Course info

In recent years, global climate change has emerged as a complex, often contentious, and important issue facing humankind. This course will introduce students to the discipline of Global Change Biology, which focuses on past, present, and future responses of the biosphere to large scale perturbations to the overall earth system. The course will introduce the scientific basis for our understanding of the earth’s climate system, discuss how our knowledge of past climate change informs our understanding of current climate impacts, consider the predicted effects of climate change on genomic, species, and functional diversity in Mediterranean type ecosystems (MTE’s). Although MTE’s cover 2% of the Earth’s land (only occurring California, Central Chile, the Mediterranean basin, South Africa, and southern Australia), they harbor extremely high levels of biodiversity and endemism. In part due to their characteristic mild winters and warm, dry summers, MTE’s are also experiencing some of the most intense effects of climate change. We will use a series of case studies in conservation biology, phenology, fire ecology, and sustainable agriculture to consider the impacts of climate change in MTE’s, with an emphasis on how the scientists, land managers, and communities in Greece are collaborating to address challenges.

The course counts as an elective toward the Biology and Environmental Studies majors and fulfills Warren Wilson College’s Natural Sciences General Education requirement. The topic of climate change provides an excellent arena for cultivating the curiosity, empathy, and integrity central to Warren Wilson College’s Mission. For many, studying climate change inspires curiosity as we investigate and model complex interactions among the atmosphere, land, and oceans. Understanding the interconnectedness of human and natural systems deepens our awareness of different perspectives and the impacts of climate change on Earth’s non-human inhabitants. Climate change research has wide ranging societal impacts and genuine change requires a sense of trust in the scientific enterprise. This course also considers the roles of integrity and responsibility as scientists work to design appropriate experiments, accurately represent data, and communicate findings in transparent, inclusive ways.