Track Leader: Dr. Andy Sih asih@ucdavis.edu
The Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Track aims to give students a broad ecological training that prepares them to be field ecologists, organismal biologists (biodiversity specialists) or conservation specialists. It trains students for working for public agencies or private companies, and serves as preparation for graduate school in a variety of environmental biology disciplines. A series of foundation courses are required, including upper division statistics, physical environmental sciences, public policy, evolution, genetics, biogeography, and a field course for hands on field experience of hypothesis testing in nature. The track then allows students to specialize in options in Organismal Biology and Biodiversity, Ecology, or Conservation. UC-Davis has more ecologists than any other institution in the World, and this track draws on this rich human resource.
Faculty quote:
“Currently we are losing biological diversity at a rate which is unprecedented in the history of our planet, and rivals the mass extinctions seen in geological history. Stemming this loss of biodiversity, as well as understanding the benefits and functions of biodiversity demand a broad training in biology and about the physical, chemical and human-modified environment. Rather than specializing on any particular kind of species, environmental resource, or problem-solving approach, the Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Track of ESM brings together all of the relevant subjects to train our graduates to be able to solve real-world problems. We pride ourselves on the breadth of knowledge available on campus and being able to hone programs to meet the career paths and interests of our students, while providing them with research opportunities and a rich suite of methodological tools. Along the way we get to enjoy learning about the amazing spectacle that nature and the environment provide.” - Marcel Holyoak
Potential Graduate Programs:
The Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis, is perhaps the number 1 program in the World!
Ecology and Evolution at The University of Chicago
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University
Graduate Program in Ecology at Duke
Major Requirements
Preparatory Subject Matter Requirements
| Course IDs | Course Title | Quarters Offered | Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written and Oral Expression | ||||
| UWP 101, 102A-G, 104A-F | Upper Division Writing | I, II, III, IV | 4 | May test out of requirement |
| CMN 1, 3, or DRA 10 | Public Speaking | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Biological Sciences | ||||
| BIS 2A | Essentials of Life on Earth | I, II, III, IV | 5 | |
| BIS 2B | Principles of Ecology and Evolution | I, II, III, IV | 5 | |
| BIS 2C | Biodiversity and the Tree of Life | I, II, III, IV | 5 | |
| Geology (Choose one of the following) | ||||
| GEL 1 | The Earth | I, II, III | 4 | |
| GEL 50 | Physical Geology | I, II, III | 3 | (recommended) |
| Chemistry | ||||
| CHE 2A or 2AH | General Chemistry | I, II, IV (2A or 2AH) | 5 | |
| CHE 2B or 2BH | General Chemistry | II, III, IV (2B or 2BH) | 5 | |
| CHE 2C or 2CH | General Chemistry | I, III, IV (2C or 2CH) | 5 | (recommended, not required) |
| Physics (Complete either 1AB or 7ABC) | ||||
| Physics 1A | General Physics | I, II, IV | 3 | |
| Physics 1B | General Physics | II, III | 3 | |
| Physics 7A | General Physics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Physics 7B | General Physics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Physics 7C | General Physics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Economics | ||||
| ECN 1A | Principles of Microeconomics | I, II, III, IV | 4 | |
| Mathematics | ||||
| MAT 16A, 17A, or 21A | Calculus | I, II, III, IV | 3-4 | Mat 17AB recommended |
| MAT 16B, 17B, or 21B | Calculus | I, II, III, IV | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Science and Policy | ||||
| ESP 1 | Environmental Analysis | I, IV | 4 | |
I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
Depth Subject Matter Requirements
NOTE: Students graduating with this major are required to attain at least a C average (2.0 GPA) in all courses taken at the university in Depth Subject Matter and pass all coursework. See requirements of the College of Agriculture & Environmental Science in the UC Davis General Catalog.
| Course IDs | Course Title | Prerequisites | Quarters Offered | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Environment | ||||
| ESM 120 | Global Environmental Interactions | One college-level chemistry and biology course | II | 4 |
| Ecology (Choose one of the following) | ||||
| ESP 100 | General Ecology | BIS 2A-C; MAT 16A-B or 17A-B or 21A-B; STA 13 recommended | I, II, IV | 4 |
| EVE 101 | Introduction to Ecology | BIS 2A-C; MAT 16A-B or 17A-B or 21A-B; or equivalent | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| Policy | ||||
| ESP 162 | Environmental Policy | ECN 1A | II | 4 |
| Statistics (Choose one of the following - Statistics 100 recommended) | ||||
| STA 13 | Elementary Statistics | Two years of high school algebra or equivalent in college | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| STA 100 | Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences | MAT 16B or 17B or 21B | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| Environmental Monitoring (Choose one of the following) | ||||
| ESM 108 | Environmental Monitoring | Entry level course in the environmental sciences | III | 3 |
| ESP 179 | Environmental Impact Assessment | ESP 1 or the equivalent | II, IV | 4 |
| GIS Technology | ||||
| ABT/LDA 150 | Introduction to GIS | None | I, III | 4 |
| Internship | ||||
| ESM/ESP 92 or 192 | Internship | Upper division standing, permission of instructor Variable unit – must take at least 3 units of internship | I, II, III, IV | 3 |
| Capstone | ||||
| ESM 195 | Integrating Env Science & Management | Senior standing; Environmental science major (e.g.: ESM, EPAP, ETX, WFC) | III | 2 |
| Honors Thesis (Optional) | ||||
| ESM 194H | Senior Honors Thesis | Senior standing, Overall GPA of 3.50 or higher Consent of the master adviser | 2-6 | |
I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
Required Courses
NOTE: Courses taken for the depth subject matter or track cannot be used to fulfill more than one major requirement.
| Course IDs | Course Title | Prerequisites | Quarters Offered | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select one physical processes course | ||||
| ATM 60 | Introduction to Atmospheric Science | MAT 16A or 17A or 21A; PHY 1A or 7A or 9A | I | 4 |
| ATM 116 | Climate Change | None | I | 4 |
| ATM 133** | Biometeorology | One biological course and MAT 16B or consent of instructor | II | 4 |
| ESM 121 | Water Science & Management | PHY 10 or GEL 1 | III | 3 |
| ESM 131 | Air as a Resource | CHE 2A or 10 | II | 3 |
| ESP 152 | Coastal Oceanography | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 3 |
| HYD 143** | Echohydrology | HYD 10 or 141 or ESP 1 or ESM 100 or ESM 108 or ESM 120 or GEL 1 or 50 or SSC 100 | II | 4 |
| SSC 100 | Principles of Soil Science | College-level course in each of CHE, PHY, BIS, and GEL recommended | I | 5 |
| Select one environmental policy course | ||||
| ESP 170* | Conservation Biology Policy | One course in env science, conservation, or government recommended | III | 4 |
| ESP 171 | Urban & Regional Planning | ESP 1 recommended | III | 4 |
| ESP 172 | Public Lands Management | ECN 1A recommended | I | 4 |
| ESP 179 | Environmental Impact Assessment | ESP 1 or the equivalent | II, IV | 4 |
| SOC 160 | Sociology of the Environment | SOC 1 or 2 or 3 recommended | I | 4 |
| Complete | ||||
| EVE 100 | Introduction to Evolution | BIS 2A-C; MAT 16A, 17A, or 21A; MAT 16B, 17B, or 21B; STA 100 recommended | I, II, III, IV | 4 |
| Select one conservation course | ||||
| WFC 144** | Marine Conservation | Course in introductory ecology | II | 4 |
| WFC 154 | Conservation Biology | EVE 101 or ESP 100 or equivalent (can be concurrent) | II | 4 |
| Select one field experience course | ||||
| ENH 160/L | Restoration Ecology & Fieldwork | PLB/EVE 117 or EVE 121 or PLS 147 or equivalent | III | 3/1 |
| ESP 123** | Intro to Field & Lab Methods in Ecology | ESP 100 or EVE 101 or equivalent; STA 100 or equivalent | III | 4 |
| ESP 124 | Marine and Coastal Field Ecology | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 3 |
| ESP 151L | Limnology Laboratory | ESP 151 (can be concurrent) | III | 3 |
| EVE/ENT 180A* | Exp Ecology & Evolution in the Field | MUST take both EVE/ENT 180A and 180B | II | 4 |
| PLS 147/L | California Plant Communities & Fieldwork | PLS 2 or BIS 2C | III | 3/1 |
| WFC 100 | Field Methods in Wildlife, Fish, & Cons. Bio | EVE 101 or ESP 100 or equivalent; consent of instructor | III | 4 |
| Select one population ecology course | ||||
| ESP 121 | Population Ecology | BIS 2B-C; MAT 16B or 17B or 21B or 21BH | II | 4 |
| WFC 124 | Sampling Animal Populations | WFC 103 or STA 100 or PLS 120; ESP 100 or EVE 101 | III | 4 |
| Select one community ecology course | ||||
| ESP 151 | Limnology | BIS 2A and 2B; BIS 2C and ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended | III | 4 |
| ESP 155** | Wetland Ecology | BIS 2A or equivalent; ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended | I | 4 |
| EVE 115* | Marine Ecology | ESP 100 or EVE 101 or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor | II | 4 |
| EVE 181** | Animal-Plant Interation | BIS 2B and 2C, BIS 2C may be taken concurrently | I | 4 |
| PLB/EVE 117 | Plant Ecology | BIS 2A-C; PLB 111 recommended | I | 4 |
| Select one ecosystems course | ||||
| ENH 160 | Restoration Ecology | PLB/EVE 117 or EVE 121 or PLS 147 or the equivalent | III | 3 |
| EVE 147** | Biogeography | BIS 2B | I | 3 |
| HYD 143** | Echohydrology | HYD 10 or 141 or ESP 1 or ESM 100 or ESM 108 or ESM 120 or GEL 1 or 50 or SSC 100 | II | 4 |
| PLS 162 | Urban Ecology | Course in general or plant ecology | II | 3 |
| PLS 163 | Ecosystem and Landscape Ecology | Course in general, plant, or soil ecology such as EVE 117, ESP 100, or SSC 112 | II | 4 |
| Select one biome level course | ||||
| ESM/PLS 144 | Trees & Forests | PLS 2 or BIS 2C | I | 4 |
| ESP 124 | Marine and Coastal Field Ecology | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 3 |
| ESP 150C | Biological Oceanography | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 4 |
| ESP 151 | Limnology | BIS 2A and 2B; BIS 2C and ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended | III | 4 |
| ESP 155** | Wetland Ecology | BIS 2A or equivalent; ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended | I | 4 |
| EVE 115* | Marine Ecology | ESP 100 or EVE 101 or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor | II | 4 |
| EVE 138** | Ecology of Tropical Latitudes | One course in BIS, ENT, WFC, or GEO, or consent of the instructor | III | 5 |
| PLS 130 | Rangelands: Ecology, Cons, & Restoration | PLS 2 or BIS 2B or BIS 2C or consent of instructor | II | 3 |
| Select one organismal biology course | ||||
| ENT 103** | Insect Systematics | Introductory course in zoology or entomology | III | 3 |
| ENT 116 | Freshwater Macroinvertebrates | BIS 2B or equivalent | III | 3 |
| EVE 112** | Biology of Invertebrates | BIS 2B-C; courses in systematics, ecology, & evolution recommended | II | 4 |
| EVE 114 | Experimental Invertebrate Biology | Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program | IV | 3 |
| PLB/PLS 102‡ | California Floristics | PLS 2 or BIS 2C or equivalent course in plant science | III | 5 |
| PLB 116‡ | Plant Morphology & Evolution | PLS 2 or BIS 2C or equivalent course in plant biology | II | 5 |
| PLB/EVE 119‡ | Population Bio of Invasive Plants & Weeds | BIS 2A-C; elementary statistics course recommended | III | 3 |
| WFC 110 | Biology & Conservation of Wild Mammals | BIS 2A-C; EVE 101 or ESP 100 or equivalent | III | 3 |
| WFC 111 | Biology & Conservation of Wild Birds | BIS 2A-C; upper division ecology course recommended | I | 3 |
| WFC 120 | Biology & Conservation of Fishes | BIS 2A-C; upper division ecology course recommended | I | 3 |
| WFC 134* | Herpetology | BIS 2A-C; EVE 101, ESP 100 or equivalent rec. | II | 3 |
| Select one biome or organismal biology lab course | ||||
| ENT 116L | Aquatic Insect Collection | ENT 100L or 116, or prior experience with insect identification | III | 2 |
| ESP 151L | Limnology Laboratory | ESP 151 concurrently | III | 3 |
| ESP 155L | Wetland Ecology Laboratory | Summer Abroad Only | IV | 3 |
| EVE 112L** | Biology of Invertebrates: Lab | BIS 2B and 2C; EVE 112 concurrently | II | 2 |
| EVE/ENT 180B* | Exp Ecology & Evolution in the Field | MUST take both EVE/ENT 180A and 180B | III | 4 |
| WFC 110L | Biology & Cons of Wild Mammals Lab | WFC 110 (may be concurrent); consent of instructor | III | 3 |
| WFC 111L | Biology & Conservation of Wild Birds Lab | WFC 111 (may be concurrent); consent of instructor | I | 3 |
| WFC 120L | Biology & Cons of Fishes Lab | WFC 120 (may be concurrent): consent of instructor | I | 2 |
| WFC 134L | Herpetology Laboratory | WFC 134 (may be concurrent); consent of instructor | II | 2 |
‡These are combined lecture and lab courses, an additional lab is not required if you complete one of these courses
I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session
*Course is offered in odd years only (2015, 2017, etc.)
**Course is offered in even years only (2016, 2018, etc.)
