Off hand, I am not sure I can think of a more diverse biological discipline than ecology, or at least one that encompasses the study of so many variables interacting in so many different ways. Because it is the study of organisms (including humans) and their interactions with other organisms and the environment (the history of which is neatly described in Edward Kormondy’s article in this issue), studying ecology can captivate students’ interests as they view nature at the macroscopic level, to which they often most easily relate. However, it should come as no surprise to biology teachers that learning about ecological processes can call upon one’s understanding of molecular, cellular, genetic, and physiological processes and challenge a student to think in larger scales of time and area while applying their knowledge of the physical sciences, mathematics, and statistics. Teaching ecology provides teachers with the opportunity to engage students in...

You do not currently have access to this content.