In this activity students research the inter-dependencies among plants and animals in an ecosystem and explore how climate change might affect those inter-dependencies and the ecosystem as a whole.

In this activity, students learn about how climate change is affecting the Arctic ecosystem and then investigate how this change is impacting polar bear populations. Students analyze maps of Arctic sea ice, temperature graphs, and polar bear population data to answer questions about the impact of climate change on the Arctic ecosystem.

This 18-minute video lesson provides an introduction to evolution, variation in a population, and Natural Selection. [Biology playlist: Lesson 1 of 71].

In this out of class tutorial, students explore several examples of natural selection and speciation.

In this unit, we describe the theory of evolution by natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin in his book, first published in 1859, On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. We will look at natural selection as Darwin did, taking inheritance for granted, but ignoring the mechanisms underlying it.

This lesson is an introduction to natural selection and is suited to any student who is just beginning his or her discovery of evolution. The motivation introduces a species of bird that became (over millions of years) numerous species, through adaptation. The development is a hands-on activity that demonstrates how populations change little by little, generation by generation, due to survival of species that have traits that are beneficial in an environment.

Explore natural selection by controlling the environment and causing mutations in bunnies.

In this "clicker case," students learn about natural selection through the research of Peter and Rosemary Grant and colleagues on the finches of the Galapagos Islands. Students are presented with data in the form of graphs and asked to determine what is happening to a population of finches as the changing environment produces changes in the shape of the finches' beaks. This case is suitable for any size course in introductory biology, ecology, or evolution, and does not require any pre-requisite knowledge of evolution or natural selection. The case consists of a PowerPoint presentation (~4.5MB) punctuated by questions that students answer in class using "clickers." It can be adapted for use without these technologies.

This course presents the principles of evolution, ecology, and behavior for students beginning their study of biology and of the environment. It discusses major ideas and results in a manner accessible to all Yale College undergraduates. Recent advances have energized these fields with results that have implications well beyond their boundaries: ideas, mechanisms, and processes that should form part of the toolkit of all biologists and educated citizens.

Climate change is a key issue on today's social and political agenda. This unit explores the basic science that underpins climate change and global warming.

Find out how climate change is affecting Antarctic Adélie penguins and their ecosystem in this video segment adapted from Lloyd Fales and Sweetspot Pictures, Inc.

This video focuses on the conifer forest in Alaska to explore the carbon cycle and how the forest responds to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. Topics addressed in the video include wildfires, reflectivity, and the role of permafrost in the global carbon cycle.

This visualization is a chart that displays future climate change in terms of temperature increases and the impacts and Food, Water, Ecosystems, Extreme Weather Events, and Risk of Abrupt and Irreversible Changes that are predicted with the increasing temperature benchmarks.

This is the first of three short videos showcasing the dramatic changes in Alaska's marine ecosystems through interviews with scientists and Alaska Natives. This introduction to the impacts of climate change in Alaska includes interviews with Alaska Natives, commentary by scientists, and footage from Alaska's Arctic.

This video features changes in the land, sea, and animals that are being observed by the residents of Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, Canada many of whom hunt, trap, and fishbecause of their long-standing and intimate connection with their ecosystem. Scientists interview the residents and record their observations in order to deepen our understanding of climate change in the polar region. Background essay and discussion questions are included.

This site offers a window into the world of scientific research on climate change. Learn about physical processes underlying the earth's climate, data on how the climate is changing and the role of human activity, and questions and uncertainties that researchers continue to explore. The site is organized in four parts: the atmosphere, hydrosphere (oceans and water), cryosphere (snow and ice), and biosphere (living organisms).

This "clicker case" begins by assessing students' impressions of global climate change and the role that human activities play in recent global warming trends. Students assume the role of an intern working for a U.S. senator. They need to understand the scientific evidence for human impact on climate change so that they can advise the senator on future policy decisions. The case was designed for use in a one-semester introductory biology course taken primarily by freshmen and sophomores to fulfill a general education requirement, but could be used in any introductory biology course or in an ecology or environmental science course. It consists of a PowerPoint presentation (~1.6MB) presented in class that is punctuated by multiple-choice questions students respond to using personal response systems ("clickers"). The case can be adapted for use without these technologies.

Just like the permanent exhibit it was created to complement, the online Hall of Biodiversity showcases the beauty, diversity, and abundance of life on Earth while warning of the threats posed by human activity. Along with a brief introduction to the exhibit, it includes these four sections: Spectrum of Life - A virtual journey through 3.5 billion years of evolution on Earth. The interactive cladogram includes detailed information on more than 25 diverse life forms. Transformation of the Biosphere - An overview of how the Earth is continually experiencing climatic changes and changes brought on by physical events, such as meteorite collisions. The Dzanga-Sangha Rain Forest - An explanation of what visitors will find when they explore this walk-through diorama at the Museum, which features the sights and sounds of a dense tropical rain forest. Solutions - A list of concrete actions individuals can take to help save the Earth's resources for generations to come.

Population ecology is the subfield of ecology that identifies those ecological factors--in the community or in the ecosystem--that regulate a population's size. The student will learn about intrinsic population growth and discover how such growth can be quantified, along with the factors that inhibit growth. Also, the student will apply his or her understanding of population ecology to determine a population's current status and construct a management plan to maintain population size. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: explain how population ecology is used to address problems in evolution, conservation, epidemiology, and resource management; describe the interactions among and between the biotic and abiotic components of a healthy ecosystem and explain how these components are interdependent; identify factors that threaten the maintenance of biodiversity in ecosystems and the population measures used to sustain ecosystem biodiversity; use mathematical models and equations to describe population growth and interaction between populations; identify density-dependent and density-independent factors that affect population growth and regulation; employ the principles and techniques of population dynamics and ecology to analyze population viability and develop a resource management plan by using data gathered from a sample population. (Biology 313)