Biological processes depend on, and impact, environmental conditions that change across space and time, from local scales to biomes, and from seconds to millennia. This course examines the relationships among organisms, populations, and communities, and ecosystems, including the increasing impacts of human activity on environmental conditions. It draws links between global change, biological diversity, and the functions of ecosystems from local to global scales. We use examples from both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and emphasize the connectivity across ecosystems and ecosystem-types. Field trips and labs. Mandatory day-long field trip on a weekend (students choose which day; a fee of $17 may be charged for transportation).