EVR 4934: Urban Ecology GEO 3602: Urban Geography Syllabus Florida International University Sample Spring 2013 Syllabus

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1 EVR 4934: Urban Ecology GEO 3602: Urban Geography Syllabus Florida International University Sample Spring 2013 Syllabus Professor: Dr. Jeff Onsted Phone: (305) Office: ECS 332 Office hours: M, W, F 2:00 2:50 PM jonsted@fiu.edu Class: M, W, F 3:00 3:50 PM GL 100A NOTE: THIS IS A SAMPLE SYLLABUS TO GIVE THE READER A GENERIC SENSE OF THE COURSE. THOUGH THE ACTUAL COURSE WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS SEEN HERE, THE ACTUAL READINGS AND LECTURES MAY DIFFER AND OTHER CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE MAY APPEAR BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER. Purpose of Course: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the theories, concepts, and current trends in urban ecology. Urban ecology is the study of the interactions of all plants and animals (including human beings) with each other and their urban environment. Though cities and developed areas consume a small proportion of the earth s surface, their impact on water resources, food resources, air quality, water quality, as well as species and habitat is profound. The footprint of a city, therefore, is much larger than can be seen from Google Earth. However, not all cities have equal impacts, pound for pound, and this course will explore what methods of footprint diminishment and environmentally sustainable processes have been implemented with success as well as what possibilities the future may hold. Key questions: What exactly is urban ecology? Can cities be sustainable environments? What are NGO s, the private sector, and the different levels of government doing to ensure that urban and urbanizing landscapes are healthy and desirable places for today s world? What are current innovations and ideas in the movement towards sustainable urbanization? Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes: After this course, students will better understand the complex interactions that take place between humans, other organisms, as well as their urban environment. Following completion of the course, students should be able to: Demonstrate a general understanding of urban ecology and its relationship to other fields as well as society. -Understand the evolution and possible future directions of urban ecology; -Define central terms, concepts, and theories related to urban ecology; Display critical and creative thinking skills. -Identify and understand various urban ecology initiatives;

2 Conduct independent research and writing regarding current urban ecology initiatives -Acquire, analyze, and discuss primary and secondary empirical data on urban ecologies; -Present results of specific research in urban ecologies in both a written format as well as a presentation in front of the class. Evaluation: This class will be scored out of a total of 400 points. The breakdown is as follows: 40 Attendance (Showing Up) 40 Participation (Actually taking part in class) 160 Exams 160 Class Project (consisting of 5 separate assignments throughout the course of the semester) Texts: Non-Exhaustive List of Academic Articles: Agyeman, J. and Evans, B. (2003) Just Sustainability: the emerging discourse of environmental justice in Britain?, The Geographical Journal, 170(2), pp Alberti, M. et al. (2003) Integrating humans into ecology: opportunities and challenges for studying urban ecosystems. BioScience 53, Clergeau, P., Croci S, Jokimäki J et al. (2006) Avifauna homogenization by urbanization: Analysis at different European latitudes. Biological Conservation, 127, Collins JP, Kinzig A, Grimm NB, Fagan WF, Hope D et al. (2000). A new urban ecology. Am. Sci. 88: De Hollander, A., Staatsen, B.A.M., (2003). Health, environment and quality of life: an epidemiological perspective on urban development. Landscape and Urban Planning 65, 53e62. Grimm NB, Grove MJ, Pickett STA, Redman CL. (2000). Integrated approaches to longterm studies of urban ecological systems. Bioscience 50: Jackson, R. (2004). The Ecovillage Movement. Permaculture Magazine. (40). Light, A. (2003). Urban Ecological Citizenship. Journal of social Philosophy, 34(1), Liu, J., G. C. Daily, P. R. Ehrlich, and G. W. Luck. (2003). Effects of household dynamics on resource consumption and biodiversity. Nature 421:

3 Lord, C.P., E. Strauss and A. Toffler. (2003) Natural Cities: Urban Ecology and the Restoration of Urban Ecosystems, 21 VA. ENVTL. L.J. 317, McKinney, M. L. (2006). Urbanization as a major cause of biotic homogenization. Biological Conservation Patterson, M.E., Montag, J.M., & Williams, D.R. (2003). The urbanization of wildlife management: Social science, conflict, and decision making. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 1(3), Pickett STA, Cadenasso ML, Grove JM, NilonCH, Pouyat RV, et al Urban ecological systems: linking terrestrial ecological, physical, and socio-economic components of metropolitan areas. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst.32: Platt, R. H. (2004). Towards Ecological Cities. Environment, 46(5), Turner MG Landscape ecology: the effect of pattern on process. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 20: Non-Exhaustive List of other Articles and websites: Gnateck, T. (2003). Curitiba s Urban Experiment. Frontline World. December. (website: Lubow, A. (2007). The Road to Curitiba. The New York Times. May Charles Mann, "1491", from The Atlantic Monthly, March Original article that inspired the book. Mitchell, J. G. Olmsted s Passion for Parks, National Geographic, March Non-Exhaustive List of Films King Corn 60 Minutes segment: E-Waste Kilowatt Ours Garbage Warrior Suncookers Sample Spring Semester Outline of Major Topics Please note: this is a tentative Schedule of Readings and Assignments. Therefore, this schedule is subject to possible revision throughout the semester. Date Topics Readings

4 Introduction to Urban Ecology January 10 Course overview Moodle None January 12 The Pristine Myth Mann January 14 Pristine Myth continued Mann January 17 Martin Luther King Jr. Day No Class January 19 Urban Ecological Citizenship Light January 21 Dirty Boots Light January 24 Introduce Class Project and form teams Platt History of Cities, 19 th century movement, 20 th century January 26 What sustainable cities can do for the Earth Platt January 28 Video Garbage Warrior None Project Topics Due (20 points) January 31 Video Conclusions Garbage Warrior None February 2 Guest Speaker - Joseph Montes de Oca Bicycling in Miami? None February 4 Integrated Approaches to Long Term Studies of Urban Grimm et al. Ecological Systems February 7 Integrated Approaches to Long Term Studies of Urban Grimm et al. Ecological Systems February 9 Landscape Ecology Turner February 11 Landscape Ecology Continued Turner February 14 Human-Wildlife Conflict Patterson February 16 Human-Wildlife Conflict continued Patterson February 18 Health and Environment De Hollander February 21 Health and Environmental Quality de Hollander February 23 Guest Speaker Mr. Ed Hernandez SFWMD None Literature Review Due (20 points) February 25 No Class Work on Rough Drafts February 28 Video TBA March 2 Environmental Justice Agyeman March 4 Environmental Justice Agyeman March 7 Human interest in Birds Clergeau et. al March 9 Urbanization and Homogenization McKinney March 11 Urbanization and Homogenization McKinney March 14, 16, 18 SPRING BREAK NO CLASS March 21 Household Dynamics and their impact Liu et al March 23 Olmstead s Passion for Parks National Geographic

5 March 25 Olmstead s Passion National Geographic Rough Drafts due: 40 points March 28 Curitiba The World s Most Sustainable City? Curitiba website March 30 Video - TBA April 1 Field Trip to Organic Garden? April 4 Exam Review April 6 EXAM (160 Points) TBA April 8 April 11 April 13 April 15 April 18 April 20 April 22 No Class: Final Papers due (40 points) today by 5 PM via turnitin.com April 19 thru 24 - No Final. Final