B.S. in Applied Biological Sciences
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Wildlife and Restoration Ecology concentration
Applied ecology is the focus of wildlife and restoration ecology concentration. Introductory coursework emphasizes a core understanding of biological science, principles of plant and animal ecology, and the techniques and principles of ecosystem management. Students then can choose to focus their coursework on wildlife ecology or ecological restoration.
Ecological Restoration
This focus area provides a scientific basis for the reconstruction of degraded ecosystems and focuses on practices designed to improve the ecological structure and function, and meeting societal needs for sustainable and functional ecosystems.
The restoration process can include:
- identifying the causes of degradation
- devising methods and goals for the restoration effort
- developing management strategies for the restored sites
- monitoring changes on the site
- assessing restoration success
- improving wildlife habitat
- reintroducing missing plants or animals
- removal of invasive species
- rebuilding of soils
- returning natural processes such as fire and flooding to ecosystems that historically experienced these disturbance regimes
Wildlife Ecology
Coursework in this focus has a strong emphasis on habitat management. While students are expected to master the material found in traditional wildlife biology curricula, they are also expected to develop a strong expertise in habitat management. This background in habitat management requires proficiency in the botanical sciences including plant ecology and provides a synergistic link with the ecological restoration concentration.
The applied nature of the concentration is emphasized by the requirement for mastery of the analytic technologies, ranging from quantitative ecology and ecological modeling to the use of geographic information systems, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the economic and policy contexts in which wildlife habitat management occurs.
Courses Associated With This Degree
Click on each of these sample course names for more information. Visit the ASU Class Search for availability of courses.
ABS 207 Applied Plant Taxonomy
- Description: Introduces identification of vascular plants emphasizing seed plants. Surveys seed plant families.
ABS 225 Soils
- Description: Fundamental properties of soils and their relations to plant growth, nutrition of man and animals, and environmental quality.
ABS 260 Fundamentals of Urban Horticulture
- Description: Principles and practices of horticulture, emphasizing development, growth, and propagation of horticultural plants and environmental factors that affect these processes.
ABS 270 Sustainable Biological Systems
- Description: Ecological foundations of sustainable biological systems, anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem structure and function, and ecological risk assessment.
ABS 274 Introduction to Wildlife Management
ABS 302 Policy and Biology
- Description: Policy environment and ethics in the practice of biology. Covers ethical reasoning, policy formulation, and regulatory agencies with examples from biotechnology and the environment.
ABS 311 Applied Cellular Biology
- Description: Overview of the biology of the cell; emphasizes structure and function of biomolecules within the cell.
ABS 350 Applied Statistics
- Description: Statistical methods with applications in the biological sciences and natural resource management. Uses computers and the Internet.
ABS 376 Wildlife Ecology
- Description: Examines ecological principles underlying wildlife population dynamics with emphasis on physiology, genetics, nutrition, and habitat factors.
ABS 381 Natural Resources Policy
- Description: Policies and regulations affecting management of natural resources, with emphases on wildlife and ecological restoration.
ABS 402 Vegetation and Wildlife Measurement
- Description: Vegetation inventory, sampling, monitoring, and evaluation. Methods of estimating wildlife populations, activity, and home ranges.
ABS 433 Riparian and Wetland Ecology
- Description: Functions and components of riparian and wetland ecosystems and the management of these systems.
ABS 440 Ecological Restoration Techniques
- Description: Techniques for ecological restoration, riparian and wetland restoration, and monitoring restoration success.
ABS 433 Riparian and Wetland Ecology
- Description: Functions and components of riparian and wetland ecosystems and the management of these systems.
ABS 441 Ecological Restoration Practicum
- Description: Field experience in the evaluation and monitoring of implemented ecological restoration projects.
ABS 475 Habitat Management for Small Wildlife
- Description: Habitat management considerations and practices for small game and nongame wildlife species in North America.
ABS 476 Big Game Habitat Management
- Description: Habitat management considerations and practices for big game wildlife species in North America.
ABS 480 Ecosystem Management and Planning
- Description: Principles of ecosystem management, with emphasis on economic and policy constraints on the planning process. Risk assessment and management.
ABS 482 Ecology and Planning for Restoration
- Description: Ecological principles and resource planning processes applied to the restoration of degraded landscapes.
ABS 483 Restoration Planning Practicum
- Description: Field experience in ecological restoration techniques, selection of mitigation techniques, and implementation planning.
ABS 485 GIS in Natural Resources
- Description: Principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) utilized in natural resource management. Use of computers for spatial analysis of natural resources.
BIO 340 General Genetics
- Description: Science of heredity and variation.
BIO 360 Animal Physiology
- Description: Principles and mechanisms of physiological regulation in animals, with a focus on humans.