This course presents a natural history overview of the subcontinent of Beringia--the unglaciated landmasses of eastern Siberia, Alaska and the Yukon that were connected via the Bering Land Bridge during glacial periods. The course covers a variety of topics ranging from the geologic formation of Beringia and the evolution of its flora and fauna to the history of human inhabitation. The objective of lectures will be to synthesize a variety of primary data and scientific theory so students can develop an understanding of the physical, climatological, ecological and biogeographical mechanisms shaping Beringia's landscapes and ecosystems.

Prerequisite: YukonU BIOL 101, U of Alberta BIOL 108, or equivalent first-year biology course, or YukonU NOST 201.

Registration restricted to students in the B.Sc. in Environmental and Conservation Sciences program. A version of this course is available as YukonU's BIOL 290. Non-B.Sc. ENCS students interested in taking RENR 401H should instead register in BIOL 290 or contact an ENCS program advisor (ualberta@yukonu.ca) for more information.