Introduction of fundamental concepts of matter, energy, and ecology with emphasis on application of these concepts to a range of contemporary environmental issues including human population growth, resource use, pollution and global change. Environmental Science 10, 11, and 12 may be combined for a maximum of 4 units.

This class will explore how the ecosystems of California are adapted to fire, historical and contemporary indigenous land management practices that use fire, and the roles of colonization and government policies in changing fire regimes in California. This class will also discuss the possible causes and solutions for the recent catastrophic wildfires that have occurred in California

Laboratory exercises developed as an adjunct to ENSC 15 (Agroecology). Practical applications of ecological concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable food systems. Investigation of abiotic factors and organisms that make up agroecosystems. Examination of gardens, farms and the local food system.

Principles of the ecology of sustainable food systems. The environmental impact of agriculture, types of agriculture, soil science, plant structure, reproduction, development and growth and plants' interactions with other organisms. The interactions of culture, human population growth, and major environmental challenges in the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems Designed for non-majors in environmental science.

An interdisciplinary survey of contemporary environmental issues, including the natural and human-induced causes of environmental change and degradation. Major issues related to preservation and use of natural resources, conservation, energy, and climate change are investigated from multiple perspectives in the social sciences.

Earth's natural environments, with emphasis on spatial characteristics, change over time, interactions between environmental components, and human-environment interactions. Physical processes, techniques, and tools by which Earth's climates, soils, vegetation, water resources, and land forms are linked into integrated global patterns. Effect of natural environments on human activities and how humans modify environments. Field trips may be included.

Application of the concepts, techniques, tools, and materials of physical geography. Practical exercises, experiments, observations, data analyses, and computer applications/simulations which augment understanding of geographic processes, interrelationships, spatial patterns and distributions. Use of maps, remotely-sensed imagery, and geographic information systems. Includes locational reference systems, time-space relationships, weather, climate, soils, vegetation, and landforms. Field trips/field projects may be included.

Spatial analysis of human populations, their cultural traits, and activities. Emphasis on how diverse peoples, through their interactions and through their perceptions and use of the physical environment, create distinctive cultural landscapes. Social, political, and economic elements of geography which contribute to the evolution of these global and regional cultural patterns. Field trips may be included.

An introduction to the world’s major economic systems; their spatial distribution and characteristics; their relative contributions to regional development and global change; and related movements of people, goods, and ideas. Techniques and tools of spatial analysis applied to human-environment interactions, with emphasis on ecological problems associated with specific economic activities. Field trips may be included.

Regions of the world and the way humans live within those regions. Includes physical and cultural characteristics of world regions, how they are similar and how they are different, economic patterns, agriculture, industrial development and population dynamics. Emphasis on contemporary major issues and their geographic impact.

Introduction to weather and climate and their impact on and modification by human activities. Emphasis on weather elements, events, and processes; climate controls; and the techniques, tools, and instruments of atmospheric science. Includes atmospheric optics, weather prediction, severe storms, air pollution, global/regional warming/cooling, ozone depletion, acid rain, El Niño, deforestation, desertification, and other topics related to everyday experience and global climate change. Field trips and observational activities may be included.

Exploration of sustainable solutions to major global environmental issues with emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach. Essential concepts include an introduction to the causes of environmental change, including ecosystem processes, the history of human population growth and demand for natural resources, fossil fuel consumption, land use change, and pollution sources, followed by an exploration of the current and future solutions to these problems. Economic and public policy issues pertaining to the sustainability of the environment and discussion of the dynamics of participation and leadership in promoting improved stewardship of the environment will also be included.

California’s physical, cultural, and regional elements. The physical geographic base includes: location, geologic history, geomorphic provinces, natural hazards and resources, climate, water resources, vegetation, and soils. Historically developed cultural themes include: Native American and Hispanic origins, migration patterns, settlements, population growth, ethnic diversity, land use, economic activities, and Pacific Rim connections. Human-environment interactions and issues are considered throughout the course. Field trips may be included.

Climate Science is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field focused on the principles that govern climate, climate variability, and climate change with their implications for society. Elements of the climate system, atmospheric events and processes; factors controlling Earth’s climate types, climate classification, and contemporary technological tools and instrumentation used in atmospheric science. Examination of the climate record, paleoclimates, and climate modeling and forecasting. Real-world investigations of climate change issues through observation, prediction, data analysis, and critical thinking. Emphasis on the influence of human activities on climate change, trends in global and regional climate change, and both the scientific basis and policy implications of air pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, deforestation, and urbanization. The economic, social, and political environment that interacts with the everyday experience and potential threats of global climate change. Field trips and observational activities may be included.

Computer-based information technology tools and techniques that analyze spatial relationships between locations and attributes of physical, cultural, and economic features. Visualization of geographic relationships to support decision-making through interactive linkages of maps, databases, images, and charts. Introduction to GIS theory, principles, concepts, applications, and operations. Field trips may be required.

GIS facilitates visualization of spatial relationships and decision-making by means of interactive linkages between vector and raster data formats. Addresses real-world application of GIS principles, industry-standard software tools and quantitative techniques to multi-layered thematic data. Students will acquire advanced hands-on GIS experience in managing, editing, merging, intersecting, and statistically analyzing spatial data from many diverse sources, and in preparing high-quality cartographic presentations. Field trips may be required.

Practical, hands-on survey of some of the more advanced applications of GIS, integrating vector, grid, and digital image data formats. Emphasizes environmental applications of GIS industry-standard software tools to analyze spatial problems quantitatively, including network analysis, watershed modeling, digital elevation modeling, digital image processing, and digital rectification of multi-layered thematic data. Includes integration of Global Positioning System (GPS) operational characteristics, collection and interfacing GPS data with GIS. Field trips may be required.

Introduction to the study of the scientific composition and dynamics of the Earth ranging from the atomic scale of minerals to the global scale of plate tectonics. Included is the formation of the Earth, geochemistry, geophysics, hydrology, geomorphology and the interactions between humans and the geologic environment. The course is a foundation course for both the non-science major and majors in the Earth sciences and environmental sciences.

Understanding natural geologic hazards and disasters and learning ways to plan for the effects of these disasters on local human populations and the environment. The course will focus on where and why natural disasters occur and review geologic considerations for land-use planning, including applications to surveying and engineering. This course will also discuss capacity building for human populations around the world so that they can better cope with natural disasters. This coure will investigate how natural disasters affect surrounding ecosystems, and if those effects can be mitigated. Content covers natural hazard processes that include earthquakes, volcanos, floods, landslides, coastal erosion, tsunamis, avalanches, droughts, and extreme weather events.

Understanding the planets in our solar system, from rocky bodies to gas giants, and how they came to be. Introduction to the fundamentals of planetary geology, and how to apply these concepts to smaller planetary bodies, such as asteroids and moons. Learn how Earth became habitable and the search for life in our solar system and beyond. Topics include solar system and planet formation, solar system bombardment history, planetary geochemistry and geophysics, and astrobiology.

Laboratory course to supplement the physical geology lecture course. Introduction to the materials and techniques of geology. Includes minerals, rocks, topographic and geologic maps, structural geology, identification and interpretation of landforms, geologic time and relative age dating analysis, etc.

The Earth, its materials, its internal and external processes, and its development through time. Emphasis is placed on a thorough global understanding of Plate Tectonics as a framework and foundation for subsequent geologic topics and concepts. Topics include volcanoes, earthquakes and seismology, the Geologic Time Scale and the formation of the earth, rocks and minerals, hydrology, erosion, beach systems, environmental geology, glaciation, groundwater, etc. Course content includes the historical development of key geologic concepts. The course is a foundation course for both the non-science major and majors in the Earth sciences and environmental sciences.

An introduction to the oceans, methods of sea-going research; physical and chemical properties of sea water; marine geology; causes and effects of currents, tides, and waves; shoreline processes; basic types of marine life, habitats and ecosystems; distribution of marine resources; the geologic record of ocean sediments, and the effects of climate change on the ocean.