Course Description: Study of the common plants and animals of the southwest. Includes their distribution, adaptation, behavior and ecology. Also includes physical geography and geological principles of the region.

Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to do the following:

1. Apply basic geological principles to interpret the physical setting of the Southwest.
2. Apply meteorological and biological principles to describe the formation of the major biotic communities in the Southwest.
3. Describe major desert adaptations and the process of natural selection.
4. Identify common plants and animals of the Southwest.
5. Integrate basic biological principles and specific natural history information into an understanding of the common plants and animals of the Southwest.
6. Demonstrate skills necessary for life-long learning of natural history, including conducting scientific research.

• Natural History of the Southwest (BIO 109) Packet (Lecture Outlines and Labs)
• Website: homepage (http://wc.pima.edu/~bfiero/) including the Desert Ecology of Tucson, AZ
• Optional Text: A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert by Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum