Water, Aquatic Ecology, and Land-Water Linkages

This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of water and aquatic ecosystems that will: – inform their professional approaches to architecture, landscape architecture, and planning, and- contribute to protecting, improving, restoring, and sustaining water resources. Lectures, class discussions, hands-on exercises, and a field trip will cover (1) land-water interactions, emphasizing hydrology and water quality, (2) aquatic ecology, and (3) human activities affecting water resources. Topics are covered from local to continental scales and are illustrated with examples and case studies from around the world.Part 1: Background information and broad overview of water on Earth. Part 2: Land-water interactions and hydrology, geomorphology, and water quality of groundwater and surface waters. Part 3: Aquatic ecosystems – flowing waters, lakes and ponds, temporary waters, shorelines and riparian areas, inland and coastal wetlands, nearshore coastal waters – and their linkages with the terrestrial landscape and land uses. Part 4: Legal and regulatory topics, especially in the context of wetlands protection and stormwater management; BMPs for preventing, mitigating, or reversing adverse impacts; and special topics.Evaluation: Based on class attendance and participation, short (2-page) written assignments, quizzes, and individual project.Prerequisites: None.