A field ecology course taught in the Central American nation of Belize. The course examines historical and current human land use patterns in Belize through visits to two Mayan ruins (i.e., Xunantunich and Caracol) that date from the Early Classic and Classic Mayan periods. Students spend several days in southern Belize living at a research station. Tropical rain forest (TRF) structure and ecology is presented using lecture, field trips, and a student research project. The remainder of the course is spent on an island situated on the Belize Barrier Reef. Reef ecology, mangrove ecology, and other elements of marine biology are covered during this portion of the course. Morning and evening lectures are used to introduce and review concepts highlighted during daily field trips. Field trips at this location involve snorkeling trips to sites near Southwater Caye.
Prerequisite(s): BIO 1400FYW Introduction to Biological Inquiry or permission of the instructor.
BIO 1400FYW Introduction to Biological Inquiry (4 hours)
This course is designed for biology majors and replaces traditional introductory biology courses. The overarching goal is to introduce students to collegiate biology by teaching them how to carry out scientific research. Across all sections of this course, students will pose scientific questions, design and critique experiments, run those experiments, evaluate experimental outcomes, and communicate those outcomes. Within this framework of investigative inquiry, students will learn introductory content that will not only be meaningful for the current course, but will allow for a smoother transition to their sophomore year. Content areas include ecology, genetics, evolution, biodiversity, reproduction, development, and cellular/molecular mechanisms.
Course fluidly transitions between lecture and lab with an equivalency to 3 lecture hours and 3 laboratory hours per week. No P/F.
Pre or corequisite(s): CHEM 1110 Chemical Principles I ; or prerequisite of CHEM 1100 Prep Chemistry.
(Multiple sections normally offered each semester.)
Archway Curriculum: First-Year Curriculum: First-Year Writing
Archway Curriculum: Foundational Literacies: Scientific Investigations: Natural Science Laboratory
