Course Outline for Environmental Science 11
Humans and the Environment with Laboratory

Effective: Fall 2024
SLO Rev:

Catalog Description:

ENSC 11 - Humans and the Environment with Laboratory

4.00 Units

Identification of problems created by humans’ modification of their environment by focusing on ecological interactions involving the human species; investigating the life processes of organisms as they relate to specific environments. Includes basic ecological concepts, evolution, biodiversity, human population growth, environmental policy, water, land and energy resources. Environmental Science 10, 11, and 12 may be combined for a maximum of 4 units. (Formerly Ecology 11)
CB03: TOP Code 0301.00 - Environmental Science
CIP Code 03.0104 - Environmental Science.
Course Grading: Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Laboratory 1.00 54.00 0.00 54.00
Total 4.00 108.00 108.00 216.00

Measurable Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. apply the principles and philosophies of science;
  2. describe the laws of energy and energy transformations by autotrophy and heterotrophy in food chains;
  3. explain the principles and mechanisms of evolution and relate them to the diversity of life;
  4. analyze interactions and changes that occur among organisms and the environment at the population, community, and ecosystem levels;
  5. describe cultural changes, human population growth, and the impact humans have had on the environment through history.

Course Content:

Course Content (Lecture):

  1. Scientific method
  2. Ecosystems and Energy
    1. laws of matter and energy
    2. properties and changes of matter
  3. Trophic Levels
    1. photosynthesis
    2. cellular respiration
    3. energy flow
    4. recycling matter
    5. food chains and webs
  4. Interactions between organisms 
    1. types of interactions
    2. Gause’s competitive exclusion principal        
  5. Succession
  6. Evolution
  7. Natural Selection and Speciation
  8. Systematics
    1. naming and classification
    2. kingdoms
  9. Biodiversity
    1. endangered species
    2. wildlife management
  10. Physical Environment
    1. abiotic factors
    2. biogeochemical cycles 
  11. Major Ecosystems
  12. Human Population
    1. population ecology
    2. human population growth
    3. population control
  13. Water Resources
    1. California water problems
    2. pollution
    3. sewage treatment
  14. Soil Resources
    1. characteristics of soil
    2. soil organisms
    3. loss of soil and pollution 
  15. Mineral Resources
    1. types and uses of mineral resources
  16. Land Resources
    1. land use
    2. public lands management
  17. Food Resources    
    1. origins and growth of agriculture
    2. world agriculture systems
    3. first and second Green Revolutions
    4. sustainable agriculture and organic farming
  18. Pesticides
    1. types and uses of pesticides
    2. problems caused by pesticides
    3. Integrated Pest Management
  19. Solid and Hazardous Wastes
    1. sources of waste
    2. waste disposal
    3. types of hazardous waste
    4. Love Canal and Superfund
  20. Global Change
    1. global warming
    2. acid deposition 
    3. loss of ozone Layer
  21. Fossil Fuels
  22. Nuclear Energy
  23. Renewable Energy

Course Content (Laboratory):

  1. Ecological Footprint
  2. Scientific Method
  3. Properties of Matter
  4. Energy Flow and Trophic Levels
  5. Biogeochemical Cycles
  6. Microscopy and Communities
  7. Water Resources
  8. Natural Selection 
  9. Speciation
  10. Systematics
  11. Populations
  12. Organism Interactions
  13. Soil
  14. Landfills
  15. Pollution
  16. Vehicle Emissions
  17. Wind Farm
  18. Geothermal Energy



Methods of Instruction:

  1. Lecture/Discussion
  2. Laboratory exercises
  3. Distance Education
  4. Multimedia presentations
  5. Research paper/ project

Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:

1. Typical Assignments
  1. Field Activity: In groups, students will hypothesize about water quality, test water at a local site (e.g., Hayward Shoreline) and discuss their results.
  2. Project: Students will make a final Worm Bin Poster which will document the development of their worm composting bins, with a weekly log and a section on microscopy.
  3. Lab Activity & Lab Report: Students will be asked to a perform a lab activity to test soils, and then write a full and detailed lab report according to the instructions provided.
  4. Lab Activity & Lab Report: Students will perform a "Mystery Plant Lab" in which they will identify California native plants based on guidance provided in lab, and then write a full and detailed lab report according to instructions (where hypotheses will be their original predictions of the plant identity).
  5. Lab Activity & Lab Report: Students will be asked to perform a porosity and permeability lab to better understand groundwater and write a full and detailed lab report of the experiment.
  6. Lab Activity & Field Activity: Students will perform a "Mystery Bird Lab" in class with bird speciments of local Bay Area species, and then use binoculars to observe and attempt to identify birds on a field trip the following week.
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
  1. Homework
  2. Quizzes
  3. Lab Activities
  4. Lab Reports: The students will be required to write detailed lab reports with the following sections (a) Introduction (b) Hypothesis (c) Experimental Design, Materials, Methods (d) Results (e) Analysis & Discussion (f) Conclusion. These lab reports will be graded according to the rubric provided in supporting documents.
  5. Projects
  6. Exams/Tests
  7. Oral Presentation
  8. Group Projects
  9. Class Participation
  10. Essay Exams
  11. Laboratory exercises
3. Student Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Students will clearly communicate how environmental science principles relate to real-world occurrences and explain how environmental science practices can be integrated into everyday life.
  2. Students will describe how human industrialization and urbanization has affected local ecosystems, including their biotic and abiotic factors, biodiversity and ecological interactions.
  3. Students will be able to use verbal, written and illustrative means to communicate their understanding of environmental science concepts and laboratory methods.

Textbooks (Typical):

  1. Fisher, Matthew R. (2018). Environmental Biology LibreTexts https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Ecology/Environmental_Biology_(Fisher).
  2. Ha, Melissa and Schleiger, Rachel (2021). Environmental Science LibreTexts https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Ecology/Environmental_Science_(Ha_and_Schleiger).
  1. Fisher, Matthew R. (2018). Environmental Biology LibreTexts.
  1. Dhaliwal, Jasmeet K.. ENSC Lab Manual. Canvas (self-published), 2023.

Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:

Identification of problems created by humans’ modification of their environment by focusing on ecological interactions involving the human species; investigating the life processes of organisms as they relate to specific environments.

Discipline:
Biological Sciences*, Ecology*, or Geography*