Field Ecology: Forests

REVISED

Spring 2013 quarter

Faculty

Dylan Fischer forest ecology , Alison Styring ornithology

Fields of Study

biology, botany, ecology, field studies, writing and zoology

Preparatory for studies or careers in

ecology, biology, natural resources, conservation and forest resources.

Prerequisites

Students must demonstrate at least one full year of college natural sciences including mathematics, biology, chemistry, botany and zoology. 

Description

This program will focus on intensive group and individual field research on current topics in ecological science. These topics will include forest structure, ecosystem ecology, effects of forest management, ecological restoration, riparian ecology, fire history, bird abundance and monitoring, insect-plant interactions, and disturbance ecology. Students will be expected to intensively use the primary literature and student-driven field research to address observations about ecological composition, structure and function. Multiple independent and group research projects will form the core of our work in local forests of the south Puget lowlands, national forests, national parks, state forests and other relevant natural settings. Students are expected to "hit the ground running" and should develop research projects for the entire quarter within the first several weeks of the program.

Through a series of short, intensive field exercises, students will hone their skills in observation, developing testable hypotheses, and designing ways to test those hypotheses. We will also explore field techniques and approaches in ecology, and especially approaches related to measuring plant and avian biodiversity. Students will have the option to participate in field trips to sites in the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest (U.S.). Research projects will be formally presented by groups and individuals at the end of the quarter. Finally, student research manuscripts will be created throughout the quarter utilizing a series of intensive multi-day paper-writing workshops. We will emphasize identification of original field research problems in forest habitats, experimentation, data analyses, oral presentation of findings, and writing in scientific journal format.

Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Enhanced Online Learning

Books

Greener Store

Upper Division Science Credit

Upper division science credit may be awarded in forest science, ornithology, statistics, and plant ecology upon completion of the program. Upper division credits will be given for upper division work at the discretion of the faculty.

May be offered again in

Spring 2014.

Offered During

Day

Program Revisions