Ecology, Biodiversity, and Conservation

Why study ecology, biodiversity, and conservation?

The Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Track gives students a broad ecological training in preparation for careers in field ecology, or as biodiversity or conservation specialists. Beyond general environmental science the course provides a comprehensive training in different areas of ecology, some knowledge of organisms and their environments, and relevant conservation and policy courses. Courses include 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. UC Davis has more ecologists than any other institution in the World, and this track draws on this rich human resource.

Preparatory Subject Matter Requirements
Course IDs Course Title Quarters Offered Units Notes
Written and Oral Expression
UWP 101 or any course from the UWP 102 or 104 series Upper Division Writing I, II, III, IV 4 May test out of requirement
CMN 1, 3V, 3Y, or DRA 10 Communication 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 5  
CHE 2B or 2BH General Chemistry II, III, IV 5  
CHE 2C or 2CH General Chemistry I, III, IV 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, 1AV, or 1AY Principles of Microeconomics I, II, III, IV 4  
Mathematics
MAT 16A and 16B Short Calculus I, II, III, IV 3, 3 Being phased out as of 23-24
MAT 17A and 17B Calculus for Biology & Medicine I, II, III, IV 4, 4 MAT 17AB recommended
MAT 19A and 19B and 19C Calculus for Data-Driven Applications I, II, III, IV 4, 4, 4 Mast take A, B, and C
MAT 21A and 21B Calculus I, II, III, IV 4, 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 or ECN 1AV or ECN 1AY 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 with a C- or better I, II, III, IV 4
Environmental Monitoring
(Choose one of the following)
ATM 124 Meteorological Instruments & Observations ATM 60 I 3
ESM 108 Environmental Monitoring ESP 100 or EVE 101 or SSC 100 or WFC 100 or the equivalent III 3
ESP 151L Limnology Laboratory ESP 151 (may be concurrent) III 3
ESP 179 Environmental Impact Assessment ESP 1 or the equivalent II, IV 4
Environmental Data Science
(Choose one of the following)
ABT/LDA 150 Introduction to GIS None I, II, III 4
ESP 106 Environmental Data Science STA 13 or 32 or 100 recommended II 4
Internship
ESM/ESP 92 or 192 Internship Upper division standing, permission of instructor

Variable unit – must take at least 3 units of internship
May complete internship in a different area with prior approval
(e.g.: PLS, SSC, ATM)

 I, II, III, IV 3
Capstone
ESM 195 Integrating Env Science & Management Senior standing in ESM III 2
Honors Thesis (Optional)
ESM 194H Senior Honors Thesis Senior standing, Overall GPA of 3.50 or higher

Consent of the lead faculty advisor

   2-6

 

I = fall quarter, II = winter quarter, III = spring quarter, IV = summer session

Track 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 21A; PHY 7A or 9A I 4
ATM 116 Modern Climate Change None I 4
ATM 133 Biometeorology MAT 16B; one course in a biological discipline 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; CHE 2B II 3
ESP 152 Coastal Oceanography Acceptance into the Bodega Marine Lab summer program IV 3
GEL 134* Environmental Geology GEL 001 or GEL 050; Consent of Instructor. One course in Geology III 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 161 Environmental Law One course in env science or political science recommended I, III 4
ESP 166 Ocean and Coastal Policy ESP 1 or consent of instructor I 3
ESP 168A Methods of Env Policy Evaluation ESP 1 or ESP 10; STA 13 or 100; ECN 1A; ECN 100A recommended I 5
ESP 169** Water Policy and Politics ECN 1A or POL 1 recommended III 3
ESP 171 Urban and Regional Planning ESP 1 or ESP 161 or ESP 179 recommended III, IV 4
ESP 172 Public Lands Management ECN 1A and POL 1 recommended I 4
ESP 174 Environmental Justice Policy & Practice ESP 1 or equivalent recommended III 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 varies 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
Complete
WFC 154 Conservation Biology BIS 2B or the equivalent II 4
Select one field experience course
ENH 160/L Restoration Ecology & Fieldwork ESP 100 or 121 or 155 or EVE 101 or 117 or 119 or PLS 162 or 130 III 4/1
ESP 123** Intro to Field & Lab Methods in Ecology ESP 100 or EVE 101; STA 13 or 100 III 4
ESP 124 Marine and Coastal Field Ecology Offered at the Bodega Marine Lab I, 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   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; can be concurrent III 4
WFC 126* Conservation in Working Landscapes BIS 2B; ESP 100 or EVE 101 recommended I 4
Select one population ecology course
ESP 121 Population Ecology BIS 2B; MAT 16B or 17B or 21B or 21BH II 4
WFC 122 Population Dynamics and Estimation MAT 16B or 17B or 21B; STA 13 or 100; BIS 2A, 2B, and 2C III 4
Select one community ecology course
ESP/EVE 104** Community Ecology ESP 100 or EVE 101 III 4
EVE 115* Marine Ecology ESP 100 or EVE 101 or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor II 4
PLB/EVE 117 Plant Ecology BIS 2A-C; PLB 111 recommended I 4
WFC 155 Wildlife Habitat Ecology & Conservation ESP 100 or EVE 101 or the equivalent I 4
Select one ecosystems course
ENH 160 Restoration Ecology ESP 100 or 121 or 155 or EVE 101 or 117 or 119 or PLS 162 or 130 III 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   4
EVE 147 Biogeography BIS 2B   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 PLB 117 or ESP 100 or EVE 101 or EVE 120 or PLS 163 II 3
PLS 163 Ecosystem and Landscape Ecology ESP 100 or SSC 112 or EVE 117 or ESM 144 or PLS 162 or ENH 160 II 4
Select one cross-cutting ecology course
ESM 141** Fire Ecology BIS 2A or PLS 2; BIS 2B or 2C II 4
ESM/PLS 144 Trees & Forests PLS 2 or BIS 2C I 4
ESP 124 Marine and Coastal Field Ecology Offered at the Bodega Marine Lab I, IV 3
ESP 150C Biological Oceanography Offered at the Bodega Marine Lab 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   4
ETX 150 Evolution in Human-Altered Environments BIS 2B III 3
EVE 109 Molecular Ecology EVE 100 I 4
EVE 115* Marine Ecology ESP 100 or EVE 101 or BIS 2B, or consent of instructor II 4
PLS 130* Grassland Ecology PLS 2 or BIS 2B or BIS 2C or consent of instructor; upper div standing II 3
WFC 125** Tropical Ecology & Conservation ESP 100 or EVE 101 I 4
WFC 151 Wildlife Ecology BIS 2B or equivalent I 4
WFC 168 Climate Change Ecology BIS 2B; ESP 100 or EVE 101; or consent of instructor II 4
Select one organismal biology course
ENT 103 Insect Systematics Introductory course in zoology or entomology   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 116‡ Plant Morphology & Evolution Introductory plant biology such as BIS 2C or PLS 2 II 5
PLB/EVE 119*‡ Population Bio of Invasive Plants & Weeds BIS 2A-C; elementary statistics course recommended III 3
EVE/PLB/PLS 127‡ (replaces PLS 102) Systematics of Vascular Plants BIS 2C or PLS 2 III 5
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; upper division ecology course recommended II 3
Select one lab course
ESP 151L Limnology Laboratory ESP 151 concurrently III 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   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 (2023, 2025, etc.)
**Course is offered in even years only (2024, 2026, etc.)

Attachments
Ecology track requirements