Coastal Geoecology of New England

Course Overview

On this five-day trip, we will examine the geoecology of glaciated coasts in New England using Cape Cod as a model system. Course topics will include landscape to local-scale depositional and erosional processes as influenced by coastal climate and disturbance; barrier island dynamics and the ecological role of estuaries; salt marsh ecology and restoration; geological and climatic controls on coastal evolution; vascular plant succession and soil ecological processes on active dune systems; impacts of coastal development and other human impacts on physical and ecological processes; and management issues in New England coastal systems.

Note: Attendance at all pre and post-trip meetings is mandatory. Enrolled students who do not drop the course one week before the first pre-trip meeting or who do not attend the first pre-trip meeting will be held financially responsible for the cost of the trip and will forfeit their seat in the class. Students on the waitlist are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-trip meetings, so that they may participate in the trip if an enrolled student drops the course unexpectedly.

Course Materials: Students should contact the course instructor and review the course syllabus for information related to course materials/texts.