2015–16 Undergraduate Index A–Z
Find the right fit; Academic Advising wants to help you.
Leave feedback about the online catalog or tell us ideas about what Evergreen could offer in the future.
- Catalog Views (Recently Updated, Evening & Weekend Studies, Freshman Programs, and More)
-
Recently Updated
Featured Areas
- Evening and Weekend Studies
- Fields of Study
- Freshmen Programs
- Individual Study
- Research Opportunities
- Student-Originated Studies
- Study Abroad
- Upper Division Science Opportunities
View by Location
- Searching & Filtering Options
-
Note: No need to submit! Your results are filtered in real time, as you type.
There is currently a display issue when filtering for Music Addressing Complexity: Countershapes, Counterpoints, and the Resistance to Homophony led by Arun Chandra. This program is still open for registration. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Get information and Course Reference Numbers for this program.
You can use in-page find (Ctrl + f or Command + f) to find this program to compare it to others.
Ecology [clear]
Title | Offering | Standing | Credits | Credits | When | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty | Days | Multiple Standings | Start Quarters | Open Quarters |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dylan Fischer, Pauline Yu, Carri LeRoy, Abir Biswas, Erik Thuesen and Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Rigorous quantitative and qualitative research is an important component of academic learning in Environmental Studies. This independent learning opportunity is designed to allow advanced students to delve into real-world research with faculty who are currently engaged in specific projects. The program will help students develop vital skills in research design, data acquisition and interpretation, written and oral communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills—all of which are of particular value for students who are pursuing a graduate degree, as well as for graduates who are already in the job market. studies nutrient and toxic trace metal cycles in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Potential projects could include studies of mineral weathering, wildfires, and mercury cycling in ecosystems. Students could pursue these interests at the laboratory scale or through field-scale biogeochemistry studies, taking advantage of the Evergreen Ecological Observation Network (EEON), a long-term ecological study area. Students with backgrounds in a combination of geology, biology, or chemistry could gain skills in soil, vegetation, and water collection and learn methods of sample preparation and analysis for major and trace elements. studies plant ecosystem ecology, carbon dynamics, and nutrient cycling in forests of the Southwest and western Washington. This work includes image analysis of tree roots, molecular genetics, plant physiology, carbon balance, nitrogen cycling, species interactions, community analysis, and restoration ecology. He also manages the EEON project ( ). See more about his lab's work at: . Students participating in this program work closely with ongoing research in the lab, participate in weekly lab meetings, and develop their own research projects. conducts research on linkages between terrestrial and aquatic environments. She is trained as a freshwater ecologist and primarily studies in-stream ecosystem processes and aquatic communities. She and her students study leaf litter decomposition in streams as a major input of organic material to aquatic systems. In addition, she conducts research on aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure, aquatic fungal biomass and standard water quality and hydrology measurements in stream and river environments. studies birds. Current activity in her lab includes avian bioacoustics and avian monitoring and research in Evergreen’s campus forest and other nearby locations. Bioacoustic research includes field monitoring of local birds using audio recordings and microphone arrays, and editing and identifying avian songs and calls from an extensive collection of sounds from the campus forest as well as tropical forest sites in Borneo. Local research projects in the campus forest and nearby locations include Pacific wren mating and life-history strategy, cavity formation and use by cavity-nesting birds (and other cavity-dependent species), and monitoring long-term trends in bird populations and communities using a variety of standard approaches. conducts research on the ecological physiology of marine animals. He and his students are currently investigating the physiological, behavioral, and biochemical adaptations of gelatinous zooplankton to environmental stress and climate change. Other research is focused on the biodiversity of marine zooplankton. Students working in his lab typically have backgrounds in different aspects of marine science, ecology, physiology, and biochemistry. studies the developmental physiology and ecology of marine invertebrates. She is interested in the biochemistry of the seawater-organism interface, developmental nutritional biochemistry and metabolic depression, invasive species, carbonate chemistry (ocean acidification), and cultural relationships with foods from the sea. Students have the opportunity to collaboratively develop lines of inquiry for lab and/or field studies in ecology, developmental biology, physiology, marine carbonate chemistry and mariculture. | Dylan Fischer Pauline Yu Carri LeRoy Abir Biswas Erik Thuesen Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Abir Biswas
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
|
Research | JR–SRJunior–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Abir Biswas | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||||
Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
|
Research | JR–SRJunior–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Alison Styring | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||||
Carri LeRoy
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
|
Research | JR–SRJunior–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Carri LeRoy | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | ||||
Dylan Fischer
Signature Required:
Fall Winter Spring
|
Research | JR–SRJunior–Senior | V | V | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | plant ecology and physiology, field ecology, restoration ecology | Dylan Fischer | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter Spring | |||
Erik Thuesen
Signature Required:
Fall
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | In the 19th century, well-known European scientists such as Darwin, d'Orbigny, and Bonpland traveled in Argentina and brought their knowledge of the flora and fauna back to Europe. The marine, desert, and alpine environments of the Southern Cone harbor flora and fauna are very different from similar environments in North America. In this two-quarter program, we will carry out intensive natural history studies of the unique organisms and ecosystems of Argentina, focusing on those of Patagonia. After an introductory week in Olympia at the start of fall quarter, the study-abroad portion of the program will commence with a four-week intensive study of Spanish language in Buenos Aires, which will prepare us for our travels and studies in Argentina during fall and winter quarters.We will read primary literature articles related to the biodiversity of Argentina, and each student will be responsible for presenting different topics during weekly seminars. We will begin to study the flora and fauna of the Southern Cone through preliminary readings, lectures, and classwork in Buenos Aires. We will take a short trip to the subtropical province of Misiones, then move to the coastal and mountain regions of Patagonia where we will study the area's natural history, beginning with field studies on the Atlantic coast, and then moving to the Andean Lakes District, taking advantage of the progressively warmer weather of the austral spring. Students will conduct formal field exercises and keep field notebooks detailing their work and observations.During winter quarter (summer in the Southern Hemisphere), students will reinforce their language skills with two weeks of intensive Spanish studies in Patagonia, examine montane habitats, and then work in small groups on focused projects examining topics of biodiversity. It will be possible to conduct more focused studies on specific ecosystems or organisms, including those of southern parts of Patagonia. Clear project goals, reading lists, timelines, etc., will be developed during fall quarter in order to ensure successful projects in winter quarter. Examples of individual/small group projects include comparisons of plant/animal biodiversity between coastal, desert, and alpine zones; comparative studies on the impacts of ecotourism activities on biodiversity; and examining community composition of intertidal habitats along a gradient from north to south, among others. | Erik Thuesen | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
Lalita Calabria
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | The Pacific Northwest (PNW) supports one of the world's most diverse assortments of bryophytes and lichens. Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are the earliest land plants. Lichens, are not plants at all- they are a diverse group of symbiotic organisms composed of a fungal partner with an algae and/or cyanobacteria. Together, bryophytes and lichens occur on nearly every continent and ecosystem in the world and are among the most sensitive indicators of environmental change. In the ecosystems where they occur they work to stabilize soils, reduce water and nutrient run-off and provide habitat and nesting material for invertebrates and vertebrates. Moreover, lichens and mosses represent ~30% of the world’s eukaryotic biological N-fixation and peat-moss alone stores nearly 33% of all global terrestrial carbon.This upper-division science program focuses on bryophytes and lichens- their taxonomy, ecology and biology. Field trips will emphasize life history of these species as well as the sight recognition of major groups and proper collection methods. Lab activities will involve identifying collected specimens to species using dichotomous keys and developing proficiency in techniques for the identification of mosses and lichens, such as thin-layer chromatography and chemical thallus testing for lichens, dissection and slide-making techniques and use of compound and dissecting microscopes. Many of these lab skills can be applied broadly to other taxonomic groups of plants and fungi. Lectures and seminars will focus on readings from bryology and lichen textbooks as well as a variety of essays and scientific papers relating to the evolution, systematics and ecology of these taxa. Students will conduct quarter-long group research projects, which may include herbaria-based taxonomic studies and field-based floristic studies. | Lalita Calabria | Mon Mon Tue Tue Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
Stephen Beck and Karen Hogan
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | F 15 Fall | Why and how should we care for our planet? Do we have reason to care only about other human beings, or should we care about non-human animals as well? How about other organisms -- or even whole ecosystems? And what about people and other living things in the future? How does knowledge of living things help us to care about them?In this program, we will take as our focus questions about our reasons to protect and preserve life, human and non-human, now and in the future. We will study biology, specifically evolution and ecology, to understand the variety and complexity of life, and we will study philosophical ethics, specifically environmental ethics, to understand our ethical place in the world. This program will help students to widen their understanding of the world and their place within it. | Stephen Beck Karen Hogan | Mon Mon Wed Wed Sat Sat Sat Sat Sat | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
Kenneth Tabbutt and Carrie Parr (Pucko)
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | Landscapes are the result of complex interactions between geological and biological processes. Due to the dynamic nature of geomorphology and ecology, landscapes are constantly changing. While many of the changes are driven by natural processes, others are, at least in part, the result of human activities. This program will examine earthquakes, landslides, lahars, tsunami, floods, fires, disease outbreaks and storm events and their impacts on landscapes and ecosystems. We will also explore how climate has influenced historic changes in the landscape and, using climate models, we will consider its role in shaping the future. The program will focus on the Pacific Northwest, incorporating field trips, field research, and case studies. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will be used to analyze and display spatial, geological and biological data. There will be a four day field trip around the Olympic Peninsula that will allow students to examine a range of changing landscapes, including the dam removal project on the Elwha River and provide an opportunity to conduct some research in the field. Students will also work collaboratively on a specific landscape, conducting research and assessing the effectiveness of regulatory oversight to reduce or mitigate change. Although the focus of the program will be on the science associated with landscapes, the program will provide a framework for understanding how regulation, land management and land use planning can mitigate environmental disasters. | Kenneth Tabbutt Carrie Parr (Pucko) | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
Peter Impara
Signature Required:
Winter
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | How do we conserve endangered animals? These are complex species, often with specific habitat needs. They interact in elaborate ways with members of their species, other species, and with the landscape as a whole. A detailed understanding of what kinds of habitats species need, and how these habitats are distributed across landscapes, is crucial to managing landscapes to ensure future survival of particular species.This upper-division program will focus on examining and analyzing the habitat needs of endangered species. Students will learn, develop and apply an intricate interdisciplinary suite of knowledge and techniques that include spatial analysis; ecological modeling; integration of scientific, legal and political information; and computer tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop habitat conservation plans for threatened and endangered species as listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. Students will apply a rigorous approach to collecting and analyzing biological, ecological, and habitat data, using GIS to develop habitat suitability models and cost surface maps. Students will learn the importance of developing spatial analyses that communicate ecological information for decision making and planning. They will integrate information into species habitat conservation plans (HCPs), learning to effectively communicate goals, objectives, actions and options while following federal guidelines.Habitat analysis will be conducted at the landscape scale, integrating the disciplines of landscape ecology with wildlife habitat analysis, wildlife biology, and habitat conservation planning. As a final project, students will develop and present a formal HCP for a threatened or endangered Pacific Northwest species. Students will be required to understand and apply legal concepts associated with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and develop an understanding of stakeholders’ concerns and related issues surrounding resource users that may or may not come into conflict with the conservation of their selected species. Lectures will cover the areas of landscape ecology, island biogeography and meta-population theory, spatial analysis, GIS, wildlife habitat analysis, and habitat conservation planning. Guest speakers will present recent case studies and approaches to conservation planning. Field trips to locations where wildlife management and conservation are occurring will expose students to methods of habitat assessment, conservation and restoration. | Peter Impara | Tue Tue Wed Thu | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Donald Morisato and Martha Rosemeyer
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | How do seeds form? How do plants develop from seeds? How do plants adapt to particular environmental conditions? The modification of plant evolution by human selection has played a major role in the history of agriculture. Ecological agriculture is based on an understanding of plant biology, either through the grazing of livestock or the growing of food crops. This program focuses on the science of crop botany and genetics as a basis for propagation, seed-saving, and plant breeding. In one strand, the basic life cycle and reproductive botany of crop members of the most important plant families will be explored. This systematic survey will make connections to their center of diversity and origin. In a second strand, the principles of plant breeding will be presented through an introduction to Mendelian and quantitative genetics. Some of the agricultural methods of plant reproduction, by both sexual and vegetative propagation, will be considered. Readings may include Kingsbury's Nabhan's , and Navazio’s . The adaptation of crop plants to specific environments, especially in this era of climate change, becomes increasingly critical for the future of sustainable agriculture. Laboratory and field experiments, as well as field trips to local farms and plant breeding centers, will provide an applied context for our inquiry. | Donald Morisato Martha Rosemeyer | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
Ralph Murphy
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | This advanced social science program examines the methods and applications of ecological and environmental economics for environmental problem solving. The major goal of the program is to make students familiar and comfortable with the methodologies, language, concepts, models, and applications of ecological and environmental economic analysis. The program does not assume an extensive background in economics; therefore it begins by quickly reviewing selected micro economic principles. We will study the models used in natural resource management, pollution control approaches, and sustainability as an empirical criterion in policy development. We will explore externalities, market failure and inter-generational equity in depth. Examples of case studies we will evaluate include: natural resources in the Pacific Northwest; management and restoration of the Pacific Salmon stocks and other marine resources; energy issues including traditional, alternative, and emerging impacts from hydraulic fracturing (fracking), oil trains and climate change; selected issues of environmental law; wetland and critical areas protection and mitigation; and emerging threats such as ocean acidification and low oxygen zones. We also will develop a detailed consideration of the theory and practice of benefit cost analysis. The program concludes by critically evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of using ecological and environmental economics to develop solutions to environmental problems.Program activities include lectures, seminars, research and methods workshops, field trips, quizzes, exams, and a research assignment. | Ralph Murphy | Tue Wed Thu Fri Fri | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
Michael Paros
Signature Required:
Spring
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | This academically rigorous, field-based program will provide students with the fundamental tools to manage livestock and grasslands by exploring the ecological relationships between ruminants and the land. We will begin the quarter learning about the physiology of grasses and their response to grazing and fire. Practical forage identification, morphology, and production will be taught. Ruminant nutrition, foraging behavior, and digestive physiology will be covered as a precursor to learning about the practical aspects of establishing, assessing, and managing livestock rotational grazing operations. Ecological assessments of energy flow and nutrient cycling in grassland systems will be emphasized. We will divide our time equally between intensive grazing west of the Cascades and extensive rangeland systems in the east. Classroom lectures, workshops, and guest speakers will be paired with weekly field trips to dairy, beef, sheep, and goat grazing farms. There will be overnight trips to Willamette Valley, where we will study managed intensive grazing dairy operations and forage production, and Eastern Washington/Oregon, where students can practice their skills in rangeland monitoring and grazing plan development. Other special topics that will be covered in the program include co-evolutionary relationships between ruminants and grasses, targeted and multi-species grazing, prairie ecology and restoration, riparian ecosystems, controversies in public land grazing, interactions between wildlife and domestic ruminants, and analysis of large-scale livestock production systems. | Michael Paros | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
Rebecca Chamberlain and Nancy Parkes
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Evening and Weekend | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | The Pacific Northwest is home to pressing environmental issues, including coal and oil exports, loss of habitat, water quality, fisheries, and effects of global warming. The coal industry wants to use Northwest ports for shipping to Asia, which could result in 100 million tons of coal being shipped through the region by rail. A dozen oil pipelines are proposed, and trains carrying oil have derailed in other regions. Will these projects, as opponents contend, endanger both Northwest peoples and the environment? Or as proponents--including many labor unions--argue, would they bring critical jobs to economically dislocated and disadvantaged areas? What entities have the power to decide whether these projects will be built? What methods can be used to get clear information to those who are affected? What are the human health and environmental risks from coal dust, train wrecks, and potential oil spills? How do citizens become engaged? What is the role of indigenous communities? What are the roles of advocates, allies, and supporters--on both sides--and how do these positions grow out of environmental and other histories?In engaging with these issues, we will ask, how do we speak meaningfully about our relationship to the natural world? We will learn how stories and ethnography empower individuals and communities to understand their connection to place. Through a practice of writing, and study of both eco-criticism and natural history literature, we will examine concepts and values around wilderness and the human connection to the natural world. We will consider the traditional division between labor and environmental interests, its roots, and whether these two groups may be able to foster collaborations that address both jobs and environmental protection. Our work will include analysis of disparate views and values, and common ground among environmental groups, tribes, | Rebecca Chamberlain Nancy Parkes | Mon Mon Wed Wed Sat Sun Sun | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Russell Lidman and Carrie Parr (Pucko)
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | How do we make health a public priority? How do we respond to potential hazards? This introductory program considers problems related to public and environmental health in a broader context of the key frameworks of population, consumption and sustainability. We will explore the broad conditions that shape environmental health, both for humans and for ecosystems. Examining the workings of non-governmental organizations, we will be moving across and between questions of science, public policy (from municipal to international) and social justice. The program goal is to understand emerging strategies and solutions for ecological sustainability - from regional monitoring to UN negotiations. We will examine models, evidence and debates about the sources, causal connections and impacts of environmental hazards. We will be learning about existing and emergent regulatory science in conjunction with evolving systems of law, and a broad array of community responses.In the fall, we will dedicate ourselves to bridging scientific, policy and social perspectives by means of lecture, seminar, workshops and field trips. In the winter, students will engage in small group, quarter-long research projects on a topical issue to further investigate the chemical, biologic and physical risks of modern life, with an emphasis on industrial pollutants. Throughout the program, students will engage in a range of learning approaches, including computer-based collaboration with regional experts, officials and activists. | Russell Lidman Carrie Parr (Pucko) | Tue Wed Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Heather Heying, David Phillips and Bret Weinstein
Signature Required:
Fall
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Why are there so many species on the planet? Why are there more species nearer the equator than at the poles? This program seeks robust, meaningful explanations for these complex phenomena. In parallel, it approaches human cultural variation in a biotic context, addressing the questions: Where have humans traditionally fit in relation to biological nature, and how has our unparalleled within-species diversity been shaped by nonhuman forces? This program will introduce students to a unique and broadly applicable set of analytical tools, and apply them across a range of settings and scales that would be impossible in a traditional academic context.We will study patterns across space and time, revealing the selective forces that shaped the distribution, form, behavior, and interaction of organisms from all extant branches of the tree of life. From mycorrhizal fungi that live in the roots of trees to bats collecting fruit high in the moonlit canopy, organisms are best understood embedded in the context of the forces that gave rise to them.Though all sciences share a method of inquiry, the theoretical toolkit necessary to understand complex biological systems is different from the more familiar tools of the fundamental sciences, such as chemistry and physics. When an insect extracts nutrients from a leaf by detoxifying compounds built to deter herbivory, both the insect, and the plant whose leaf is consumed, have invested resources in an objective, and their gains and losses can be evaluated in terms similar to those in economics and engineering. We will apply concepts such as sunk costs, zero-sum game, and adaptive landscapes across systems and taxa.We will compare Pacific Northwest rainforest to the Ecuadorian Amazon, witnessing ecology’s most extreme, ubiquitous, and mysterious species-diversity pattern: the latitudinal diversity gradient. We will compare the Amazon at Earth’s most species-rich location—Yasuní—with equatorial montane, cloud forest, and altiplano habitats, revealing dramatic predictable reductions in species diversity that occur at a given latitude, with increases in elevation. And we will compare the high-diversity Amazonian habitat in the humid lowland east to the comparatively low-diversity habitats of the arid Andean rainshadow to the west.In tandem with our study of habitats, we will seek to understand indigenous cultures that have historically inhabited these biomes. We will consider the impact of glaciation and the role it played in initiating the diaspora of New World populations which diversified across the entirety of the Americas before Europeans arrived in the 15th century. Where there is archaeological evidence, we will interpret it in the context of the precolonial world.In fall, we will focus on logical tools, concepts, and language needed to understand evolutionary patterns. We will investigate levels of selection, and grapple with the relationship between genes, cultural memes, and epigenetic markers. We will take several field trips within Washington to experience relevant phenomena (e.g., Hoh rainforest, indigenous fishing on the Klickitat River, the channeled scablands). In winter and spring, we will travel to Ecuador, visit several sites, and spend extended field time investigating patterns across a tropical landscape of unparalleled diversity. | Heather Heying David Phillips Bret Weinstein | Mon Wed Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||
Clarissa Dirks and Carri LeRoy
|
Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Some organisms have adaptations that allow them to survive in extreme environments such as those with high temperatures, high salt concentrations, extreme cold, or without water. This program will focus on the biology, ecology, and physiology of microorganisms, fungi, plants, and animals which call extreme environments home. Specifically, we will be interested in the various behavioral, physiological, and morphological adaptations organisms have developed that allow them to live in places we would not expect to find life. In this program, we will undertake an exploration of extremophiles across the globe. We will explore organisms that dwell in deep sea vents, hot springs, polar regions, vast deserts, clouds, lava fields, caves, salt flats, and other extreme habitats. We will also explore the unique environments parasitic organisms inhabit and their interactions with host species. We will engage in the study of some of these environments with laboratory exercises and spring field trips to locations harboring these organisms.We will pair our studies of extreme organisms with studies of climate instability and how humans will need to adapt to changing environmental conditions. We will engage in these topics through readings and other media. Seminar discussions of these readings along with readings in the primary literature will provide us with a deep understanding of the range of responses humans and other living things have to extreme environments. We will engage with topics in evolutionary biology and natural selection and discuss assisted migration and ecosystem restoration.By taking this program, you will have an opportunity to earn all credits for a year of college-level General Biology. The program will also give you an introduction to basic skills including introductory statistics, experimental design, and math skills needed to solve problems in biology. Through this program, you will also have an opportunity to undertake group research projects and focused study in a related area, thereby developing important skills. These are skills that are useful broadly in the life sciences and will help you apply your hands-on experience to understanding morphological and physiological adaptations and designing scientific experiments. | Clarissa Dirks Carri LeRoy | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Freshmen FR | Winter | Winter | |||
Dylan Fischer and Erik Thuesen
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | This program is designed to provide a premier hands-on experience in learning how to conduct field science in ecology at the advanced undergraduate level. We will focus on group and individual field research to address patterns in ecological composition, structure, and function in natural environments. Students will participate in field trips to local and remote field sites and will develop multiple independent and group research projects in unique marine and terrestrial ecosystems from the Puget Sound to the east side of the Cascades (in Washington).We will work as a community to develop and implement field projects based on: 1) workshops in rapid observation and field data collection; 2) participation in large multiyear studies in collaboration with other universities and agencies; and 3) student originated short- and long-term studies. Students will focus on field sampling, natural history, and library research to develop workable field-data collection protocols. Students will implement observation- and hypothesis-driven field projects. We will learn to analyze ecological data through a series of intensive workshops on understanding and using statistics in ecology. Students will demonstrate their research and analytical skills through scientific writing and presentation of all group and individual research projects.Specific topics of study will include community and ecosystem ecology, plant physiology, forest ecology, marine ecology, ecological restoration, riparian ecology, fire disturbance effects, bird abundance and monitoring, soundscape ecology, insect-plant interactions, disturbance ecology, and statistics in biology. We will emphasize identification of original field research problems in diverse habitats, experimentation, statistical analysis, and writing in journal format. All students will be expected to gain competency in advanced statistics and scientific writing. | Dylan Fischer Erik Thuesen | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
Karen Hogan
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 12 | 12 | Evening and Weekend | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | Virtually all life on Earth that most of us will ever see is made possible by plants. This program will provide a foundation to understand what plants do and how they do it. Winter quarter will focus on plant structure and function — how plants acquire resources, grow and develop, and respond to the physical environment. Spring quarter will focus on plants at ecological level, including population dynamics, interactions between plants and other species, and the role of plants in the global ecosystem. While we will take a scientific approach to the study of plants, this program is intended to be accessible to non-scientists and does not assume a strong background in the sciences. Learning experiences will include lectures, workshops, seminars, frequent short quizzes, a midterm and a final exam, and some outdoor activity (mostly in spring). Each quarter, students will keep a field journal and write two iterations of a research paper based on their developing understanding of plant biology. This class is not intended to enable students to identify every plant they see, but we will spend some time in spring on basic principles of taxonomy and plant identification using dichotomous keys.Winter quarter will focus particularly on plant structure and function. Spring quarter will be more concerned with topics in ecology and evolution. | Karen Hogan | Mon Wed Sat | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter Spring | |||
Ted Whitesell, Krishna Chowdary, Rob Cole and Alison Styring
Signature Required:
Winter
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | W 16Winter | This two-quarter program is designed to introduce the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies. This field employs the tools of natural and social sciences as well as the humanities to understand and effectively address the enormous environmental challenges of this generation. The program will use a variety of teaching styles, including field trips, films, guest speakers, case study and research projects, as well as lectures and seminars on a wide array of critical environmental issues. Readings will include classics of environmental literature that have inspired and informed citizens for generations, notable contemporary books in the field, textbooks, scientific articles, and a novel. A central goal of this program is to advance students' ability to think critically and in-depth about environmental challenges and solutions. The program will expose students to the following range of topics: climate change; pollutants in our air, freshwater, oceans, and soils; the mass extinction of species; sustainability and sustainable development; ecological restoration; environmental justice; protected areas; sustainable energy; human population and the environment; science and advocacy; and threats to Puget Sound, along with efforts to protect it.Focusing on ecosystems and environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest, the fall quarter will emphasize development of the skills and tools necessary to pursue environmental studies at a more advanced level. This means instruction and practice in using the following: systems-thinking; the principles of population, community, ecosystem, and landscape ecology; ornithology; the study of landscapes and soundscapes; urban ecology; social science principles essential for understanding sustainability and conservation; field research methods; introductory quantitative and qualitative analytical methods; and the general nature of biogeochemical cycles. Emphasis will also be placed on developing skill in analytical writing as practiced in the social and natural sciences, based on research using library databases of peer-reviewed journal articles, and demonstrating competency in formatting citations and references.The winter quarter will take a more global perspective on environmental studies. Students will be challenged to apply and more fully develop the skills and knowledge introduced in the fall quarter through in-depth research projects on critical environmental problems and associated solutions. Lectures and seminars will expose students to a more advanced and in-depth examination of critical environmental problems and solutions around the world. | Ted Whitesell Krishna Chowdary Rob Cole Alison Styring | Tue Tue Wed Thu Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter | |||
Amy Cook and Pauline Yu
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | S 16Spring | This program focuses on marine organisms, the sea as a habitat, the relationships between the organisms, and the physical/chemical properties of their environments and their adaptations to those environments. Students will study the biology and ecology of marine organisms and physical and chemical oceanographic concepts as they apply to those organisms. The program will offer students the opportunity to refine their field sampling skills and associated statistics and laboratory techniques. Throughout the program, students will focus on the identification of marine organisms and key aspects of the ecology of selected species and marine habitats and develop their understanding of impacts on the marine habitat as a result of the Anthropocene, the era of human influence. Physiological adaptations to diverse marine environments and the evolutionary history of the sea will be also be emphasized.We will study physical features of marine waters, nutrients, biological productivity, and regional topics in marine science. Concepts will be applied in faculty-designed experiments and student-designed research projects both in the lab and in the field. Data analysis will be facilitated through the use of Excel spreadsheets and elementary statistics. Seminars will analyze appropriate primary literature on topics from lectures and research projects.The faculty will facilitate identification of student research projects, which may range from studies of trace metals in local organisms and sediments to ecological investigations of local estuarine animals. Students will design their research projects during winter quarter and write a research proposal that will undergo class-wide peer review. The research projects will then be carried out during spring quarter and, at the end of spring quarter, students will document their work in written research papers and oral presentations. | Amy Cook Pauline Yu | Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||
John Baldridge and Thomas Rainey
Signature Required:
Summer
|
Program | FR–GRFreshmen–Graduate | 8 | 08 | Day, Evening and Weekend | Su 16 Session I Summer | This study-abroad program will explore two great cultural centers of Russia, Moscow and Kazan. Moscow is Russia’s Eternal City, the old and the new capital of all the Russias. In Moscow, the group will take guided tours of major historical sites, including the Moscow Kremlin, the Armory Museum, the Tretyakov Art Gallery, Novodevichi Convent and Monastery, and the Trinity-St. Sergei Monastery outside the city. Then participants will take a night train to Kazan on the Volga River, the very heartland and capital of Tatarstan, a semi-independent republic in the middle of Russia. Kazan was the capital of the last Tatar successor state, re-conquered for Russia by Ivan the Terrible, in 1552. It is where the Asian East meets the Russian West, the population evenly divided between the Volga Tatars and Russians. The Tatars are Sunni Muslims, and the Russians are Eastern Orthodox Christians. In Kazan, student travelers will receive lectures on the culture, geography, and environmental history of Tatarstan from the faculty of Kazan Federal University. They will visit several cultural sites in and around the city, including the Kazan Kremlin, the city art museum, and archeological exhibits. The primary activities of the group in Tatarstan, however, will be several ecological field trips to protected areas, such as the Volga-Kama Nature Preserve ( ). The group will then return to Moscow, where, time permitting before our flights home, we will perhaps stroll along the Arbat, pay our respects at the monument of Russia’s unknown soldier, lay some flowers at the foot of the statue of Russia’s greatest poet, Alexander Pushkin, or spend a few quiet moments in one of the city’s famous churches, listening to a Russian choir singing a sacred mass. And wherever we go, we will enjoy Russian and Tatar food, sights, sounds and hospitality. Application and $200 deposit are due March 1, 2016. You can find more information here: / | John Baldridge Thomas Rainey | Summer | Summer | ||||||
Frederica Bowcutt
Signature Required:
Spring
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | In this program, students learn how to use Hitchcock and Cronquist's a technical key for identifying unknown plants. In the field and laboratory, they will hone their ability to recognize diagnostic characters of plant families. Students will also learn how to collect, prepare, and curate herbarium specimens. These skills will be applied to a collaborative research project. Through field trips, lectures, and readings, students will learn about Pacific Northwest plant communities, including prairies, oak woodlands, coniferous forests, sagebrush steppe, and wetlands. Students can expect to dedicate a significant amount of time to maintaining a detailed field journal, which will be used to assess their field skills. Another significant focus of the quarter is botanical illustration. Students will create a portfolio of artwork and participate in the curation of a show. In lectures, readings and critiques, participants will study the cultural history of botanical illustration. In workshops, students can expect to develop skills in pen and ink, scratchboard, and watercolor techniques. Students will practice these skills in the execution of a portfolio of illustrations. They will also learn to digitally reproduce and manipulate their images for publication. A five-day field trip to Sun Lakes State Park is critical to the work of this program. Participation in this and other field trips is required. | Frederica Bowcutt | Mon Tue Wed Fri | Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
Lalita Calabria
|
Course | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 4 | 04 | Day | Su 16 Session I Summer | This lab and field-based botany course is designed as an introduction to the evolution and diversity of land plants. In lectures, we will survey the major groups of the Plant Kingdom including bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. We will also draw on contemporary scientific journals articles to enrich our understanding of important biological concepts and to apply this understanding to current events. In labs, students will gain hands-on experience studying plants with microscopes as we examine the form and function of plant organs, cells, and tissues. On campus plant walks and field trips students will learn to recognize and identify some of the common native plants of the Pacific Northwest. | Lalita Calabria | Tue Thu | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||
Dylan Fischer and Lalita Calabria
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | How do plants sense and respond to changes in their external environment? What are the chemical signals produced by plants in response to external stimuli (light, gravity, temperature) and how are these signals amplified within the larger plant community? This program focuses on these questions through the study of individual plants (autecology), the interactions among plants (synecology), and the physiological interactions of plants with their environment (ecophysiology). Students will learn field and laboratory methods for studying plant ecology and plant physiology including vegetation sampling methods, soil analysis and methods for measuring plant growth, photosynthesis and nutrient cycling. Lecture topics will include plant communities; competition and facilitation ecology; plant growth and development; plant hormones; water use; photosynthesis; rooting; and the potential effects of large-scale disturbances, such as climate change, on plant communities. We will apply what we learn about plant physiology to better understand current research in the broader fields of ecosystem and community ecology. Our readings will be divided between current widely used texts in plant physiology and ecology, historical papers of great importance, and current research papers from technical journals. Local day trips, workshops, labs, and a multiple-day field trip will allow us to observe field research on plant physiology, plant restoration, and the plant ecology of diverse environments, as well as conduct student-driven research on plant ecology and physiology.This is also a writing intensive program for technical science writing. Communication skills will be emphasized, particularly reading scientific articles and writing for scientific audiences. | Dylan Fischer Lalita Calabria | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||
David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Summer
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | Su 16 Summer | Do you want to produce food for yourself, your family and others in your community? What does it take to grow food and feed yourself and others every day throughout the year? This three-quarter program (spring, summer and fall quarters) will explore the details of sustainable food production systems using the three pillars of sustainability—economic, environmental and social justice—as our lens. Our focus will be on small-scale organic production, but we will compare and contrast that system to other production systems. Our primary focus will be on the scientific underpinning of sustainable and Organic food production, critical thinking and observation skills necessary to grow food using ecologically informed methods. In addition we will explore the farm management and business skills necessary to operate a small-scale farming operation.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, from seed propagation to harvest and on to market. The farm includes a small-scale direct market stand and CSA as well as a variety of other demonstration areas. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning. This program is rigorous both physically and academically and requires a willingness to work outside in adverse weather on a schedule determined by the needs of the crops and animals raised on the farm.During spring quarter, we will focus on soil science, nutrient management, and crop botany. Additional topics will include introduction to animal husbandry, successional crop planning, season extension, and the principles and practice of composting. In summer, the main topics will be disease and pest management, which includes entomology, plant pathology and weed biology. In addition, water management; irrigation system design, maximizing market and value-added opportunities and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on farm and business planning, crop physiology, storage techniques, seed saving practices and cover crops.Additional topics covered throughout the program will include record keeping for organic production systems, alternative crop production systems, techniques for adding value to farm and garden products, hand tool use and maintenance, and farm equipment safety. We will also cover communication and conflict resolution skills needed to work effectively in small groups.Topics will be explored through on-farm workshops, seminar discussions, lectures and laboratory exercises, and field trips. Expect weekly reading and writing assignments, extensive collaborative group work, and a variety of hands-on projects. The final project in the fall will be a detailed farm and business plan which integrates all the topics covered in the program. Books that may be used in the program include by Theriault and Brisebois, by Huelsman, 3 ed by Magdoff and van Es, , by Damerow, by Costenbader, by The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture. If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg. Rm. 2153 Program Coordinator ), PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834; E-mail: prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this. Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2016 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2017. | David Muehleisen | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | |||||
David Muehleisen and Paul Przybylowicz
Signature Required:
Fall
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | Have you ever wondered what it takes to be successful at farming? The Practice of Organic Farming, formerly the Practice of Sustainable Agriculture, is a 3-quarter long program (spring, summer and fall quarters) that can help you answer this question and more. This program will explore the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in organic farming and food production systems using the underlying sciences as a framework. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture, the various topical threads (plant science, soils, horticulture, animal husbandry, organic regulations, business etc.) will be presented throughout all three quarters, and our primary focus will be on small-scale, direct market, organic production. We will emphasize the scientific underpinning and practical applications critical for growing food using ecologically informed methods, along with the management and business skills appropriate for small-scale production.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, from starting seed to the sale of farm products, to preparing the farm for winter. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning (1 day/wk. in spring, 2 days/wk. in summer and fall). This program is rigorous both physically and academically and requires a willingness to work outside in adverse weather on a schedule determined by the needs of crops and animals raised on the farm.The topics will follow the activities on the Farm throughout the growing season. During spring quarter, our primary focus will be exploring soil and plant sciences, gaining quantitative skills, and developing a working knowledge of the yearly planning documents that guide the Organic Farm. Beginning with the organic system plan and the farm crop plan, we will study the documents and recordkeeping systems needed to guide our work throughout the growing season. In summer, the main focus will be integrated pest management for insects, weeds, and diseases. Marketing, water management, irrigation system design, and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on farm and business planning and cover crops.The farm practicum provides students with the opportunity to integrate theory with the practice of farming. Students will learn the various elements and systems of the Farm and hands-on skills throughout the growing season. These skills and topics will include: livestock care, greenhouse management, crop establishment and management (seeding, transplanting, irrigating, weeding, harvesting, marketing), monitoring for pests/diseases, equipment maintenance/repair, and composting, Students will also learn how to market produce primarily through a student market stand on Red Square.If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg. Rm. 2153, PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834) prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this.Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2014 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2015. | David Muehleisen Paul Przybylowicz | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||||
David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Spring
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 16Spring | Have you ever wondered what it takes to be successful at farming? The Practice of Organic Farming, formerly the Practice of Sustainable Agriculture, is a 3-quarter long program (spring, summer and fall quarters) that can help you answer this question and more. This program will explore the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in organic farming and food production systems using the underlying sciences as a framework. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture, the various topical threads (plant science, soils, horticulture, animal husbandry, organic regulations, business etc.) will be presented throughout all three quarters, and our primary focus will be on small-scale, direct market, organic production. We will emphasize the scientific underpinning and practical applications critical for growing food using ecologically informed methods, along with the management and business skills appropriate for small-scale production.We will be studying and working on the Evergreen Organic Farm through an entire growing season, from starting seed to the sale of farm products, to preparing the farm for winter. All students will work on the farm every week to gain practical experiential learning (1 day/wk. in spring, 2 days/wk. in summer and fall). This program is rigorous both physically and academically and requires a willingness to work outside in adverse weather on a schedule determined by the needs of crops and animals raised on the farm.The topics will follow the activities on the Farm throughout the growing season. During spring quarter, our primary focus will be exploring soil and plant sciences, gaining quantitative skills, and developing a working knowledge of the yearly planning documents that guide the Organic Farm. Beginning with the organic system plan and the farm crop plan, we will study the documents and recordkeeping systems needed to guide our work throughout the growing season. In summer, the main focus will be integrated pest management for insects, weeds, and diseases. Marketing, water management, irrigation system design, and regulatory issues will also be covered. Fall quarter's focus will be on farm and business planning and cover crops.The farm practicum provides students with the opportunity to integrate theory with the practice of farming. Students will learn the various elements and systems of the Farm and hands-on skills throughout the growing season. These skills and topics will include: livestock care, greenhouse management, crop establishment and management (seeding, transplanting, irrigating, weeding, harvesting, marketing), monitoring for pests/diseases, equipment maintenance/repair, and composting, Students will also learn how to market produce through a Community-supported agriculture (CSA), as well as a market stand.If you are a student with a disability and would like to request accommodations, please contact the faculty or the office of Access Services (Library Bldg. Rm. 2153, PH: 360.867.6348; TTY 360.867.6834) prior to the start of the quarter. If you require accessible transportation for field trips, please contact the faculty well in advance of the field trip dates to allow time to arrange this.Students planning to take this program who are receiving financial aid should contact financial aid early in fall quarter 2014 to develop a financial aid plan that includes summer quarter 2015. | David Muehleisen | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
Carri LeRoy and Lucia Harrison
|
Program | FR ONLYFreshmen Only | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | This interdisciplinary science and visual arts program is focused on rivers, streams, and watersheds and is designed for beginning students in art and ecology. Students will explore the role of art and science in helping people develop a deep and reciprocal relationship with a watershed. We will study physical stream characteristics that affect the distributions and relationships among biological organisms. We will develop observational skills in both art and science as well as keep illustrated field journals that are inspired by a connection to a specific stream.The first half of the program focuses on the Nisqually River watershed. Through readings and field studies, students will learn the history of the watershed, study concepts in stream ecology, learn to identify native plants in the watershed, and learn about current conservation efforts. We will work with local K-12 schools to conduct water quality testing, identify aquatic macroinvertebrates, and provide environmental education to elementary school students. The study of freshwater ecology will include basic water chemistry, stream flow dynamics, primary productivity, organic matter and nutrient dynamics, aquatic insect taxonomy, ecological interactions, current threats to freshwater ecosystems, and ecological restoration. The program will focus on current research in riparian zones, streams, rivers, and watersheds. Students will have opportunities to be involved in small-scale group research projects in stream ecology. An overnight field trip will be organized to provide in-depth experiences in the field and study of rivers on the Olympic Peninsula.Students will develop beginning drawing skills and practice techniques for keeping an illustrated field journal. They will work in charcoal, chalk pastel, watercolor, and colored pencil. They will explore strategies for using notes and sketches to inspire more finished artworks. Through lectures and readings, students will study artists whose work is inspired by their deep connection to a place. Each student will visit a local stream regularly and, in the second half of the quarter, will create a series of artworks or an environmental education project that gives something back to their watershed. | Carri LeRoy Lucia Harrison | Freshmen FR | Fall | Fall | |||||
Paul Przybylowicz and Joel Reid
|
Program | SO–SRSophomore–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | What types of communities exist on, within, and beneath the snow pack? What does it take to not only survive, but to thrive in snow-covered environments? We will explore these questions from a variety of perspectives: macroscopic to microscopic, external to internal, research to experience. The major topics will be ecology, snow science, outdoor leadership, and wilderness medicine.We will examine the microbial ecology of the snowpack and the ecology of snow-covered ecosystems. We’ll also study how snow changes over time and use this information to assess avalanche hazards, both through terrain analysis and field studies. Our studies of outdoor leadership will range from logistics to group process; from calculating the amount of calories and food needed for an expedition to resolving conflicts in groups. Students will also learn winter travel and camping skills and then combine all of these skills with field investigations of snow-covered ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest.We will complete a Wilderness First Responder training and receive a nationally recognized certification. This advanced medical training is the outdoor industry standard for guides that take people into remote areas for recreational and/or educational activities. This intensive 80-hour training will run from Jan 12-20. During this time, class will start at 8 AM and go until 5-6 PM each day.There will be a significant field component to this class, regardless of weather. Students must provide their own winter camping gear. Winter travel and safety gear (snowshoes or skis, avalanche shovel, transceiver, and probe) will also be needed, but some of this gear is available on campus and can be shared. There will be a multi-day field trip that will be scheduled after the snowpack develops (think snow!). | Paul Przybylowicz Joel Reid | Mon Mon Tue Tue Wed | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | ||||
David Muehleisen
Signature Required:
Winter
|
SOS | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 16Winter | Interested in learning more about agriculture and/or food? Got an individual agriculture/food related project that you’d like to complete? This Student-Originated Studies (SOS) will support students pursuing individual work in agricultural and food related topics. Topics may include on-farm internships and/or research projects. Twelve credits of this SOS will focus on individualized learning goals.The remaining four credits will be earned through common work and a required weekly group meeting to help form a peer support group for your ILC. This program is ideal for self-motivated students with an interest in agriculture and/or food systems.Students will hold in-program internships or research projects that will be 25-30 hours per week in scope. All students will come together as a class once a week to discuss each students progress on fulfilling their designated contract learning objectives. The common work will potentially include a group meeting one day a week, maintenance of a detailed field journal to capture research, field and on-farm learning, weekly readings and seminar, group discussion papers, and a final paper and presentation. In the required weekly group meetings, students will explore timely issues relevant to small scale, local, and direct market farming, and food related topics. These issues may include, but are not limited to, appropriate scale technology, nutrient cycling, water use and law, food production regulations, finances, farm and crop planning and farm business planning, sustainable production practices and other relevant issues decided upon by the group. Students’ individual projects/internships will provide the foundation for exploring relevant farming topics and give a richer and broader basis for discussion. | David Muehleisen | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | |||||
Steven G. Herman
|
Program | FR–SRFreshmen–Senior | 8 | 08 | Day, Evening and Weekend | Su 16 Session II Summer | Summer Ornithology is a three-week bird course taught entirely in the field. We leave campus shortly after our first meeting, travel through some of the finest birding country in Oregon, camp the first night in a remote site about halfway to our target location. The next morning novices are introduced to the business of birding, including use of binoculars and the basics of bird identification. The next afternoon we are in our campsite on Steens Mountain, a 28 mile long fault block that rises to nearly 10,000 feet some 150 miles east and south of Bend. Based there, we study birds the majority of daylight hours for the remainder of the course. Our studies are built around banding birds after we have captured them in mist nets and taken them to a central location for processing. All birds are routinely released within a few minutes of capture. Typically we band between 400 and 500 birds of about 25 species, focusing on aspects of banding protocol including met placement, removing birds from nets, identification, sexing, ageing, and record-keeping. We balance the in-hand work with field observations, and take local field trips to provide instruction in the myriad aspects of natural history and local culture in the High Desert of southeastern Oregon. We focus in particular on the wildlife of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. This course has been taught for over 30 years; more than 24,000 birds have been banded in that time. The only prerequisites are enthusiasm for studies in natural history and a fascination with wildness in the American West. Entry level students are welcome. Upper Division credit is awarded for Upper Division work. Two links to photo essays describing aspects of the program are here: and a slide show through . | Steven G. Herman | Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Summer | Summer | ||||
Dylan Fischer and Clarissa Dirks
|
Program | JR–SRJunior–Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 15 Fall | Forested ecosystems are complex biogeochemical systems represented by a genetically diverse array of species. Forests are some of the largest carbon sinks on Earth, while hosting a complex array of ecological interactions linked to ecosystem processes. Further, genetic variation is poorly understood in these systems for both macro- and microorganisms. By focusing on genetic variation, evolutionary history, and biogeochemistry in these forests, we will learn about the interplay between biotic and abiotic phenomena. We will examine techniques for assessing genetic diversity, ways of understanding patterns in population genetics, and the potential for linkages between genetic variation in forest organisms and ecological processes in forests.Our lectures, laboratory work, and field labs will focus on forests across a range of elevations, latitudes, and climates. We will also have a multi-day overnight trip at the beginning of the quarter to see patterns in forest ecosystems and large-scale experiments firsthand. Laboratory work will allow students to learn about new methods and applications in molecular biology and ecological genetics. Students will also acquire experience with various sampling techniques that are used to measure nitrogen, water, and carbon in forested ecosystems. Weekly seminars will focus on understanding scientific articles from the primary literature. Students will develop scientific research projects throughout the quarter that require the development of research and quantitative skills. We will emphasize fundamental concepts in ecology and genetics, techniques in molecular biology and biogeochemistry, scientific writing, and communication skills. | Dylan Fischer Clarissa Dirks | Tue Wed Thu Fri | Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall |