Undergraduate Course Descriptions

Please refer to the Cornell University's Courses of Study and semester Rosters for more information on course times, pre-requisites and availability.

NTRES 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies.
(course website): Summer. 3 credits. 6-week Session. This discussion-centered course examines the interrelationships between the sciences, arts, and humanities as they relate to our environment. Students explore how we manage nature and negotiate with each other in order to meet our needs. Emphasis will be on principles of ecology, economics, esthetics, ethics, and law.
NTRES 101 Introduction to the Field of Natural Resources.
(course website): Fall. 3 credits. Limited to Natural Resource majors only. Lecture and Lab. Letter grade only. J. Yavitt. This course provides a comprehensive overview of the modern field of natural resources and environment to new students. The course focuses on identifying the components of knowledge required to understand the Earth's natural resources and ecological systems, and to participate intelligently in their conservation and management. Local case studies will be used to introduce students to the scientific, ethical, and societal basis for protection and management of natural resources and environments. Students become actively engaged in data collection and analysis, use quantitative models to analyze and interpret data, explore the human dimensions of natural resource issues, and come to understand the complexities of the policy process and management strategies.
NTRES 102 Science Fiction and Environment.: Summer. 3 credits. S/U grades optional. R.J. McNeil. This course is intended to be primarily for Summer College students (high school rising seniors), new freshman, Cornell staff, and other people with an interest in, but little formal background in environmental studies. Science fiction short stories and two books will be used as vehicles for illustrating environmental predicaments and to enable easy discussion of environmental principles which may be helpful to us in choosing ways to live. Some extra attention to studying and learning may be helpful to new college students.
NTRES 201 Environmental Conservation.
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. Lecture and 1 hr disc sec TBA. T. Fahey. Our lives are increasingly touched by questions about environmental degradation at local, regional, and global scales. Business as usual is being challenged. This course will stimulate you to go beyond the often simplistic portraits of the environmental dilemma offered by the mass media so that you will have a firmer basis for responsible citizenship and action on environmental issues.
NTRES 210 Introductory Field Biology.
(course website): Fall. 4 credits. Limited enrollment. Open to sophomores and juniors with an adviser in Natural Resources or by permission of instructor. Prerequisites: BIO G 101 and 102 or equivalent. 2 overnight weekend field trips required. Cost of field trips, approximately $12. Lec, W 10:10; labs, M W 1:25-4:25 or T R 1:25-4:25. T. Gavin and C. Smith. Introduction to methods of inventorying, identifying, and studying plants and animals. Students are required to learn the taxonomy, natural history, and how to identify approximately 170 species of vertebrates and 80 species of woody plants. Selected aspects of current ecological thinking are stressed the interaction of students with biological events in the field and accurate recording of these events are emphasized.
NTRES 232 Nature and Culture. (HA) (CA)
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. S-U Grades optional. J. Tantillo. We will examine the history of human-environment relationships, the diversity of environmental values and ethics, cultural manifestations of nature, and the role of society in forming natural resource and environmental policy. The history of natural resource conservation and management in North America, including the history and philosophy of ecology, will be introduced.
NTRES 303 Introduction to Biogeochemistry (also EAS 303): Fall. 3 credits. Prerequisites: college-level chemistry, plus a course in biology and/or geology. Lecture and Lab. J.B. Yavitt and L.A. Derry. Control and function of the Earth's global biogeochemical cycles. The course begins with a review of the basic inorganic and organic chemistry of metals that take place in soil, sediments, rivers, and the oceans. Topics include weathering, acid-base chemistry, biological resox processes, nutrient cycling, trace gas fluxes, bio-active metals, the use of isotopic tracers, and mathematical models. Interactions between global biogeochemical cycles and other components of the Earth are discussed.
NTRES 310 Applied Population Ecology.
(course website): Fall. 3 credits. Letter grade only. Prerequisite: Background in biology or ecology is strongly recommended; completion of CALS math requirement or equivalent. E. Cooch. An in-depth analysis of the ecological factors influencing the natural fluctuation and regulation of animal population numbers. The course examines models of single and multi-species population dynamics, with emphasis on understanding the relationship between ecological processes operating at the individual level and subsequent dynamics at the population level. Significant emphasis is placed on principles as applied to conservation and management. Computer and field-based exercises will be used to reinforce concepts presented in lecture.
NTRES 311 Fish Ecology, Conservation and Management.
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. Prerequisites: NTRES 210 or permission of instructor; NTRES 310 or a general ecology course recommended. J. Jackson, E. Mills, L. Rudstam. Basic principles of fish ecology at the individual, population, and community level are covered, particularly as they relate to interactions between fish and the aquatic environment. Emphasis is placed on the application of these principles to the conservation and management of fisheries resources and aquatic habitats. Illustrative examples are provided from current literature and case studies.
NTRES 312 Fish Ecology Laboratory.: Spring. 1 credit. Prerequisite: NTRES 310 or concurrent enrollment. Two weekend field trips. J. Jackson, E. Mills, L. Rudstam. Two overnight weekend field trips to the Cornell Biological Field Station and the Adirondack Field Station. Activities include experiences with various fish sampling gear and analysis of collected samples. Discussions about sampling considerations and inferences we can make by contrasting the ecology of fish in lakes of different productivity. Includes visit to a state of the art fish hatchery and evening discussion session during the field trips. Written reports required.
NTRES 313 Biological Statistics I (also BTRY 301).
(course website): Fall. 4 credits. Prerequisite: 1 semester of calculus. P.J. Sullivan. Statistical methods are developed and applied to problems encountered in the biological and environmental sciences. Methods include data visualization, population parameter estimation, sampling, bootstrap resampling, hypothesis testing, the Normal and other probability distributions, and an introduction to modeling. Applied analysis is carried out in the Splus statistical computing environment.
NTRES 314 Conservation of Birds.
(course website): Spring or summer. 2 credits. Prerequisite: NTRES 210 or permission of instructor. C. R. Smith. A course for majors and nonmajors, focusing on science-based bird conservation and management at the organism, population, community and landscape levels. Current resource management issues relevant to birds will be explored in the contexts of agricultural practices, habitat management, tropical deforestation, the design and management of natural preserves, endangered species management, global climate change and the economic importance of bird study as an outdoor recreational activity.
NTRES 315 Conservation of Birds Laboratory.
(course website): Spring or summer. 1 credit. Concurrent enrollment in NTRES 370 required. Saturday mornings TBA. Offered alternate odd years. C. R. Smith. A field-oriented course designed to teach skills of bird observation and identification based on the integration of field marks, songs and calls, and habitat cues. Topics covered will include the choice and effective use of field guides, binoculars, and other aids to bird identification; procedures for taking and organizing field notes; the relationships of birds to their habitats and to other birds; and methods and procedures for censussing and surveying songbird populations.
NTRES 322 Global Ecology and Management.
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. Prerequisites: college-level biology and general ecology. Lecture and disc sec, J. B. Yavitt. The subjects of biogeography, ecology and biodiversity have patterns and processes that emerge only at the global scale. Recognizing the global importance of these patterns and processes is even more imperative in light of the tremendous increase in the human population size and the effects of humans on the Earth. This course is an introduction to the field of global ecology. Topics include comparative ecology and biogeography, community ecology, island biogeography, and ramifications of global climatic change.
NTRES 323 Principles of Toxicology (also TOX 320).: Spring. 3 credits. Prerequisites: one year each of chemistry and biology with labs; 1 semester of organic chemistry lecture or permission of instructor. This introductory lecture course in human and environmental toxicology emphasizes basic principles (exposure, dose-response, effects) involved with pesticides, hazardous wastes, and natural products. Science-based assessments for risk analysis and policy are integrated with other considerations. Guest speakers and extensive case studies augment lectures and student team exercises applied to management.
NTRES 324 Ecological Management of Water Resources.: Spring. 3 credits. Prerequisites: introductory ecology and introductory chemistry or permission of instructor. R. Schneider. In-depth analysis of those ecological and biological principles relevant to the management of fresh and marine water resources, with emphasis on the effects of water management on community ecology. Lectures and discussion will integrate scientific literature with current management issues. Topics include: linkages between hydrologic variability an communities; groundwater-surface connections, flow paths for dispersal, patchily distributed water resources, and water quality controls on organisms.
NTRES 325 Forest Management and Maple Syrup Production.: Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only. Lecture and Lab. Offered alternate even years. P.J. Smallidge. A practical, field-oriented course emphasizing principles and practices of stewardship and multiple purpose management of small nonindustrial private forest land in the northeastern United States, including the production of maple syrup.
NTRES 326 Applied Conservation Ecology.: Spring. 3 credits. Pre-requisite: BIOEE 261 or permission of instructor. S. Morreale. Field and lab course designed to provide direct experience with some of the most important field methods and analytical techniques used to examine ecosystem and community function, structure, and value, especially within the context of contemporary conservation ecology and evolutionary theory. Tools include field sampling techniques, resource and conservation mapping, spatial referencing, GIS, measures of biodiversity, and manual and automated techniques for studying soil, stream, and forest biota and related physical factors.
NTRES 330 Natural Resource Planning and Management.
(course website): Fall. 3 credits. Prerequisite: junior standing. Bruce Lauber. Focus is on terrestrial and aquatic resources. Concepts emphasized include the comprehensive planning process and human dimensions of resource management. Students integrate biological, social, and institutional dimensions of management through case studies. Grades are based on individual and group performance.
NTRES 331/631 Environmental Governance (also S&TS 331 and B&SOC 331).
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. S. Wolf. This course considers questions of environmental governance, defined as the assemblage of social institutions that regulate natural resource use and shape environmental outcomes. Participants will explore the roles of public policy, market exchange, and collective action in resource (mis)management. Theoretical concepts from a variety of social science perspectives will be introduced to support case studies and student-led discussions. Comparative analysis of how governance is pursued in different countries, historical periods, and ecological contexts (forests, endangered species, water quality) will highlight scope for institutional innovation. Students taking the course for four graduate credits (614) will be required to read supplemental materials, participate in a seminar section, and produce an independent research paper.
NTRES 332 Ethics and the Environment.
(course website): Fall, 4 credits. Lecture and discussion section TBA. Letter grade or S/U. J. Tantillo. An introduction to ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, and political philosophy as these subjects relate to the environment. We will ask the question "How should I live?" and explore the implications of different answers to that question for our treatment of nature. We will examine the various approaches to ethical theory; the relations between art, literature, religion, and morality; the objective nature of value judgments; and the subjective nature of nature. Applied topics may include such issues as the management of National Parks; the tensions between liberalism and environmentalism; and the moral implications of agriculture and of our attitudes to food.
NTRES 406 Ecology Risk Assessment (also Toxicology 406).: Spring (alternate years). Fall. 3 credits. Prerequisites: BIOES 261 or equivalent; permission of instructor if not an advanced student in natural sciences of engineering. This course strives to develop understanding of and competence in the different types of ecological (nonhuman health) risk assessments base on USEPA principles and methods. Focus is on cases for chemical, physical, and biological stressors in a variety of circumstances.
NTRES 410 Conservation Biology: Concepts and Techniques
(course website): Fall. 4 credits. Prerequisite: NTRES 210. Completion of, or concurrent enrollment in NTRES 310 strongly recommended. Limited to first 30 seniors, plus graduate students. Lecture and Lab. E. G. Cooch and T. Gavin. A thorough analysis of the ecological and quantitative dimensions for decision making in modern conservation biology and management. Emphasis is on analysis of variation and maintenance of biological diversity, and will focus on principles and techniques, including demographic viability analysis of populations, genetic analysis, as well as aspects of the human dimensions of conservation biology.
NTRES 411/611 Quantitative Ecology of Fisheries Resources.
(course website): Spring. 4 credits. S-U grades optional. Prerequisites: NTRES 313 recommended or permission of instructor. Lecture and Lab. Offered alternate even years. Offered alternate even years. P. J. Sullivan. The dynamics of marine and freshwater fisheries resources are examined with a view towards observation, analysis, and decision making within a quantitative framework. Growing pressure on fisheries resources, habitat modification, and increased uncertainty about the nature of biological systems are at the center of many fisheries issues. Quantitative models are useful for integrating information needed by decision makers in addressing these issues. The course develops analytical methods to assess the dynamics and status of fisheries resources and then demonstrates how the information may be transformed into something useful to decision makers.
NTRES 412 Wildlife Population Analysis: Techniques & Models.
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. Prerequisites: NTRES 310 (or equivalent, or by permission of instructor), a college-level math or statistics class. E. Cooch. Lecture/lab: 2-week intensive course (M T W R F morning lectures, afternoon labs) in January with follow-up meetings during the spring semester. This course will explore the theory and application of a variety of statistical estimation and modeling techniques used in the study of wildlife population dynamics. The course will focus on exploration of a selection of the tools needed for modern wildlife conservation and management, including (possibly) analysis of mark-recapture data, population viability analysis, decision theory, and matrix modeling.
NTRES 413 Biological Statistics II (also BTRY 302).
(course website): Fall. 4 credits. Prerequisite: NTRES 313 or BTRY 301. P.J. Sullivan. Linear statistical methods are applied to quantitative problems addressed in biological and environmental research. Methods include linear regression, inference, model assumption evaluation, the likelihood approach, matrix formulation, generalized linear models, single factor and multifactor analysis of variance (ANOVA), and a brief foray into nonlinear modeling. Applied analysis is carried out in the Splus statistical computing environment.
NTRES 414 A Darwinian Perspective on Human Behavior and Natural Resources: Spring. 2 credits. Prerequisite: BIONB 221 or permission of instructor. Offered alternate even years; next offered 2007-2008. T. Gavin. Seeks to understand why human behavior, a product of natural selection and cultural factors, seems to result in environmental degradation. Once students understand the probable underlying basis for this human behavior, the course explores possible methods for altering this behavior.
NTRES 420 Forest Ecology.: Fall. 3 credits. Prerequisite: introductory biology. M W F 11:15-12:05. T.J. Fahey. A comprehensive analysis of the distribution, structure, and dynamics of forest ecosystems. Topics include paleoecology of forests, ecophysiology of forest trees, disturbance, succession and community analysis, primary productivity, and nutrient cycling.
NTRES 421 Forest Ecology Laboratory.: Fall. 1 credit. Cost of weedend trip aproximately $30. Concurrent enrollment in NTRES 301 required. T.J. Fahey. Field trips designed to familiarize students with the nature of regional forests and to provide experience with approaches to quantifying forest composition and its relation to environmental factors. Optional weekend field trips to Adirondacks and White Mountains, New Hampshire. Group research projects in local forests.
NTRES 422 Wetland Ecology and Management-Lecture.
(course website): Fall. 3 credits. B. L. Bedford. Examination of the structure, function, and dynamics of wetland ecosystems with an emphasis on principles required to understand how human activities affect wetlands. Current regulations, protection programs, and management strategies are considered.
NTRES 423 Wetland Ecology and Management-Laboratory.: Fall. 1 credit. Optional. Concurrent enrollment in NTRES 422 is required. 1 weekend fieldtrip required. B. L. Bedford. An integrated set of field and laboratory exercises designed to expose students to: the diversity of wetland ecosystems; the vegetation, soils, water chemistry, and hydrology of wetlands vegetation, soils, and hydrology of wetlands within the region; methods of sampling wetlands vegetation, soils, and water; and methods of wetland identification and delineation.
NTRES 424 Landscape Impact Analysis.
(course website): Fall. 3 credits. Prerequisites: 1 introductory and 1 advanced course in ecology or the equivalents, and junior standing. T R 1:25-2:40. B. L. Bedford. This course presents ecological concepts and analytical tools needed to evaluate environmental impacts to natural resources and ecosystems within an integrated context that incorporates the landscapes within which these resources occur. It explores diverse conceptual frameworks for landscape impact analysis and exposes students to modern tools for evaluating landscapes.
NTRES 426 Practicum in Forest Farming as an Agroforestry System (also HORT).: Fall. 2 credits. S-U grades optional. Prerequisites: junior, senior, or graduate standing or permission of instructor. Offered alternate years. K. Mudge and L. Buck. Students will actively take part in the development and management of a 70 year old nut grove originally planted at Cornell in the 1930's. The MacDaniel's Nut Grove is being developed as a multipurpose forest farming teaching, research, and extension site. Hands-on activities will include all or most of the following: temperate nut harvest and variety evaluation, mushroom culture, small fruit and fruit tree culture, medicinal herb culture, site evaluation and planning, and field trip to other agroforestry-related sites. Outdoor activities will be integrated with selected readings via an online discussion board.
NTRES 427 Ecoregions: Ecology and Conservation.: Spring. 2 credits. Letter grade only. Prerequisites: NTRES 210, 310; statistics recommended; junior standing or above. Offered alternate even years. C. R. Smith. Approaches to characterizing and classifying terrestrial habitats and ecoregions at a variety of spatial scales will be reviewed and discussed. A landscape approach will be used to introduce habitat management concepts and land cover classifications. Legislation guiding federal land management decisions will be discussed, and field trips will be to areas managed by public and private land management organizations.
NTRES 430 Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Processes.
(course website) (course information) (tentative course schedule) (application form) (recommendation form) (course assistant application): Prerequisites: junior standing; special application process, and course fee (approx. $500). Lec, January 11-day intersession; three 2-hour orientation sessions in fall semester and four 2-hour sessions in February and March. Completed applications due by October 12. Applications are available by contacting map10@cornell.edu or at http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/courses/NR430/Applic07.pdf. An intensive exploration of the environmental policy process and its conceptual framework. Recognizing and defining natural resource or environmental problems and issues; aggregating interests; agenda-setting; formulating and selecting alternative solutions; implementation and evaluation stages; roles of lobbyists, legislature, executive branch, and other actors. Case studies; presentations by and discussions with about twenty prominent Washington policy makers appearing as guest lecturers. Required interviews, term paper, and oral reports. Includes 11 days in January in Washington, DC.
NTRES 431 Environmental Strategies.
(course website): Research-oriented seminar focused on conservation of natural resources in the contemporary political and institutional environment. We study opportunities to mobilize market mechanisms and competitive strategies of firms to harmonize economic and environmental demands on ecological systems. Through production of a portfolio of analyses of real-world integrated environmental management schemes, students will come to understand the maechanics of this general class of environmental policy tools and develop a critique as to why the market does not represent a comprehensive approach to sustainability. Course details at www.dnr.cornell.edu/saw44/ntres431.html.
NTRES 432 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management.
(course website): Spring. 3 credits. S-U grades optional. Limited to juniors and seniors. J. Enck. This course focuses on how a social science-based understanding of human attitudes, values, and behaviors can be incorporated in natural resource management decisions and actions. Examples from federal, state, and nongovernmental fish, wildlife, and forest management programs are used to illustrate the importance of socioeconomic considerations in problem solving and decision making.
NTRES 434 International Conservation: Communities and the Management of the World's Natural Resources.: Spring. 3 credits. Letter grade only. J. Lassoie. Lectures, readings, and multi-media information, including the Internet, build a multi-disciplinary understanding of the principles underpinning conservation and natural resource management. Specific attention is given to the role of local communities in developing sustainable land-use strategies. Case studies from Africa, Latin America, China, and the US examine particular conservation and management issues from widely different geopolitical perspectives. Stakeholder analyses are used to base discussions of each case, followed by a synthesis and discussion of key contrasts and comparisons centered on common themes identified during the course.
NTRES 444 Resource Management and Environmental Law (also CRP 444).: Spring. 3 credits. For juniors, seniors, and graduate students. S-U grades optional. R. Booth. For description, see CRP 444.
NTRES 456 Stream Ecology (also ENTOM 456, BIOEE 456).
(course website): Spring. 4 credits. Limited to 60 students. Prerequisites: BIOEE 261 recommended. Offered alternate even years. Lecture and Lab. B. Peckarsky. For description, see ENTOM 456.
NTRES 480 Global Seminar: Building Sustainable Environments and Secure Food Systems for a Modern World (also Food Science 480, INTAG 480).: Spring. 3 credits. Prerequisites: Junior, senior or graduate standing. J. Lassoie and D. Miller. Modernization has led to development pressures that have increasingly disrupted natural systems leading to widespread concerns about the long-term viability of important environmental services, including those critical to food security worldwide. This multidisciplinary course uses case studies to explore interrelationships among social, economic, and environmental factors basic to sustainable development. Cases include population growth, genetically modified foods, biodiversity, sustainable tourism, global warming, and global responsibility. Cornell faculty lead discussions in each of the major topic areas. In addition, students participate in discussions and debates with students from Sweden, Costa Rica, Honduras, South Africa, and Australia through live interactive videoconferences and electronic discussion boards.
NTRES 493 Individual Study in Resource Policy, Management, and Human Dimensions.: Fall, spring, or winter. Credit TBA. S-U grades optional. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. T. Brown, L. E. Buck, D. J. Decker, J. Enck, B. Knuth, T. B. Lauber, J. Tantillo, S. Wolf. Topics in environmental and natural resource policy, management, and human dimensions are arranged depending on the interest of students and availability of staff. Students must register with an Independent Study form (available in 140 Roberts Hall)
NTRES 494 Special Topics in Natural Resources.: Fall or spring. 4 credits maximum. S/U grades optional. The department teaches "trial" courses under this number. Offerings vary by semester, and will be advertised by the department. Courses offered under the number will be approved by the department curriculum committee, and the same course will not be offered more than twice under this number.
NTRES 495 Individual Study in Fish and Wildlife Biology and Management.: Fall or spring. Credit TBA. S-U grades optional. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. M. Bain, E. Cooch, P. Curtis, J. Dickinson, T. Gavin, J. R. Jackson, C. Kraft, R. Malecki, E. Mills, S. Morreale, M. Richmond, L. Rudstam, C. Smith, P. Sullivan. Topics in fish and wildlife biology and management are arranged depending on the interests of students and availability of staff. Students must register with and Independent Study form (available in 140 Roberts Hall).
NTRES 496 Individual Study in Ecology and Management of Landscapes.: Fall or spring. Credit TBA. S-U grades optional. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. B. Bedford, B. Blossey, T. Fahey, M. Krasny, J. Lassoie, R. Schneider, R. Sherman, P. Smallidge, J. Yavitt. Topics in ecology and management of landscapes are arranged depending on the interests of students and availability of staff. Students must register with and Independent Study form (available in 140 Roberts Hall).

NTRES 498 Teaching in Natural Resources.: Fall and spring. 1-4 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Students must register with an Independent Study form (available in 140 Roberts Hall). S-U grades optional. Course designed to give students an opportunity to obtain teaching experience by assisting in labs, field trips for designated sections, discussions, and grading. Students will gain insights into the organization, preparation, and execution of course plans through application and discussions with instructor.