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Ecology OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Bachelor Level Ecology Class

Published Feb 01, 2009

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'Fundamentals of Ecology,' a free course provided by MIT, focuses on the issue of how energy moves through ecological systems and the environmental factors that control and determine the dissemination and quantity of organisms. Students interested in ecology, the environment or students completing engineering-related degree programs, including the Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering, will find this undergraduate course fascinating.

Fundamentals of Ecology: Course Specific

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
Yes Yes Yes

Fundamentals of Ecology: Course Description

Ecosystems can range in size from a puddle of water to an expansive desert. They are active and vibrant exchanges between all types of organisms and their environment, all functioning as a collective entity. 'Fundamentals of Ecology' is an OpenCourseWare that is taught by Professor Sallie Chisholm and Dr. Laurel Schaider from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. This course investigates numerous concepts and dynamics that are associated with ecosystems. These include productivity and the nutrient cycles in ecosystems, the positioning of species on a food chain, community configuration competition and evolution and natural selection. There is also a focus on population growth, physiological ecology and aquatic systems. 'Fundamentals of Ecology' is presented over a series of 20 lectures covering an assortment of topics, including carbon and energy transformations, primary productivity, nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemical cycles and issues in conservation.

The materials for this course include lecture notes, assignments, exams and projects as downloadable PDFs. There is also a list of readings assigned from the course textbook. If you would like to take advantage of this course, go to the fundamentals of ecology course page.

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