Upper-Division

ENVS 100 Ecology and Society

Introduction to environmental issues in an interdisciplinary matrix. Focuses on three issues at the intersection of ecological questions and social institutions: agroecology and sustainable agriculture; population growth, economic growth, and environmental degradation; and biodiversity conservation and land management. Reviews the important roles of disciplinary abstraction and of the application of that knowledge to context-dependent explanations of environmental problems.

Credits

3

Instructor

Natalia Ocampo-Penuela, Madeleine Fairbairn, Murai Murai

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 23 or CHEM 1A; ENVS 24 or BIOE 20C; ENVS 25; and STAT 7 and STAT 7L, or ECON 113 or OCEA 90; and one from: ANTH 2, SOCY 1, SOCY 10, SOCY 15, PHIL 21, PHIL 22, PHIL 24, PHIL 28, or PHIL 80G. Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100L Is required.

Quarter offered

Winter, Spring

ENVS 100L Ecology and Society Writing Laboratory

Required writing lab accompanying course 100. Students are introduced to writing in different styles and for different audiences typical of the ecosystem-society interface. Course 100 writing assignments are developed, written, and revised in conjunction with the lab. W credit is granted only upon successful completion of ENVS 100.

Credits

5

Instructor

Natalia Ocampo-Penuela, Madeleine Fairbairn, Emiily Murai

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 is required.

General Education Code

PR-E

Quarter offered

Winter, Spring

ENVS 104A Introduction to Environmental Field Methods

A course in the process of field research and monitoring, with emphasis on use of the scientific method; experimental design, data handling, statistical analysis and presentation; and basic field methodologies. Application of basic field skills, including habitat description; methods for sampling plants, animals, soils, water, and microclimate; and observational and manipulative techniques to address ecological, conservation, and management questions.

Credits

5

Instructor

Gregory Gilbert

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements; concurrent enrollment in ENVS 104L and previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L is required, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 104L Field Methods Laboratory

Students directly observe elements of natural history and ecological process; design and implement field studies based on lectures; deploy the methods discussed in lectures; and collect data to analyze, interpret, and report in written and oral forms.

Credits

2

Instructor

Gregory Gilbert

Requirements

Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 104A is required.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 106A Natural History of Birds

The evolution, taxonomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, and management of birds. Lecture, discussion, field format. Birds observed in habitats including bay, marsh, meadow, and forest. Evaluations based on a field journal and examinations.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor. ENVS 105 or BIOL 138 are recommended.

ENVS 106M Natural History of Birds Laboratory

 

A field course designed to complement ENVS 106A by providing students with the opportunity to gain direct experience in bird study. This includes participation in field exercises and trips to off-campus sites in the region.

Credits

2

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 106A required.

ENVS 107A Natural History Field Quarter

A 15-unit field course that uses California wild lands to develop skills of natural history observation and interpretation. Students gain the ability to identify plants, animals, vegetation types, and landscapes, as well as address the complex issues of preservation and management of these resources. Enrollment by interview. Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; concurrent enrollment in ENVS 107B and ENVS 107C required. Students are billed a materials fee of $800.

Credits

5

Instructor

Christopher Lay, Ryan Carle

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 107B Natural History Field Quarter

A 15-unit field course that uses California wild lands to develop skills of natural history observation and interpretation. Students gain the ability to identify plants, animals, vegetation types, and landscapes, as well as address the complex issues of preservation and management of these resources. Enrollment by interview. Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; concurrent enrollment in courses ENVS 107A and ENVS 107C required.

Credits

5

Instructor

Christopher Lay, Ryan Carle

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 107C Natural History Field Quarter

A 15-unit field course that uses California wild lands to develop skills of natural history observation and interpretation. Students gain the ability to identify plants, animals, vegetation types, and landscapes, as well as address the complex issues of preservation and management of these resources. Enrollment by interview. Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; concurrent enrollment in courses ENVS 107A and ENVS 107B required.

Credits

5

Instructor

Christopher Lay, Ryan Carle

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 108 General Entomology

Introduction to entomology including anatomy, physiology, systematics, evolution, behavior, and reproduction of the world's most diverse group of organisms. These topics are illustrated in several contexts, from the importance of insects as disease vectors to the historical and contemporary uses of insects by humans.

Credits

5

Instructor

Andy Kulikowski

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L required, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 108L General Entomology Laboratory

Laboratory sections are devoted to the identification of insects. Individual collections representing 15 orders, sight identification of 60 families, and use of taxonomic keys for positive designations required.

Credits

3

Requirements

Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 108 is required.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 110 Institutions, the Environment, and Economic Systems

Debate about environmental policy is often couched in economic terms. Environmental issues have become questions of political economy, as they influence international and domestic policy and reflect on the functioning of the market system. Examines the assumptions and implications of alternative approaches to political economy, as these pertain to questions of environmental policy and political institutions.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 115A Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Applications

Introduction to geographic information systems (GIS) as the technology of processing spatial data, including input, storage and retrieval; manipulation and analysis; reporting and interpretation. Emphasizes GIS as a decision support system for environmental and social problem solving, using basic model building, experimental design, and database management. Taught in conjunction with ENVS 215A. Students cannot receive credit for this course and ENVS 215A.

Credits

5

Instructor

Barry Nickel

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 115L and ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or permission of instructor. Course in computer science, Earth science, math, or geography recommended.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 115B Intermediate Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Evaluates advanced technologies of processing spatial data, spatial theory, and application to unique geographic problems, data manipulation and analysis, and reporting and interpretation. Emphasizes GIS as a decision-support system for environmental and social problem solving, using basic model building, experimental design, and database management. Taught in conjunction with ENVS 215B. Students cannot receive credit for this course and ENVS 215B.

Credits

5

Instructor

Barry Nickel

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 115A, ENVS 100, and ENVS 100L. A previous course in computer science, Earth science, mathematics, or geography is recommended.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 115C Advanced Geographic Information Systems

Explores more advanced training in spatial theory and methods and their application to unique geographic problems. Emphasis given to advanced aspects of spatial data analysis and building custom GIS solutions.

Credits

5

Instructor

Barry Nickel

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 115A and ENVS 115B. Enrollment is restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 115L Exercises in Geographic Information Systems

Exercises in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing that demonstrate the development of digital geographic data. Students gain hands-on experience with developing datasets, using imagery to create GIS layers, performing spatial analysis, and utilizing GPS technology. Emphasis placed on environmental applications. Students cannot receive credit for this course and ENVS 215L.

Credits

2

Instructor

Barry Nickel

Requirements

Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 115A required.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 120 Conservation Biology

Introduces biological and anthropogenic influences on the diversity and scarcity of organisms. Explores the mathematical models and research tools that provide the foundation for many conservation and management decisions regarding endangered and/or declining species. Topics explored in the context of various examples of conservation decision-making in the real world.

Credits

5

Instructor

Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 121 Landscape Ecology

Investigates topics about the causes and consequences of spatial heterogeneity and pattern in natural- and human-dominated systems. This course provides a foundational understanding of how landscape pattern is generated and relates to populations, communities, and ecosystem processes.

Credits

5

Instructor

Kai Zhu

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

ENVS 122 Tropical Ecology and Conservation

An introduction to the ecological processes, principles, and players of tropical ecosystems, and to conservation issues facing tropical American forests. We will look at how tropical ecosystems work, roles of humans in shaping them, and current conservation opportunities and dilemmas.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 123 Animal Ecology and Conservation

Advanced course in animal ecology and conservation focusing on the ecology, behavior, biogeography, and evolution of vertebrates.

Credits

5

Instructor

Christopher Wilmers

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 120. Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 129 Integrated Pest Management

Provides an extensive coverage of applied ecology, pest control technology, and the social, political, and economic factors regulating the ideologies and practice of pest management. Topics include agroecosystem design and population regulation of insects, weeds, vertebrates, and pathogens; field monitoring, chemical and biological control; economic thresholds, decision-making processes, and the role of agribusiness.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 129L Integrated Pest Management Laboratory

Field trips and field exercises that demonstrate the practice of integrated pest management techniques. Individual and group projects provide hands-on experience with field sampling techniques, pest identification, recognition of biological control agents, experimental design, interview techniques, data interpretation and field report writing.

Credits

2

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): concurrent enrollment in ENVS 129.

ENVS 130A Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture

Ecological concepts and principles are applied to the design and management of sustainable agroecosystems. Alternatives for agriculture are discussed in terms of ecosystem structure and function. A weekly three-hour lab is required.

Credits

5

Instructor

Katie Monsen

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 130L and previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 130B Justice and Sustainability in Agriculture

Agricultural sustainability is examined as a complex set of interactions between ecological, social, and economic factors. Drawing case studies from U.S. agriculture, course examines the social justice implications of historical and current agri-food system dynamics. (Formerly Principles of Sustainable Agriculture.)

Credits

5

Instructor

Maywa Montenegro

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 130C Field Experiences in Agroecology and Sustainable Food

Research and practice in agroecology and sustainable food systems. Students gain multidimensional understanding of agroecology through study at the UCSC farm, guest speakers, field trips, and interdisciplinary readings. Students participate in research projects and learn about methods, and study design and statistical analysis. Students are billed a materials fee.

Credits

5

Instructor

Pallab Sarker

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 130L Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory

Laboratory and field exercises to train in the analysis of ecological processes in agricultural systems, with a focus on the quantification of ecological sustainability. Experimental design, analysis, and data interpretation are emphasized. Students are billed a materials fee.

Credits

2

Instructor

Katie Monsen

Requirements

Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 130A is required.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 131 Insect Ecology

Advanced course in ecology featuring insect-plant interactions such as herbivory, pollination, and the effects of plants on insect population dynamics. Lectures emphasize current controversies in ecological theory and relate theory to application.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 133 Agroecology Practicum

Lectures and demonstrations are combined with field applications to give students direct experience and knowledge of sustainable agriculture and horticulture practices and principles. UCSC Farm and Garden are the living laboratories for testing agroecological principles. Emphasis is placed on small-farm systems. May be applied to major only once. Students are billed a materials fee.

Credits

5

Instructor

Katie Monsen

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 133B Agroecology Practicum

Lectures and demonstrations are combined with field applications to give students direct experience and knowledge of sustainable agriculture and horticulture practices and principles. UCSC Farm and Garden are the living laboratories for testing agroecological principles. Emphasis is placed on small-farm systems. May be applied to major only once.

Credits

6

Instructor

Damian Parr

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Summer

ENVS 135 Sustainable Aquaculture

Current international and local aquaculture systems and science and practices needed to steer them toward sustainability. Critically looks at practices, analyzes environmental, social, economic, and human health effects of sustainable systems. Includes UCSC Aquaculture lab, farm visits, private sector, guests.

Credits

5

Instructor

Pallab Sarker

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 138 Field Ethnobotany

Lectures, laboratory, and fieldwork examine field botany from a human ecology perspective. Students have the opportunity to learn the skills of field botany and plant identification through the study of plants that are of major significance for human cultures. The emphasis of field skills is on applications to sustainable management of natural resources.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 130A and ENVS 130L, or by permission of instructor. Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 138L required.

ENVS 140 National Environmental Policy

An overview of all major federal environmental policy domains. Analyzes political, social, economic, and other forces influencing federal (and some state) public policy responses to land use, natural resources, pollution, and conservation dilemmas.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 141 Ecological Economics

Application of economic analysis to natural resource policy and management. Topics include welfare economics, property rights and externalities, natural resource valuation, exhaustible and renewable resources, and sustainable development.

Credits

5

Instructor

l

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ECON 1 is strongly recommended as preparation. Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 142 Sustainable Energy

Explores the renewable and fossil fuel energy resources, with an emphasis on interactions with food and water systems. Explores opportunities for improving efficiency, reducing pollution, and increasing access through technology advances, policy, and consumer decisions. (Formerly Energy Politics and Policy.)

Credits

5

Instructor

Elliott Campbell

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 143 Sustainable Development: Economy, Policy, and Environment

Considers whether and how global poverty can be alleviated without irreparably damaging the environment. Examines interactions among population, economic growth, poverty, global consumption ethos, property rights systems, global economy, state capacity, and environmental damage. Scrutinizes impact of various developmental strategies adopted during the past 50 years on poverty, governance, and the environment.

Credits

5

Instructor

Adam French

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 144 Global Climate Change Politics

Explores the central political questions surrounding global governance of climate change. Focuses on how climate change is governed within the United Nations system, and, in particular, explores issues of equity and justice in terms of how we address climate change.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

POLI 179

Instructor

Sikina Jinnah

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Environmental Studies students, previous or concurrent enrollment in courses ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 145 Green Cities

Are cities an environmental savior or an engine of pollution? This course considers what makes a truly green city and analyzes innovative urban policies in areas such as energy, transportation, buildings, and waste management.

Credits

5

Instructor

Charles Rivasplata

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 146 Water Quality: Policy, Regulation, and Management

Building on prior preparation, the course provides an in-depth examination of American water-quality policy, regulation and management. In addition to a detailed understanding of pollutant-discharge permitting, students learn about nonpoint source water pollution and its regulatory remedies.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; and ENVS 140, ENVS 149, ENVS 150 or ENVS 165.

General Education Code

PE-E

ENVS 147 Global Environmental Justice

Surveys topics in environmental justice and human rights around the world. Provides a comprehensive foundation for students interested in the global environmental justice concentration. The readings comprise survey articles on environmental justice and related fields, such as political ecology, gender studies, labor studies, science and technology studies, risk and disaster studies, and human rights, and span a number of disciplines, including history, geography, sociology, anthropology, politics, and law. Formerly offered as Environmental Inequality/Environmental Justice.

Credits

5

Instructor

Ravi Rajan

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

General Education Code

ER

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 149 Environmental Law and Policy

Surveys a wide range of topics in environmental law, including state and federal jurisdiction, administrative law, separation of powers, state and local land use regulation, public land and resource management, pollution control, and private rights and remedies. Students read a large number of judicial cases and other legal documents.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

LGST 149

Instructor

Douglas Bushey

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 150 Coastal and Marine Policy

Examines key legal, policy, and institutional frameworks that govern the use and stewardship of coastal and marine areas and resources. Primary focus is on the U.S., although attention is also devoted to international laws and institutions.

Credits

5

Instructor

Katherine Seto

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENV 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 151 Environmental Assessment

Introduction to California land use planning law and practice, and the theory, practice, and public policy aspects of environmental assessment, using the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a model. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental and planning legislation also considered. Covers elements of State law and regulations, environmental impact assessment requirements, and practical procedures for preparing and evaluating CEQA documents, with case studies that exemplify legal, regulatory and public policy and practice aspects of the assessment process.

Credits

5

Instructor

Andrew Schiffrin

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 152 International Environmental Politics

Examines international law and politics through the lens of cooperation on transboundary environmental problems, ranging from acid rain to toxic chemicals to biodiversity loss and climate change, which have become pressing political concerns in our increasingly globalized economy.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

POLI 170

Instructor

Sikina Jinnah

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in courses ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 153 Globalization and the Environment: Trade Complements and Conflicts

Explores the relationship between international trade and environmental protection. Centrally, we will consider the question: are trade liberalization and environment protection antithetical or conducive? We will use the theoretical literature on regime overlap to help us better consider this question.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

POLI 162

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in courses ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 154 Amazonian Cultures and Conservation

Overview of human societies in the Amazon from both a historical and contemporary perspective. Topics include indigenous resource management, deforestation, conservation politics, culture, and economic change.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or permission of instructor.

General Education Code

CC

ENVS 156 Environmental Action Through Writing

Guided practice in writing skills useful to environmental activists. Assignments emphasize thinking quickly, revising adeptly, researching resourcefully, and tempering powerful passions with careful arguments. Toward the development of effective individual voices, students read each other's drafts as well as the published work of established writers. Enrollment priority will be given to students who have not taken course 157.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s):satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements and previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 157 Writing in the Natural Sciences

Guided practice in writing effectively about science and natural history for a variety of audiences. Assignments emphasize reporting first-hand observations, explaining processes and phenomena, understanding scientific papers, and writing about scientific and technical subjects for a general audience. Enrollment priority will be given to students who have not taken course 156.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements and previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 158 Political Ecology and Social Change

The object is to provide a rigorous grounding in the method of political ecology and to demonstrate how this approach has been used in environmental analysis and problem solving by environmental social movements.

Credits

5

Instructor

Madeleine Fairbairn

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 159 Nature Literature

Introduction to 19th- and 20th-century American writers who have influenced our understanding of humans' place in the natural world. Readings include original works as well as biographical and critical texts. Discussions, field trips, and writing assignments emphasize active learning.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 160 Restoration Ecology

A multidisciplinary overview of restoring degraded ecosystems. Among the topics addressed are linkages between ecological principles and restoration, planning and implementing restoration projects, evaluating restoration success, and case studies of restoration of specific ecosystem types. Participation in one work day is required.

Credits

5

Instructor

Karen Holl

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 161A Soils and Plant Nutrition

Provides fundamentals of soils and plant nutrition. The physical, biological, and chemical components of soils are investigated in relation to their ecological functions, fertility to plants, and sustainable management.

Credits

5

Instructor

Weixin Cheng

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 162 Plant Physiological Ecology

Describes how the environment affects plants through the linkages between water, energy, nutrients, photosynthesis, and plant growth. Demonstrates how plant recruitment, survival, and reproduction affect conservation and agriculture. Prior coursework in ecology and/or plant physiology is recommended.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 162L Plant Physiological Ecology Laboratory

Introduces techniques for the study of plant interactions with the physical environment. Examines the role of stress on energy budgets, water relations, photosynthesis, and reproductive allocation. Emphasizes experimental design, field techniques, and instrumentation during field trips to local chaparral and grassland ecosystems.

Credits

2

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 163 Plant Disease Ecology

Introduction to ecological roles of plant diseases, including their importance in regulating plant population dynamics, community diversity, and system function in natural ecosystems; considerations of plant diseases in conservation ecology; and ecological approaches to managing diseases in agroecosystems. Students cannot receive credit for this course and ENVS  263.

Credits

5

Instructor

Gregory Gilbert

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 163L Plant Disease Ecology Lab

Introduction to techniques for studying plant diseases, including detection, isolation, cultivation, and identification of important groups of plant pathogens, completing Koch's postulates; diseases assessment techniques; experimental manipulation of plant-pathogen systems; and basic epidemiological tools. One field trip required.

Credits

2

Instructor

Gregory Gilbert

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): concurrent enrollment in ENVS 163 is required.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 164 Projects and Practices in Soil Ecology

Students learn soil ecological principles by carrying out inquiry-based projects and practices in land ecosystems (agroecosystems, forests and grasslands). UCSC reserves, farms, gardens, and greenhouses are the default living-laboratories for the course. The emphasis is on experiential learning of practical and technical skills in using soil methods.

Credits

5

Instructor

Weixin Cheng

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor. Previous enrollment in ENVS 161 is recommended.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 165 Sustainable Water Systems

Concepts, vocabulary, and skills necessary to the analysis of freshwater issues are introduced from hydrology, ecology, law, economics, engineering, and other disciplines. The skills are then applied to case studies involving local, state, and international freshwater conflicts and crises. (Formerly Freshwater Issues and Policy.)

Credits

5

Instructor

Brent Haddad

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 166 Agroecosystem Analysis and Watershed Management

Explores a range of approaches to examine agroecosystem function, watershed management, and concepts of sustainability. Uses a combination of lecture, demonstration, field work, and field trips to illustrate approaches to analysis of managed ecosystems behavior and the integration of biophysical and socio-political knowledge to aid in watershed management.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor; and ENVS 130A or ENVS 130B or ENVS 129 or ENVS 133 or ENVS 160 or ENVS 167.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 167 Freshwater and Wetland Ecology

Field and lecture course teaches the physical and biological patterns and processes in freshwater and wetland systems, primarily focusing on Central Coast systems from headwaters to coastal marshes.

Credits

5

Instructor

Katie Monsen

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 167L Freshwater and Wetland Ecology Lab

Provides basic skills to assess chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of freshwater creeks, rivers, and wetlands. These skills are needed in environmental consulting, municipal agencies engaging in water management or impacts on water, and regulatory agencies. Relies on methods in geomorphology, biogeochemistry, hydrology, and field biology.

Credits

2

Instructor

Katie Monsen

Requirements

Concurrent enrollment in ENVS 167 is required.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 168 Biogeochemistry and the Global Environment

Studies biogeochemical cycles and related environmental issues such as global environmental change, eutrophication, ecosystem degradation, and agricultural sustainability. Discusses transformation and movement of major nutrient elements in context of watershed ecology and societal implications. Students cannot receive credit for this course and ENVS 268.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L required, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 169 Climate Change Ecology

Advanced topics in atmospheric science and ecological theory. Topics include impacts on biodiversity, carbon sequestration, sustainable agriculture, and innovative solutions.

Credits

5

Instructor

Michael Loik

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L required, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 170 Agriculture and Climate Change

Agriculture contributes to and is affected by climate change. Through lectures and field trips, this course covers the impacts on crops and livestock; climate adaptation strategies in the United States and internationally; and agricultural policy responses to climate change.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L.

ENVS 171 Topics in Environmental Studies

Readings and discussions of primary literature on a current environmental topic. Emphasizes experiential learning and research. The topics vary; consult current course listings.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

ENVS 172 Environmental Risks and Public Policy

Introduces students to the dilemmas in public policy relating to the management of environmental risks, and discusses their underlying philosophical underpinnings. Explores emergent alternatives, such as the precautionary principle and alternatives assessment, and examines the relationship between experts and the lay public in public controversies.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

ENVS 173 An Introduction to World Environmental History

Introduces students to some of the central issues in world environmental history such as: human attitudes toward the natural environment; the role of human societies, their institutions and technologies in changing the face of the earth; and the historical impact of environmental and developmental policies on race, class, and gender differences in a variety of human communities across the world.

Credits

5

Instructor

Emily Murai

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Winter

ENVS 174 Gender and the Environment

As we collectively work to address environmental concerns—from climate change to wildfires to toxic pollution to distribution of land—gender is a critical social variable that must be addressed. Using the lens of gender, this course examines the linkages between environmental and social change. Beginning by conceptualizing sex, gender and the environment, this course explores key theoretical bodies including ecofeminism, feminist science studies, and queer ecologies. We also investigate the real-life applications of these concepts through consideration of how gender shapes environmental justice activism, rural livelihoods, and more. This course is highly reading and writing intensive.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 176 Vulnerability, Complex Systems, and Disasters

Introduces students to the research on the relationship between vulnerability and disasters, and on complex systems including hazardous technologies. Explores perspectives on disasters in the literature on political ecology. Also examines relevant work of organizational sociology, and related fields including normal accident and high reliability organizational theories.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

General Education Code

PE-T

ENVS 177 Teaching Environmental Education

Designed for environmental studies majors interested in teaching environmental education in the K-12 school system. Students investigate incorporation of environmental education in the classroom; design an environmental education school project; and are placed in a school where they observe environmental education in practice.

Credits

5

Instructor

Whitney Cohen

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in courses ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of instructor.

Quarter offered

Fall

ENVS 178 Race and the Environment

Introduces students to the entangled forces of coloniality, racism, and capitalism as they shape global environments, and vice-versa. Drawing on sources that center the expertises of Indigenous, Black, and Brown communities, class explores how racialization occurs through imperial violence to ecologies and their inhabitants. Studies long arcs of colonial science and power to understand how nature has been normalized as an object of ownership, extraction, pollution, and control. Students explore whose knowledge shapes environmental discourse, how discourse shapes material realities, and under what conditions science resists colonial habits of thought or enables them to flourish. Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

Credits

5

Instructor

Maywa Montenegro

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, or by permission of the instructor.

Quarter offered

Spring

ENVS 179 Environmental Interpretation

A field course in theory and practice of environmental interpretation in parks, museums, and school programs with special attention to local natural history and children. Students work to define their own interpretive philosophy, skills, and style. A background in natural history and/or experience working with children is recommended.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L or by permission of instructor. Enrollment in ENVS 184 is highly recommended.

Repeatable for credit

Yes

ENVS 183 Environmental Studies Internship

A supervised off-campus learning experience related to environmental problem solving. Students may work with government agencies, private organizations, citizen action groups, or in specialized apprenticeships on an individual or team basis. A significant, independently researched project is required. Internship intended for environmental studies majors. Prerequisite(s): previous or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, and by permission of instructor. Students submit petition to course sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 183A Senior Internship

First quarter of two-quarter senior internship exit requirement. Supervised off-campus learning experience related to environmental problem-solving. Students may work with government agencies, private organizations, citizen action groups, or in specialized apprenticeships on an individual or team basis. Students submit petition to course-sponsoring agency. Enrollment is restricted to environmental studies majors and the combined majors with Earth science, biology, and economics. Enrollment is by permission of instructor.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 183B Senior Internship

This course combines fieldwork at an off-campus agency and a comprehensive analytical paper produced for the agency. Equivalent to a thesis in terms of the depth and quality of the work expected. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 183A. Students submit petition to course-sponsoring agency. Enrollment is restricted to environmental studies majors and the combined majors with Earth sciences, biology, and economics.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 184 Environmental Studies Internship

Supervised learning experience related to environmental problem solving. Students may work with government agencies, private organizations, citizen action groups, or in specialized apprenticeships on an individual or team basis. This 2-credit internship puts students in the field and offers them the experience of practicing environmental problem solving. This internship experience focuses on specific skill development.

Credits

2

Repeatable for credit

Yes

General Education Code

PR-S

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 189 Environmental Studies Research Seminar

Research seminars presented weekly throughout the year by environmental studies faculty, visiting scholars, and graduate students. Students discuss content and methodology of research presented following each seminar. Students write critiques of some seminars.

Credits

1

Instructor

Elliott Campbell

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 190 Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving

A synthetic course that draws on the knowledge and skills students bring from other courses in the major. Focuses on written and oral individual and group projects in which students must take the initiative. Emphasizes developing skills critical for students in their future careers.

Credits

5

Instructor

Katie Monsen, The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Enrollment is restricted to senior environmental studies majors, agroecology majors, and the combined majors with Earth sciences, biology, and economics.

Quarter offered

Spring, Summer

ENVS 191F Community and Agroecology Seminar

Interdisciplinary two-credit seminar designed for upper-division students who want to become involved in PICA (Program in Community and Agroecology) and to explore concepts of community and agroecology as they relate to sustainability. Also emphasizes development of leadership skills. Specific topics and readings change each quarter.

Credits

2

Instructor

The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): ENVS 91F, ENVS 130A, ENVS 130B, or ENVS 133, or equivalent experience.

Repeatable for credit

Yes

ENVS 192 Directed Student Teaching

Teaching a lower-division seminar. (See ENVS 42.) Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing; permission of environmental studies faculty member and chairperson of department.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 194 Teaching Environmental Studies

This provides an opportunity to participate in the preparation and teaching of introductory environmental studies courses. Students will have significant responsibility in leading discussion sections. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 194F Teaching Environmental Studies

Students facilitate discussions of course material in an introductory environmental studies course in conjunction with faculty and teaching assistants. May not count toward upper-division major requirements. Approval of the sponsoring agency and selection by the primary instructor of specific courses is required.

Credits

2

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 195A Senior Research

First of a two-quarter senior thesis that results in drafting key thesis elements. Completion of this course does not satisfy the senior exit requirement. Continuation into 195B is contingent upon instructor approval after satisfactory completion of this course. Prerequisite(s): Completion of ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L, and Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 195B Senior Thesis Group

Individually supervised senior research that results in a senior thesis. Must meet regularly with faculty sponsor to discuss progress of the project, and to receive academic and technical guidance. Students must submit electronic copies of the completed research and write-up. Satisfies the senior comprehensive requirement. Prerequisite(s): Completion of ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L and ENVS 195A.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 196 Senior Seminar

Readings and discussions of primary literature on a current environmental studies topic. Field or literature-based research projects (individual or group) writing multiple drafts resulting in a final paper. Topics vary yearly; consult current course listings. Satisfies senior comprehensive requirement. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L; Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Enrollment is by application with selection based on appropriate background and academic performance and by permission of instructor. Enrollment is restricted to senior environmental studies majors, agroecology majors, and the combined majors with Earth sciences, biology, and economics.

Credits

5

Instructor

Greg Gilbert, Michael Loik, Jeff Bury, Kai Zhu, The Staff

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 199 Tutorial

Advanced directed reading, supervised research, and organized projects relating to environmental problems. May be repeated for credit with consent of the chair of environmental studies. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency. Prerequisite(s): prior or concurrent enrollment in ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L.

Credits

5

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

ENVS 199F Tutorial

Provides for department-sponsored directed reading, supervised research, or organized project under the direct supervision of a faculty sponsor. May not be counted toward major requirements. Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Credits

2

Repeatable for credit

Yes

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

Cross-listed courses that are managed by another department are listed at the bottom.

Cross-listed Courses

BIOE 125 Ecosystems of California

A survey of the diversity, structure, and functioning of California's ecosystems through time and the ways they have influenced and responded to human activities and stewardship. Topics include: ecosystem drivers such as climate, soils, and land-use history; human and ecological prehistory; comparative marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystem dynamics; and managed ecosystems such as range, fisheries, and agriculture.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

ENVS 125

Instructor

The Staff, Erika Zavaleta

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): BIOE 20C. Enrollment is restricted to ecology and evolution, marine biology, plant sciences, and biology B.A. majors.

General Education Code

PE-E

Quarter offered

Winter, Summer

BIOE 151A Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods

An intensive, on-site learning experience in terrestrial field ecology and conservation, using the University of California Natural Reserves and other natural areas. Students study advance concepts in ecology, conservation, and field methods for four weeks, then experience total immersion in field research at the UC Natural Reserves and other natural areas. Lectures, field experiments, writing assignments, and computer exercises familiarize students with research methods, study design, statistical approaches, and analytical tools for ecological research. Students complete and communicate the results of short field projects in ecology, learn the natural history of the flora and fauna of California, and plan and execute a significant, independent field-research study at the end of the quarter. Enrollment is by application. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, BIOE 20C or ENVS 23, ENVS 24, ENVS 100; and STAT 7 & STAT 7L (formerly AMS 7 & AMS 7L). Concurrent enrollment in BIOE 151B-BIOE 151C-BIOE 151D or ENVS 109B-ENVS 109C-ENVS 109D is required. Satisfies the senior exit requirement for biological sciences majors and satisfies the senior exit requirement for environmental studies majors by prior approval. Students cannot receive credit for this course and BIOE 150, BIOE 150L, ENVS 104A or ENVS 196A.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

ENVS 109A

Instructor

Donald Croll, Gage Dayton

Quarter offered

Spring

BIOE 151B Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Ecological Field Methods Laboratory

Field-oriented course in ecological research. Combines overview of methodologies and approaches to field research with practical field studies. Students complete field projects in ecology and also learn the natural history of the flora and fauna of California. Students are billed a materials fee of $1,450. Enrollment is by application. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, BIOE 20C or ENVS 23, ENVS 24, ENVS 100; and STAT 7 & STAT 7L (formerly AMS 7 & AMS 7L); satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing and Composition requirements. Concurrent enrollment in BIOE 151A-BIOE 151C-BIOE 151D or ENVS 109A-ENVS 109C-ENVS 109D is required. Satisfies the senior exit requirement for biological sciences majors and satisfies the senior exit requirement for environmental studies majors by prior approval. Students cannot receive credit for this course and BIOE 150, BIOE 150L, ENVS 104A or ENVS 196A.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

ENVS 109B

Instructor

Donald Croll, Gage Dayton

BIOE 151C Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Functions and Processes of Terrestrial Ecosystems

From lectures and discussion of terrestrial community and ecosystem ecology, students work individually or in small groups to present an idea for a project, review relevant literature, develop a research question/hypothesis, design and perform an experiment, collect and analyze data, and write a report. The instructor evaluates the feasibility of each student's project before it begins. Enrollment is by application. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, BIOE 20C or ENVS 23, ENVS 24, ENVS 100; and STAT 7 & STAT 7L (formerly AMS 7 & AMS 7L). Concurrent enrollment in BIOE 151A-BIOE 151B-BIOE 151D or ENVS 109A-ENVS 109B-ENVS 109D is required. Satisfies the senior exit requirement for biological sciences majors and satisfies the senior exit requirement for environmental studies majors by prior approval. Students cannot receive credit for this course and BIOE 150, BIOE 150L, ENVS 104A or ENVS 196A.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

ENVS 109C

Instructor

Donald Croll, Gage Dayton

Quarter offered

Spring

BIOE 151D Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse: Conservation in Practice

Focuses on current issues in environmental and conservation biology and the emerging field methods used to address them. From field-oriented lectures about current issues in environmental and conservation biology, students pursue research project as individuals and small groups to develop hands-on experience with field skills in conservation research and resource management. Enrollment is by application. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 20A, BIOE 20B, BIOE 20C or ENVS 23, ENVS 24, ENVS 100; and STAT 7 & STAT 7L (formerly AMS 7 & AMS 7L). Concurrent enrollment in BIOE 151A-B-C or ENVS 109A-B-C required. Satisfies the senior exit requirement for biological sciences majors and satisfies the senior exit requirement for environmental studies majors by prior approval. Students cannot receive credit for this course and BIOE 150, BIOE 150L, ENVS 104A or ENVS 196A.

Credits

4

Cross Listed Courses

ENVS 109D

Instructor

Donald Croll, Gage Dayton

Quarter offered

Spring

FMST 136 Organizing for Water Justice in California

Investigates, imagines, and practices movement toward water justice in California using feminist, Indigenous, and critical race theory. The course includes collaborative projects with environmental justice organizers in the Central Valley, and offers new ways of thinking about water inequity and access through racial capitalism, settler colonialism, and critical theories of place.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

CRES 136, ENVS 136

Instructor

Vivian Underhill

General Education Code

PR-E

LGST 148 Cites, Urban Planning, and the Law

Explores how local land use and planning objectives are defined and determined by federal, state, and (most importantly) local law. Focuses on California, and on California municipal law issues. Housing, transportation, water supply, regional government, environmental protection, natural resource protection, urban sprawl, and growth management issues are addressed as students learn how federal, state, and local laws relate to city urban planning problems.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

ENVS 148

Instructor

Gary Patton

Quarter offered

Fall