Geog 215:

Introduction to Biogeography

Why did Western red cedar only become common on the west coast of Canada about 5000 years ago?

Why is Monterey pine, which was restricted to a few stands on the California coast in the 19th century, now widely planted in the southern hemisphere?

When did marine three-spined sticklebacks colonize coastal lakes in BC, and why are they now endangered?

Does the geography of gorilla species in Africa reflect changes in the distribution of the rain forest over time?

Find out why plant and animal species are restricted to particular parts of the world, and how those distributions have changed through time in GEOG 215, a course that examines the influence that the modern physical environment (particularly climate and soils), biotic factors (e.g. competition), people (e.g. domestication), recent environmental changes (e.g. glaciation) and geological events (e.g. continental breakup) have exerted on the Earth's biogeographic landscape. .

Assignments: Lab assignments examine biogeographic processes at the local and regional level, dealing with the plant species and vegetation history of the Pacific Northwest. One of the laboratory assignments requires you to undertake fieldwork in the forest on Burnaby Mountain; access to rainwear is assumed!

Prerequisites: Geography 111 (or equivalent) or permission of the instructor.

Organization: One 2-hour lecture and a 2-hour laboratory session per week.
A detailed course schedule will be handed out in the first lecture.

Grading:
Laboratory assignments: 25%
Poster project and research journal: 25%
Midterm exam: 20%;
Final exam: 30%

Text: MacDonald, G.M. 2005. Biogeography: Space, Time and Life. Wiley, N.Y.

Information:
Ian Hutchinson (RCB Hall 7226)
ph: 778.782.3232
email: ianh@sfu.ca