Forest Ecology

Forest Ecology (FRST) was a Baby CTY science course that focused on the roles of forests in the environment and what roles they plan in sustaining life. It also focused on use of the scientific method. This course was offered at New London.

Course Description

From the CTY Course Catalog (1997):

This course familiarizes students with the ecology of a temperate forest. With abundant rain and snowfall, this forest ecosystem develops throughout the middle-latitude regions and supports the growth of large deciduous trees. The temperate forest has several layers of vegetation and supports a diversity of animal life, including many species of birds and small mammals. In the process of learning the characteristics of this specific ecosystem, students are introduced to important concepts in ecology. They learn about natural selection and evolution, species and speciation, population dynamics, nutrient cycling, and community organization and structure. Lab exercises and field work require students to apply their growing knowledge to specific problems and questions and to develop skills in observation, data collection, and data analysis. The major resource for the course is the Connecticut College Arboretum, a 450-acre facility located on the college campus.