ENVR 1000 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 1: CONCEPTS (3 CR HRS.

SEMESTER: Summer, 2024

INSTRUCTORS: Leslie Goodman and Rick Baydack
EMAIL: [email protected], [email protected]
LECTURES: Section 1 – Tuesdays/Thursdays 8:00-10:00 AM Section 2 – Tuesdays/Thursdays 10:00 – 12:00 PM

VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS (ZOOM): Fridays 9:30 AM CT starting May 17, 2024 (or by email arrangement)
Use the following Zoom URL for virtual office hours:
https://umanitoba.zoom.us/j/93979735053?pwd=ZGYxZ2I3eWVTbFk5UmZiSXFvOWUxZz09

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores the environment through the conceptual framework of its physical, biological, and
social components. Students are introduced to the principles of ecosystem structure and function and
the natural ecological services that purify, moderate and generate resources we rely heavily on to sustain
life and human well-being. Students consider the natural and human-induced responses to disturbances
found in, for example, aquatic systems such as wetlands and lakes; terrestrial systems involving soils and
minerals, grasslands and forests; and the atmosphere including climate change and its impacts. Strategies
that promote sustainable management of natural resources are introduced. Real-world examples are
used throughout the course as case studies illustrating the environmental challenges we face and the
solutions that can be applied.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Leslie Goodman, Senior Instructor, Environmental Sciences / Studies, University of Manitoba
Leslie Goodman is a senior Instructor in Environmental Science and Studies at the University of Manitoba,
where she has been on faculty since 2005. She holds Bachelor of Science (Zoology) from the University of
Calgary and Master of Science (Botany) University of Manitoba. She has been teaching environmental
sciences for the past fifteen years and ENVR 1000 for the past 10 years. Her research and professional
training are in aquatic systems and water quality. In the early 1990's she conducted research on the Red
and Assiniboine Rivers to explore the responses of phytoplankton to nutrient additions from treated
sewage released by the City of Winnipeg. This research was a precursor to understanding the responses
that were later observed in Lake Winnipeg and the overall decline in water quality due to a phenomenon
referred to as eutrophication (something that you'll learn more about as you progress through the
course). Leslie worked in environmental consulting where she continued to contribute to surface water
quality monitoring on the numerous rivers and lakes in the Province. She moved into undergraduate
teaching in 2005 and has worked with over 5,000 students through the various courses she teaches.
Rick Baydack, Retired Professor, University of Manitoba
Dr. Rick Baydack recently retired from the University of Manitoba where he was Professor of Environmental
Science and Studies from 1979 until 2022. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Science (Zoology) and Master of
Natural Resources Management degrees from the University of Manitoba, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Biology from
Colorado State University. His research interests include applied ecosystem management, conservation of
biological diversity, wildlife conservation, and human dimensions of wildlife management. Rick has been
recognized by The Wildlife Society as a Certified Wildlife Biologist and as a TWS Fellow.

COURSE MATERIALS
There are a number of resources developed to assist students during the term. These are virtual resources
that you can learn more about from your ICM Moodle course website (https://learning.icmanitoba.ca/). These
include:
• Lectures – Each week we will meet in-person during the scheduled lecture period. During the lecture you
can expect to review the concepts from the previous week including the materials assigned. We will
lecture on the topics described in the course outline using PowerPoint and videos that are posted on the
Moodle site for each week. Lectures typically run between 3 and 4 hours weekly.
• Self Knowledge Checks - each Unit has a series of self-directed knowledge checks that will be helpful as you
progress through the course. You are expected to download these documents WEEKLY and complete the
answers as you work through the lectures. And textbook references provided. Use these to prepare for
quizzes, tests and examinations.
• Textbook – any textbook on the topic of environmental science will suffice for the course. The instructors
have provided you with a recommended textbook that speaks to many of the case studies and content
found in the Self Knowledge Checks. Use the textbook to augment your investigations into the major
concepts. It will be an excellent starting point to researching the questions found in the self knowledge
checks and assignment.
The recommended textbook for this course is:
Berg, Hagar, Goodman, Baydack. 2010. Visualizing the Environment: Canadian Ed. John Wiley & Sons.
To purchase the e-textbook from the bookstore, go to: https://www.campusebookstore.com/link/?
id=dd1a718c-5993-4c12-9143-8fd7a5e26816
 Additional Resources - (including website links to key agencies such as Environment and Climate Change
Canada and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature; and a number of videos) that provide
extra information that can be useful to your independent studies and research.


IMPORTANT DATES IN SUMMER 2024

 ICM Class Start and End Dates – May 6, 2024 – August 3, 2024
 VW Deadline (no financial penalty) – May 27, 2024, at 11:59PM
 VW Deadline (no academic penalty) – July 8, 2024, at 11:59PM
 Final Exam Scheduled between August 6 – August 17, 2024
EVALUATION CRITERIA
There are 2 pop quizzes/discussions, 3 tests, and a final exam that will be used to determine your grade in the
SUMMER 2024 course offering. Further details are as follows:

I. Pop Quizzes / Discussions (2 worth 2.5% each; 5% toward your course grade)
You will be given 2 pop quizzes/discussions throughout the term that will require you summarize major
concepts from the previous lecture(s). Quizzes are closed book and will be 15 minutes in length involving a
number of quick response questions. For discussions, you will be assigned to a group and will together respond
to a series of questions. Every student must submit their own answers to the questions to receive participatory
grades. Absences are marked “0” without any approved documentation.

II. Tests (3 x 15% each, total 45% toward your course grade)
There are 3 tests scheduled during the course during weeks 3, 7, and 10. The tests are written in-person and
are closed-book. Test 1 covers topics in Units 1 and 2. Test 2 covers topics in Units 3 and 4. Test 3 covers
topics in Units 5 and 6. You will have 60 minutes to complete the tests. There is no class following each test.

III. Final Examination (worth 50%)

You will write a final examination scheduled by ICM. The examination will be 2 hours in length, is closed-
book and will be cumulative covering all topics covered in the course.

The due dates for these evaluations are as follows:

Test 1 – (week 3) (in class) – May 23, 2024 Covers topics from Units 1 and 2

Test 2 – (week 7) (in class) – June 18, 2024 Covers topics from Units 3 and 4
Test 3 – (week 10) (in class) – July 11, 2024 Covers topics from Units 5 and 6
Pop Quizzes / Discussions – UNANNOUNCED
You MUST be in attendance to be granted an opportunity to participate. Absences are scored “0”.
 Final Examination – To be scheduled by ICM. The examination period is August 6 – August 17, 2024

IF YOU MISS THE TEST OR FINAL EXAMINATION

Students who are unable to meet a course requirement due to medical circumstances are required to:
 Contact your instructor for term work such as a class, or test;
 Provide medical documentation in support of your request;
 Contact an ICM advisor for a missed final exam (scheduled in the final examination period);
 Inform your instructor/advisor as soon as possible AND WITHIN 48 HOURS (e.g., do not delay). Note for
final exams, students must contact an ICM advisor within 48 hours of the date of the final exam.

GRADING SCALE
Letter grades will be assigned at the completion of the course, as follows:
A Greater than 90% C+ 65-69%
+
A 80-89% C 60-64%
B+ 75-79% D 50-59%
B 70-74% F Less than 50%

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Academic Integrity refers the values on which good academic work must be founded: honesty, trust, fairness,
respect and responsibility. Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of
falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles
of the College community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
Students found to have breached the regulations related to any form of academic misconduct including but
not limited to impersonation, plagiarism and cheating are subject to the following penalties:
 First Offence: Awarded “0” for the assessment and given a permanent record on their file
 Second Offence: Awarded “0” for the course, regardless whether the offence was committed in the same
course or another course
 Third Offence: Risk expulsion from ICM and the cancellation of Study Permit
A Note about Copywrite Materials – ENVR 1000 Instructors provide you access to recorded lectures, published
lecture notes and share additional resources that are copywrite materials and owned by the faculty member.
Students are required to adhere to copywrite by ensuring they do not reproduce this information outside of the
International College of Manitoba learning environment and to any person not registered in the course. This
includes (but not limited to): video recordings, class notes, assignments, tests and take home exams.
It is solely your responsibility to be aware of the Academic Integrity Policy and consequences of violating it.
The policy is available in the Student Academic Handbook, accessible on Student Portal.

ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance to the lectures is required. The ICM Academic Regulations state that, “attendance at all
classes is compulsory” (refer to the Student Academic Handbook, accessible on the Student Portal).
Attendance is recorded on the Moodle site and reviewed by ICM student advisors to confirm students’ regular
participation. Names of those students who miss two consecutive ENVR 1000 classes are submitted to the
ICM advisor for investigation.
You are expected to attend class on your scheduled lecture day/time. The instructors will lecture (typically 1.5
hours); administer pop quizzes at the start of classes; assign case study videos and readings; assist you to
complete your self knowledge checks; and describe upcoming tests and assignment. This is your opportunity
to ask questions related to what you have read the previous week, the expectations of the upcoming
assignment, test etc. If you are unable to attend and need to make alternate arrangements, contact Leslie
([email protected]) or Rick ([email protected]).
You are expected to complete the assigned tasks/homework by the following week and your progress will
be evaluated regularly through pop quizzes. Each week there are a number of deliverables and so be sure
you keep on track.

STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is the office that works with students who have permanent, chronic, or
temporary disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. Students who have, or think
they may have, a disability (e.g. mental health, attention, learning, vision, hearing, physical, medical or
temporary), are invited to contact Student Accessibility Services to arrange a confidential discussion at (204)
474-7423 (V), (204) 474- 9790 (TTY) or [email protected]. Make your instructor aware of
any accommodations early in the course.

LECTURE TOPICS – refer to the Moodle site each week for clarification on what to study, homework,
textbook readings, and videos. Complete each self-knowledge check.

Week 1 starts the week of May 6, 2024

UNIT 1: Introduction (Textbook Chapter 1 pages 4-20, 25-33)
Plan to work through Unit 1 in week 1 of your course
1.1 Definitions of Environment and Environmental Sciences
1.2 Non-renewable, Renewable and Perpetual Resources
1.3 Ecological Footprint and Resource Demand Assessment
1.4 Sustainable Development/Sustainability as a Resource Management Solution
1.5 The Scientific Method

UNIT 2: Ecological Structure and Function (Textbook Chapter 5 pages 126-138; Chapter 3 pages 68-73;
Chapter 5 138-146)
Plan to work through Unit 2 in weeks 2 and 3 of your course
2.1 Energy Flow and Food Webs
2.2 Systems Theory and Feedback
2.3 Biogeochemical Cycles for Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus
Test 1 takes place on May 23, 2024 (week 3; worth 15%) and covers Units 1 and 2

UNIT 3: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (Textbook Chapter 5 pages 126-128; Chapter 7 pages 200-207;
Chapter 5 pages 146-153)
Plan to work through Unit 3 during week 4
3.1 The Ecosystem Concept
3.2 Ecological Niche and Resource Partitioning
3.3 Biodiversity Principles – Species Richness, Evenness, Dominance, and Spatial Patterns
3.4 Ecological Interactions – Symbiosis, Predation, Competition
3.5 Population Dynamics – Exponential and Logistic Growth Patterns
3.6 Overabundance/Opportunistic Species - Snow Geese in Peril

UNIT 4: Atmosphere and Climate Change (Chapter 10 pages 338-348, 368-391)

Plan to work through Unit 5 during weeks 8 and 9
4.1 General Features of the Atmosphere
4.2 Global Climate System and Climate Change through Human Activities
4.3 Planning for the Future – Toward Implementing the Paris Agreement (Group Discussion)
4.4 Case Study – Arctic Sea Ice Changes and Global Implications
Test 2 takes place on June 18, 2024 (week 7; worth 15%) and covers Units 3 and 4
Unit 5: Biodiversity Conservation Using Ecosystem Management (Textbook Chapter 1 pages 13-20; Chapter 5
pages 153-161; Chapter 7 pages 217-231; Chapter 8 pages 248-257, pages 267-271; Chapter 13)
Plan to work through Unit 4 during weeks 7, 8, and 9
5.1 Linking the Concepts of Sustainability to Ecosystem Management
5.2 Parks and Protected Areas (Minimum Viable Population Size; Ecological Integrity; Historic Reference
Condition; Ecological Islands; Conservation Corridors; Biosphere Reserves; World Heritage Sites, Marine
Protected Areas)
5.3 Keystone Species and Ecosystem Health (Wolves in Yellowstone National Park)
5.4 Managing Invasive Alien Species (Nile Perch in Lake Victoria)
5.5 Conserving Species at Risk (Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi National Park)
5.6 Sustainable Forestry Management (Great Bear Rainforest)

UNIT 6: Soils and Sustainable Agroecosystem Management / Restorative Ecology (Chapter 8 pages 236-247;
263-266; 271-280)
Plan to work through Unit 6 during week 10
6.1 Types of Agricultural Approaches
6.2 Soil Features and Conservation
6.3 Environmental Impacts of Agriculture
6.4 Integrated Pest Management
6.5 Ecological Restoration
6.6 Sustainable Agriculture Management

Test 3 takes place on July 11, 2024 (week 10; worth 15%) and covers Units 5 and 6.

UNIT 7: Aquatic Resources and Their Management (Chapter 9 pages 286-320, 334-337)
Plan to work through Unit 7 during weeks 11 and 12
7.1 Properties and Movement of Water – Surface and Groundwater
7.2 Water Quantity – Demands and Solutions
7.3 Sources of Water Pollution and Management Strategies
7.4 Water Quality Challenges in Lake Winnipeg

UNIT 8: Ecotoxicology (Chapter 4 pages 100-106; 110-125)

Plan to work through Unit 8 during week 13

8.1 Types, Movement and Fate of Toxic Chemicals in the Environment

8.2 Management of Harmful Chemicals: Risk Assessment and Dose Response Studies
8.3 Case Studies: Persistent Organic Pollutants (DDT) and Mercury

The final examination (worth 50%) covers all units in the course. The final examination is scheduled by ICM.
Details to follow.