GEOG 455 - Pyrogeography

Description:
An investigation of patterns of fire on Earth: past, present, and future. Topics covered include fire ecology, the history of fire, ecosystem impacts, human use of fire, fire management, and fire and climate change.

Prerequisites:
Prerequisites: GEOG 107 and upper-division standing, or permission of instructor.

Credits: (4)

Learner Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Describe the ecological and climatic conditions under which fire occurs globally and moves across landscapes.
Demonstrate knowledge of past fire regimes in different regions of the world and the techniques used to determine those histories.
Identify fires of different severity and intensity in the Pacific Northwest and investigate the ecological impacts of those fires; students will also gain experience in field methods used to study past fire events.
Read scientific literature, glean the most important information, and be able to discuss it in a classroom setting.
Explain how current fire regimes of the western United States and other fire-prone regions of the world have changed as a result of climate change and fire management policies.
Research a topic related to pyrogeography and write a scientific paper about that research.

Learner Outcomes Approval Date:
03/21/2013

Anticipated Course Offering Terms and Locations:
Fall Locations: Ellensburg