Exploring local ecosystems in ENVS 200: Field Ecology

Whether identifying birds around campus, collecting invertebrates from Laurel Creek, or taking a trip to other ecosystems in the region, ENVS 200 students are always knee-deep in something interesting!

ENVS 200, or Field Ecology, is oftentimes a fan favourite.

It's a course that most Faculty of Environment students take, and one that allows students to gain an understanding of the foundational principles and concepts in ecology. While it’s important to learn these core concepts, Field Ecology instructors teach them in a way that allows students to join their classmates to take their learning — and fun — outside of the classroom.

So, what exactly is Field Ecology all about? We sat down with some current students to find out.

Ruth, a third-year Environment student, says that “Field Ecology is a really fun course — a lot different than a standard university course.” Ruth went on to explain that Field Ecology allowed her to explore newfound interests. For example, in Field Ecology lab sessions, students get hands-on experience collecting water samples, identifying species, or playing in some dirt. Some of Ruth’s favourite activities in Field Ecology were these lab sessions and the field trip to Spongy Lake.

The day trip to Spongy Lake is a standout for many Field Ecology students. Students get to visit a rare and significant ecosystem — one that many students have never interacted with before. What makes it so special? This lake is in the early stages of bog succession and boasts significant geological processes that make the site unique.

Not only does a trip to Spongy Lake allow students to gain field study experience, but it also allows them to see how ecosystem conservation is happening in locations right here in the Waterloo region. Spongy Lake is designated as an Environmentally Significant Policy Area (ESPA #14) due to its vegetation and important ecosystem functions. This designation emphasizes the importance of protecting these areas and outlines why specific areas such as Spongy Lake are protected.

Jordan, a second-year Environment, Resources, and Sustainability student, explains how she “loved exploring new ecosystems,” in Field Ecology. As a student in the course during the spring 2024 term, Jordan’s favourite moment was exploring the Urban Forest on campus.

The Urban Forest provides students an opportunity to learn hands-on, and to contribute to an ongoing project of collecting data from the forest.

In Field Ecology, students explore the Urban Forest during labs by taking soil samples, tree measurements, and counts of plants to examine specific ‘plots’ of the forest for overall health. In their plots, students look out for concerning patterns like invasive species growing in the forest.

This exercise is a fantastic opportunity for students to understand how field research is conducted, and how measurement and data collection methods taught in the course are truly invaluable when monitoring the health of any ecosystem.

And of course, no course — not even Field Ecology — is exciting all by itself. It takes an instructor dedicated to providing students with the best learning experience possible. In this course, that means creating opportunities for exploring new experiences and offering students the ability to connect with their classmates and nature.

Brendon Larson (blarson@uwaterloo.ca) taught the course in the spring 2024 term — he led ENVS 200 students on eye-opening adventures to experience all things ecology. 

I sat down with Brendon, a professor in the School of Environment, Resources, and Sustainability for eight years, to talk about what incoming students can expect from ENVS 200: Field Ecology. Brendon emphasized that Field Ecology is open to all University of Waterloo students with any amount of background ecology information.

Brendon enjoys both the lecture and lab parts of this course.

Field Ecology is a “flipped” course which means students read the textbook chapters prior to attending lecture to better absorb the material.

Specifically, Brendon enjoys topics relating to organism and animal interactions as they related back to his ongoing research on plants, insects, and pollination. He also echos that the labs that accompany the course lectures in Field Ecology are some of the most memorable experiences of the course. 

If exploring your local ecosystems, collaborating with your classmates, and learning new things in unique ways sounds interesting to you, be sure to check out some of the other offered field courses too! All of these build off the foundational knowledge of ENVS 200 – Field Ecology.

• ERS 340 – Ecosystem Assessment
• GEOG 405 – Wetlands
• ERS 374 – The Ocean, Human Impacts and Sustainability
• ERS 283 – Ontario Natural History: Species and Patterns