Office Hours: 9-10 AM, Monday, Wednesday & Friday in 2013 VLSB (*see note below).

E-mail: mepower@berkeley.edu

Message from Prof. Power:

During the Ecology section of this course, we will explore the heterogeneous, fluctuating environments of Earth, the ways in which plants and animals interact with these environments, and how effects of environments on organisms and organisms on environments are often mediated through webs of interactions that include competition, predation, parasitism, and mutualism. We will look at how the biosphere works as a "system" and how ecologists and other earth scientists are trying to forecast the environmental consequences of land use, climate change, population growth, and other important topics we hear about in the news every day.

* One third of office hours allocated to discussions of The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Professor Power will generally have three office hours a week, in the 9-10 AM slot (following lecture) in room 2013 VLSB. During the Friday hour, she and participating students will discuss the book by Michael Pollan (a professor in Berkeley's journalism school): The Omnivore's Dilemma. Several parts of this book illustrate many of the basic ecological principles we'll cover in class, using examples that affect human nutrition, foraging, and food systems that are sustainable, or not. I encourage students in the class to read this book if they haven't, and invite those who have read it to come to this special discussion section where we can talk about the ideas from the class that apply in the context of Pollan's writings.

Below are papers that are optional readings as part of the Friday (9-10 AM) Omnivore's Discussion section.

• Quantifying Planetary Boundaries (new version as of Oct. 22)

• Transitions and Tipping Points in Complex Environmental Systems

• Planetary Stewardship

Here are the pages in Campbell Editions 6, 7 and 8 relevant to the lectures--note that the syllabus has been slightly revised after the 10th lecture topic on Wed Oct. 21. Remember that the exams will draw on lecture content, but reading related material in the text may help clarify some of these topics, and expand your knowledge.