1-syllabus 1/2/05 Page 1 of 2Forests Through Time and Space Fall/ Winter, 2004/05Winter Quarter SyllabusThis all-level program will give students a solid background in forest ecology, evolutionary biology, and the socio-political forces that have shaped forest ecosystems. Central questions we will explore are:• What is a forest?• How do we describe forests?• How do forests change over time and space?• What forces in current time and throughout history have shaped the forest ecosystems and the organismswithin them?• How have these forces acted on landscapes, forests, communities, species, populations, individuals, andgenes?Fall quarter, we covered many of the fundamental concepts in forest ecology and evolutionary ecology and addressedmany of our primary questions. Students became familiar with local forests and many of the dominant species withinthem and gained an understanding of how these organisms interact to create a functioning ecosystem. We also focusedon several of the primary nutrient cycles, particularly nitrogen.Overview of Winter QuarterThis quarter, the unifying theme for most of our work will be how humans interact with forests and how we haveimpacted all of the world’s forests. Modern Americans tend to view forests as resources—providing raw materials forlumber, food, land for farming, a place to live. Relatively recently, we have become more aware of other services wegain from forests: clean water, habitat for a variety of ecologically and economically important species (e.g. salmon),air purification and carbon storage. Balancing these often conflicting needs often ends up emphasizing short-term overlong-term benefits.Because of the dominant role of humans in global ecology, we also will examine some of the underlying social andpolitical forces that have shaped forests. We will begin with an overview of the threats facing tropical forests and thenfocus on Madagascar as a case study. This will be followed by a more in-depth look at the water and carbon cycles inforests—two of the cycles most impacted by humans. A thorough understanding of these cycles is crucial since manyhuman impacts multiply through these cycles into myriad levels within and between forest ecosystems. We willexplore some of the less obvious organisms involved in the carbon cycle with several labs in the first three weeks ofthe quarter. An overview of human impacts in and risks to neotropical forests will complete the faculty presentations.The last two weeks of the quarter will primarily be student presentations of research projects.Our field trips will expose students to several different views of forests as resources, including the mosttechnologically advanced sawmill in the world that makes extremely efficient use of every log, and a pulp mill thatrecycles most of the cardboard in the PNW. Trips to view two very different interpretations of sustainable forestry willcomplete an overview of one type of human use of PNW forests. Our last field trip will be a completely gratuitoussearch for mating amphibians since they will be out in force and they feel really cool (plus one of the faculty is aconvicted amphibian fondler).Student research projectStudents are expected to undertake a significant independent project this quarter (six credits). There will be a numberof workshops to help you develop the skills needed to succeed, however you will need to carefully structure your timeto fully develop your research project and complete it on time. See the Research Project handout for additional details.FacultyPaul Przybylowicz Lab II 3271 Ext. 6476 email: [email protected] Heying Lab I 3049 Ext. 5535 email: [email protected] 1/2/05 Page 2 of 2Required TextsAn Introduction to Tropical Rainforests, 2nd edition. by T. C. Whitmore: ISBN: 0-19-850147-1The Diversity of Life. by E. O. Wilson: Pub date: July 1999. Paperback with study edition included. ISBN:0393-989-801Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology by F. Stuart Chapin III , Pamela Matson, Harold A. Mooney.ISBN: 0387954430Isle of Fire: The political ecology of landscape burning in Madagascar. by Christian A. Kull. 2004. Universityof Chicago Press. ISBN: 0-226-46141-6 (paper)Weekly Schedule:Our weekly schedule is as outlined to the right.Fridays will be flexible, sometimes we will haveclass, other days we will take field trips.Evaluation of student progressSimilar to last quarter, your progress andunderstanding will be evaluated throughparticipation in class discussions, workshops, andlabs. In addition, there will be weekly studyquestions and quizzes for the first seven weeks ofthe quarter.Your research project will be evaluated on theperiodic benchmarks submitted during the quarter,as well as the quality of the final paper andpresentation.PortfolioYou are required to maintain a portfolio throughout the quarter that will serve as a compilation of all your work. Wewill review your portfolio at the end of the quarter. Your portfolio (in a 3-ring binder) should contain the followingsections.• Class/ Lecture/ Reading notes—You may choose to put your reading notes in a separate section• Written answers to the weekly study questions• Workshops and other writing assignments• Weekly quizzes• Field exercises/ ReportsAt the end of the quarter, we will provide a checklist for your portfolio. Please keep it organized, it will be a usefulresource that way.Mon Wed Fri8:00 AM9:00 AM10:00 AM11:00 AM12:00 PM1:00 PM2:00 PM3:00 PM4:00 PM5:00 PM9–1 Lecture/ WorkshopSem II D11079-12 Lecture/ WorkshopSem II D11079-12 Lecture/ WorkshopSem II D1107or Field Trip all day1:30-4:30 Lecture/ WorkshopSem II D1107or Field Trip all day2-3 Research Project Group Meetingsbegin Week