Course code:

ES4036

Level:

MA - Intermediate/Advanced

Class size limit:

10

Meets the following requirements:

  • QR - Quantitative Reasoning
  • ES - Environmental Science

Lab fee:

50

Typically offered:

Yearly

This course is intended to complement the overall sequence of classes developed with a focus on the landscape and ecology of the Northeast Creek Watershed and is intended to provide students with practical skills in observation, data collection, analysis, and presentation.

It is particularly suitable for students wishing to pursue careers in field biology with federal or state agencies or land conservation NGOs. We will examine measures of distribution and abundance in animals and relate these to quantitative and qualitative measures of habitat complexity. Much of this class will be field based. Students will work in teams collecting data on vegetation structure and topography, trapping small mammals, and estimating abundance through mark/re-capture techniques, radio telemetry and game cameras.

Data will be analyzed using simple statistics including ANOVA, regression analysis, and means-separation tests. Spatial components will be included in an on-going GIS for the watershed region. Readings will come from a text and primary sources. Students should expect to spend significant amounts of time outside of formal class meetings in data collection, analysis and write-up.

Assessment will be based on participation, a number of quizzes, and an end-of term team report/presentation.

Prerequisites:

Biology and Ecology. Critical Zone 1, GIS, Statistics strongly encouraged.

Always visit the Registrar's Office for the official course catalog and schedules.