Biology of Plants An introduction to plants, their life cycles, and their relationships to each other, as well as to the animals that pollinate them, disperse their fruits, and eat them. We will discuss morphology, physiology, evolution, and natural history of plants (mosses, ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms). The laboratory will emphasize plant identification, various aspects of plant ecology and physiology, plant morphology, and plant use by humans.  Students will complete a Community Service component, such as completing a forest inventory for a local forest, assisting with the campus tree map, or help with seed-saving measures at the College Organic Garden.  Field trips will be the norm early in the semester.

Ecology and Evolution In this introduction to ecology and evolutionary biology we will cover the topics of interspecific interactions (competition, predation, mutualism), demography and life-history patterns, succession and disturbance in natural communities, species diversity, stability and complexity, causes of evolutionary change, speciation, phylogenetic reconstruction, and population genetics.   The laboratory component will examine lecture topics in detail (such as measuring the evolutionary response of bacteria, adaptations of stream invertebrates to life in moving water, invasive species and their patterns of spread).  We will emphasize experimental design, data collection in the field and in the laboratory, data analysis, and writing skills. This course is not open to seniors and second semester juniors in the Fall.

Desert Ecology Drylands (deserts, semi-deserts, savannas) account for over 40 percent of Earth’s terrestrial area and are home to two billion people. They represent the most stressful of habitats, but also are home to organisms possessing the most incredible adaptations to survive. In this course we will explore the unique biology of desert ecosystems across the globe, using primary literature, review articles, and nonfiction works to answer: What selective pressures shape physiology and ecology in desert organisms? How have plants and animals evolved to survive in deserts? How are humans and climate change altering dryland ecosystems on local and global scales?

Deserts: Myths, Mystery, Magic From the Mojave to the Atacama to the Kalahari, Earth’s deserts are as fascinating as they are mysterious. In this course we will explore the unique biology of deserts, how humans interact (and have interacted in the past) with these ecosystems, and examine how deserts are portrayed in media and popular culture. Critically, we will evaluate the many myths that surround deserts (e.g. they are all lifeless, hot, best as solar farms) and dispel them with evidence from primary and secondary scientific sources.

Global Change Biology We will examine the effects of global climate change on the earth system. Our emphasis will be on exploring what we know about the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them. We will examine primary literature-based case studies to reveal how biologists study processes of change on local and global scales, and we will assess how accurately we can predict future changes in species distribution and ecosystem function. In lab, we will apply simulation techniques to predict carbon dioxide and global temperatures into the next century, and couple citizen science platforms (e.g. iNaturalist) with species distribution modeling to predict ecological interactions in future climates. No prior computational modeling experience required/assumed.

Kirsten Coe

Reviews and ratings for Kirsten Coe at Middlebury College.Kirsten Coe teaches Biology of Plants, Ecology and Evolution, Desert Ecology and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Kirsten Coe good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Professor Coe was great during this class! With the lab component included, it was a bit more time consuming than I anticipated. Overall, this class was super interesting and I would recommend. The professor is very accomodating and fair with grading!

This class was very chill, which makes it a lot easier depending on your other classes workload. The course load to be pretty light, only an assignment a week for a discussion on Wednesdays with the TA. The lab was more difficult than the lecture. All of the exams are individual, not proctored and open note. Overall the professor and the course is chill and not overwhelming. 

This course was overall engaging. Professor Coe is very passionate about Desert Ecology. She helps her students  debunk all sorts of desert myths that have been normalized for generations. There are weekly readings and questions that she covers in class. She also encourages discussion throughout the lectures.  