Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours.
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This introductory life science course examines the ocean from an ecological perspective with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. Topics include patterns in the marine realm, interactions between organisms and their environment, the flow of energy through food webs, the structure of marine communities and issues related to environmental sustainability and human impacts on ocean ecosystems. Students discuss climate change, reducing our carbon footprint, the impacts of plastics and other pollution, and exploitation of marine resources. This class prepares students for moving forward toward a more sustainable future.