In Urban Ecology, students will explore ecological concepts and processes in the urban environment. Through lecture and field work, students will learn about the dynamics of urban ecology and the impacts of land use and pollution on wildlife and local habitats. Topics will include population ecology, ecosystem services, and human impacts. Specifically we will study exotic and invasive plants and birds in local wetlands and woodlands, the migration of Neotropical songbirds, and population fluctuations of birds and plants as indicators of environmental change while examining the interface between natural and built environments in the urban landscape.