Basic ecological principles as applied to the biology of individual plants, plant populations, communities, and ecosystems in relation to their environments. Examples from Long Island pine barrens, tropical rain forests, beaches, deserts, and other plant communities are studied. Examination of the connections between human societies and plant communities, which are rapidly being altered or destroyed worldwide. This course routinely offers an opportunity to satisfy the Stony Brook Curriculum WRTD and Upper Division Writing Requirements for the Biology and Biochemistry majors. Students who intend to use the writing assignment in this course to satisfy these requirements must register for BIO 459 when they register for BIO 385.