Food and ecology are inextricably linked, both in producing domesticated food through agriculture and livestock and in harvesting wild plants and animals. Furthermore, the production and consumption of food have downstream consequences through energy consumption, food waste, trophic interactions, and the transportation of food around the globe. These topics link to many of the fundamental concepts of ecology, including population biology, the niche, trophic interactions, nitrogen cycling, and the effects on biodiversity. In this class, we explore these topics intensively through a combination of lectures, readings, and interactive field trips to on/near campus ecosystems, including the Marsh Botanical Gardens, the Yale Sustainable Farm, a nearby forest and salt marsh, and an orchard. Each week, we meet twice for 50 minutes for a combination of lecture and discussion and for 110 minutes for field trips, discussions, and guest lectures.
Enrollment limited to first-year students.
1 credit for Yale College students