ENSC 183H Aquatic Environment-Honors

Students learn about freshwater and marine systems including their biology, geology, chemistry, circulation, climate and interactions with humans. Topics and labs include aquatic biodiversity, streams, water pollution, ocean currents, fisheries, sustaining aquatic systems and water resources. Take ENSC 181-183 in any order. Lab included. This honors class delves deeper into course topics and requires a high level of student motivation; the pace may be faster than non-honors courses. See lanecc.edu/honors for information. Students cannot receive credit for both ENSC 183 and ENSC 183H.

Credits

4

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Evaluate and perform scientific procedures and methods
2. Demonstrate and describe key chemical and physical properties of water
3. Evaluate major environmental threats to, mitigation of and adaptation to change in freshwater and marine systems related to pollution, fisheries collapse, water shortages, and/or effects of climate change. Explore social justice issues associated with these problems
4. Research the global importance of aquatic biodiversity and ongoing conservation efforts
5. Develop hypotheses and collect field data to study physical parameters including dissolved oxygen, nutrients, pH, and turbidity, and to study life in aquatic ecosystems
6. Demonstrate critical thinking skills by gathering and assessing information about current environmental issues and sustainability related to aquatic ecosystems and water resources conservation