Ecologists and the development of sustainability curricula for majors vs. non-majors

Abstract

Ecologists usually study interactions among living and non-living things at a particular spatial scale. Ecological curricula often have a biological focus except in ecosystem or applied ecology courses. At the undergraduate level, the impact of human activity on ecology class discussions is often relegated to urban ecology classes. The discussion of sustainability is a side line in introductory or upper level ecology courses, except in applied research courses, and more intensely addressed in non-science general education courses. To develop a global sustainable society will require that different disciplines understand the many factors that affect "sustainability" and work with a common definition of that term. To start the discussion among disciplines that is necessary to solve global environmental problems ecologists need to outline a clear connection between efficient natural resource management practices and global biodiversity goals. Faculty need to network across disciplines in curriculum development, and consider answers from the point of view of coursework in biology, earth science and physical science majors vs. in the general education or liberal arts core curriculum. The sustainability curriculum outcomes of such interdisciplinary discussions are considered for various undergraduate programs throughout the United States focusing on the process of integration of ecological knowledge. Nationally, science major programs develop courses that consider the human impact on the variability and management of natural resources, relative to biodiversity and landscape physical components. Courses are grouped into minors and/or configured as a major’s track. Many of these courses incorporate service-learning and utilize the campus and surrounding university community as a field lab for exploring sustainability, conservation and resource management issues. For non-majors, sustainability may be the theme of first-year seminars taught by faculty from different disciplines, to engage students in critical thinking exercises in solving global environmental problems. Often sociologists, political scientists, historians and geographers are more involved in teaching these general education courses than ecologists. A sustainable studies interdisciplinary major may result after establishing appropriate content courses for minors, the liberal arts curriculum and tracks within majors. The interdisciplinary major can also have several concentrations, as in International Studies major programs, or it can be a self-designed interdisciplinary major, differing in the relative amount of study of each discipline’s impact on sustainability and resource management trends. Ecologists’ participation in general education program development can lead to a better infusion of ecological knowledge into campus sustainability plans, with more opportunities for sustainability service-learning projects and internships.