Field Ecology Bio 303 Instructor: Jim Taulman
Summer 2006 Oglala Lakota College
Policies
Course Description – This
course will provide students hands on training and experience in ecological
field research methods in ecosystems in southwestern
Required Text – none,
but we will use Field and Laboratory Methods for General Ecology, by Brower,
Zar, and von Ende. ISBN
0697243583.
Attendance – A student may be dropped after 3 consecutive absences and will automatically be dropped after 5 total absences.
Homework – Students
may be asked to perform some data analysis during time away from class, but
most work will be done in the field or classroom.
Grading – Three
quizzes will be given covering course material.
Those tests will each count 1/3 of the final grade.
A = 90 - 100
B = 80 - 89
C = 70 - 79
D = 60 – 69
F = 59 and below
Schedule of classes
Week One
June 19, Monday Introduction, use of the compass, GPS, other equipment,
Statistical analysis review, homework assignment
June 20, Tuesday Field orientation using compass and GPS. Training with field equipment
June 21, Wednesday Lay out 5 habitat macroplots in one forest type and begin taking measurements
June 22, Thursday Finish measurements in first habitat
Week Two
June 26, Monday Lay out macroplots in second forest type and begin taking measurements
June 27, Tuesday Finish taking measurements in second forest type
June 28, Wednesday Analyze data from habitat plots in classroom
June 29, Thursday Quiz #1, Discuss vertebrate sampling methods for birds, mammals, herps, and work on herp drift fence materials
Week Three
July 3, Monday Holiday
July 4, Tuesday Visit each forest site and set mammal traps, construct herp drift fence, establish bird survey plots and take bird survey data
July 5, Wednesday Return to each forest site. Check mammal traps and reset, check herp array, do more bird surveys
July 6, Thursday Return to each forest site. Check and collect mammal traps. Check and pick up herp array. Final bird surveys.
Week Four
July 10, Monday Quiz #2, Discuss telemetry methods, equipment, computations, field telemetry simulation and computations
July 11, Tuesday Water analysis at Minnesota ridge mine
July 12, Wednesday Trip to Hot Springs waste water treatment facility
July 13, Thursday Quiz #3, night final orientation practical