This course explores the major lineages of organisms on earth such as: bacteria & archaea, fungi, protists, plants and animals. The relationship of these organisms to their environment and their influence in shaping that environment are examined. Evolutionary pathways and their influence on the diversity of extinct and extant organisms and the classification schemes that we use to distinguish them are discussed. the role that organisms (including humans!) have played in the development and maintenance of major ecosystems processes are also studied. This course includes a lab component.