Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing in E3B or DEES or instructor approval.

Methane and nitrous oxide trap ~25 and ~300 times as much heat per molecule as carbon dioxide, and their atmospheric concentrations have risen sharply due to anthropogenic activity, yet they have received much less attention than carbon dioxide in the popular press as well as the scientific literature. In this seminar course we will learn about the current state of ecological knowledge and explore cutting-edge ecological questions surrounding these fascinating gases. By the end of the course, students will have a current understanding of the ecology and biogeochemistry of methane and nitrous oxide, and will hopefully have some ideas about where the field should head.