Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
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Ecology Field Methods: Identification and Natural History of Terrestrial and Aquatic Organisms
Bio 4803 (4 cr) May Term 2011: course dates are May 16-20, 23-27, May 31-June 2, final June 3rd
Unless otherwise indicated, all session will be held at Boulder Lake ELC, students are responsible for their
own transportation to and from Boulder, carpooling is recommended! For maps and directions see their
website at <http://www.boulderlake.org>
Primary Instructor:
Cindy Hale – Research Associate at NRRI with expertise in forest ecology, plant communities and exotic
earthworm invasions
Schedule & contact info before course:
The Natural Resources Research Institute
Phone: 720-4364 , e-mail - cmhale@d.umn.edu
Contact info during course:
Boulder Lake ELC, phone: 721-3731 during class days
Evenings or weekends email - cmhale@d.umn.edu
Course Description:
Field identification of northern Minnesota terrestrial flora and fauna by sight and sound (trees, shrubs,
forbs, birds, amphibians, and earthworms) and aquatic flora and fauna (macroinvertebrates, zooplankton
and phytoplankton). Field methods for conducting ecological research and monitoring of plants and
animals in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to assess presence and relative abundance of plants and
animals. Sampling methods explored will include using releves, variable radius plots, point-counts, random
plots, line transects, calling surveys, dip nets and tow nets. Fieldwork will include techniques relevant to
project design, data collection and basic statistical analysis.
Course objectives/outcomes:
Students will learn field identification of northern Minnesota flora & fauna, including:
1) terrestrial trees, shrubs and ground flora by sight
2) breeding songbirds by sight and by sound
3) breeding amphibians by sight and sound
4) exotic earthworms by sight
5) stream and benthic macroinvertebrates by sight
6) dominant lake zooplankton and phytoplankton by sight
Students will apply their identification skills while gathering data to assess presence and relative
abundance of:
1) terrestrial plants with releves, plotless and variable radius plot assessment techniques.
2) songbirds with point-counts and line transects,
3) amphibians with calling surveys, visual surveys and pit fall trapping
4) exotic earthworms with random plots or line transects, including associated basic soil features and
abiotic characteristics.
5) stream and benthic macroinvertebrates with dip net sampling protocols
6) lake zooplankton and phytoplankton tow net sampling, including sampling of the abiotic
characteristics of the water column (i.e. temperature, oxygen, etc.)
Students will use the data they collect to gain insight into the ecology and natural history of a specific site,
Boulder Lake Management Area, as a model for assessing environmental questions across the region,
including practice in:
1) basic scientific methods of field-based inquiry commonly used in site-based monitoring efforts.
2) understand the techniques and methods of basic study design and sampling for a range of
terrestrial and aquatic animals and plants.
3) identifying common aquatic and terrestrial exotic species and describe their impacts on
ecosystems.
Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
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4) identifying northern hardwood and conifer forest types and describe and contrast their composition
and ecology.
5) understanding the relationships between physical and biotic characteristics of terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems.
6) understanding how to use site-based monitoring to achieve specific research and educational
goals.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Date
Topic
Monday,
May 16
9-10am:Introductions
1) Course expectations
2) Syllabus overview
3) Journal Assignments
4) Team Sampling Projects
Equipment check-in:
10-noon: Intro to GPS
1) Marking points
2) Navigating to points
Visual & Audio ID’s:
 Frog & Toad calls (CD)
 Bird call’s (CD)
1-4pm: Intro to critters!
1) Frogs & Toads
 by sound
 by sight
2) Birds
 by sound
 by sight
3) Earthworms
4) Trees & Plants
Handouts:
 Day1 - Journal Question
 Earthworm Ecological Groups
 Bird Silhouettes
 Plant Phenology Journal
Tuesday,
May 17
Wednesday,
May 18
9am-4pm:
Intro to Sampling Design:
1) Species specific sampling
 Performance curves
 Species area curves
 Density vs. Distribution
2) Community Sampling
 Structure - releve plots
3) Random, Arbitrary,
Uniform, Transects…which
to choose and why.
1-4pm: Intro to plant ID
1) Dichotomous Keys
2) Tree & Shrub ID
 Hardwood forests
 Conifer Forests
3) Voucher specimens

3-6:00pm: Introduction to
amphibian monitoring
1) Identification
 Sight & Sound
 Adults, larvae, eggs
Assignments/Resources
Time &
Location
9am-4pm
Boulder
Readings: review ALL
instructions and data sheets for
the course
Reading:
Sample Design Handout
Tree and plant field guides
9am-4pm
Boulder
Handouts:
Day2 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day1 - Journal Reflection
Readings:
 Knutson et al. 1999
 Amphibian Handbook
o What Frog Was That?
3pm-10pm
Boulder
Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
2) Sampling methodologies
3) Table from “measuring and
monitoring”
6-7pm – BBQ dinner
7-8:00 pm: Sampling
amphibians in multiple
habitats
1) Pitfall Traps – visit and open
2) Visual Encounter Surveys
(VES) – along transects
3) Intro to Calling Surveys
Thursday,
May 19
8-10:00 pm: Night Calling
Surveys
1) Breeding wetlands (set out
minnow traps) –vernal pools
2) Roadside Surveys (MN Frog
and Toad Surveys)
10am-noon: Sampling amphibs
in multiple habitats
1) Check pitfall traps
2) Revisit wetlands - Check
minnow traps, VES for
adults & eggs at wetlands
1-5:00 pm: Data Entry & Intro
to Analysis
? Amphibians – determining
the best sampling design
Friday,
May 20
9am-noon:
Soil Invertebrates – exotic
earthworms case study
1) Exotic earthworms
 Sampling earthworms
2) Soil characteristics
 Upper soil horizons
 forest floor (O horizon)
 top soil (A horizon)
 mineral soil (E horizon)
 Soil texture -Ribbon test
1-4pm: Earthworm ID and Data
analysis
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o
Mark Recapture data sheet
& instructions
o MN Frog & Toad Calling
Survey – instructions and
data sheet
o Multiple Stressors –
 Night calling survey
data sheets &
instructions
 Day survey data sheets
& instructions
Audio ID’s:
Frog & Toad calls (CD)
Handouts:
Day3 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day2 - Journal Reflection
Earthworm Data Sheets
Readings:
 Knutson et al. 1999
 Amphibian Handbook
o What Frog Was That?
o Mark Recapture data sheet
& instructions
o MN Frog & Toad Calling
Survey – instructions and
data sheet
o Multiple Stressors –
 Night survey data
sheets & instructions
 Day survey data sheets
& instructions
Audio ID’s:
Frog & Toad calls (CD)
Handouts:
Day4 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day3 - Journal Reflection
Amphibian Data Sheets
Readings:
Hale 2007 - Earthworms of the
Great Lakes.
Handouts:
Day5 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day4 - Journal Reflection
Amphibian Data Sheets
10am-5pm
Boulder
9am-4pm
Boulder
Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
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1) Earthworm Identification
 Ecological groups
 species
2) Earthworm measures
 Species lists (richness)
 Quantitative
 density vs. biomass
Monday,
May 23
? Species Earthworms - what
controls earthworm populations?
9am-noon: Birds – field ID
observations – Boulder Lake
various habitats
1pm-4pm:
Visit the Boulder Research Site.
Review field sampling methods.
 Point counts
 Breeding bird atlas
 Nest searching
Reading:
Howe et al. 1998
9am-4pm
Boulder
Visual & Audio ID’s:
 Birds to Know (handbook)
 two excellent web sites for
reviewing bird identification:
1) www.uwgb.edu/birds/wbba/
check out their image and
audio libraries
2) www.birds.cornell.edu
check out their Bird Guide
Handouts:
Day6 - Journal Question
Tuesday,
May 24
5am-11am: Birds – field
observations – Waterfront Trail
with Duluth Audubon
11am-noon – Lecture review of
common forest birds
Wednesday,
May 25
5am-11am: Birds –
Special ID project – Breeding
Bird Atlas survey
11am-noon – Lecture review of
field methods for birds
Thursday,
May 26
9am-4pm: Plant ID & sampling
methods:
1) Random plots vs. Transects
2) Trees
 Variable radius plots
(wedge prisms)
 Fixed radius plots
3) Herbaceous plants
 Community composition
Assignments Due:
Day5 - Journal Reflection
Readings:
Howe et al. 1998
5am-noon
UMD
Biology
Handouts:
Day7 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day6 - Journal Reflection
Bird Data Sheets
Readings:
5am-noon
Boulder
Handouts:
Day8 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day7 - Journal Reflection
Bird Data Sheets
Reading:
Tree and plant field guides
ID’ing grasses handout
Sample Design Handout
Handouts:
Day9 - Journal Question
9am-4pm
Clover
Valley
Farms
Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
& diversity
 species area curves
 voucher specimens
Friday,
May 27
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Assignments Due:
Day8 - Journal Reflection
Plant Data Sheets
9am-4pm: Catch-up day – work
on Team projects
Reading:
As needed
9am-4pm
Boulder
Handouts:
Assignments Due:
Day9 - Journal Reflection
Monday,
May 30
Tuesday,
May 31
Memorial Day – no class!
9am-noon: Stream
Invertebrates – a tool for
monitoring water quality
1) Macroinvertebrate sampling
methods
2) Macroinvertebrate ID
3) Monitoring Indexes
1-4pm: MN Odonata survey
1) Adult dragon & damselflies
2) Exuvia sampling
Wednesday,
June 1
Thursday,
June 2
Reading:
To be determined
Handouts:
Day11 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day10 - Journal Reflection
Stream Data Sheets
Odonata Data Sheets
9am-4pm: Lakes – shallow and
deep water habitats
1) Abiotic characteristics -light,
temperature, O2
2) Biotic communities –
zooplankton & phytoplankton
3) day-night dynamics
Reading:
To be determined
9am-noon: Review of sampling
field ID’s and sampling methods
Reading:
To be determined
1-4pm:
Special ID project presentations
9am-4pm
Boulder
9am-4pm
Boulder
Handouts:
Day12 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day11 - Journal Reflection
Lake Data Sheets
9am-4pm
Boulder
Handouts:
Day13 - Journal Question
Assignments Due:
Day12 - Journal Reflection
Plant Phenology Journal
Special ID project report
Friday,
June 3
FINAL EXAM
Books & Supplies:
Assignments Due:
Day13 - Journal Reflection
Boulder
Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
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Required texts:
1) BIO4803 – Student Handbook (will be provided, no charge, the first day of class)
2) Earthworms of the Great Lakes Region. Hale, C.M. 2007.Kollath & Stensaas Publishing.
(This will be available the first day of class for $12.00, checks payable to University of Minnesota)
3) At least one of the relevant field guides listed below. It is my hope that you already have one or
more of these field guides. I expect that each of you buy at least one new field guide for this
course, but not ALL of them. If you have none of these, talk to me about options for borrowing
copies during the course.
a. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic Society. Washington, D.C
(IF you already own “A field guide to the birds” Peterson, R.T.Houghton-Mifflin Co. Boston,
MA., then use this for the course)
b. Newcomb’s wildflower guide. Newcomb, Lawrence (1977). Little, Brown and Co. Boston,
MA. (IF you already own “Spring flora of Minnesota”. Morley, T. 1966.U of MN Press, Mpls,
MN. then use this for the course)
c. Michigan Trees: A Guide to the Trees of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region. by Burton
V. Barnes and Warren H. Wagner (IF you already own “Minnesota Trees”. Rathke, David
M. (1996).Minnesota Extension Service. St. Paul, MN, then use this for the course)
Supplies: Students will need to have:
1) a pair of binoculars*,
2) a 10X hand lens*, and
3) a Composition sized notebook (Rite in the Rain is recommended) and writing implements.
*If you do not have binoculars and hand lens we can loan you some for the course, but you MUST contact
the instructor in advance to request them.
Proper Dress: You are expected to dress appropriately for a field course and be prepared to go out in all
conditions, rain or shine. That means, long pants, lightweight long-sleeved shirt over tank or T-shirt
(expect bugs), closed toe shoes/boots (no sandals!), wind shell and/or rain gear, a hat, sunglasses, etc..
You are best off if you wear layers so you can a just as the conditions change. Rubber boots for exploring
wetlands, stream, & ponds are also recommended (we will provide hip waders for deep water sampling).
ALWAYS BRING YOUR FIELD GUIDES, SUPPLIES, NOTEBOOK, ETC. AND PROPER CLOTHING
FOR EACH CLASS SESSION!
Grading: Attendance is very important. You are responsible for all information given both indoors and
outside. It is highly recommended that you TAKE NOTES during class. These can be valuable study aids
when reviewing information. For all assignments, points will be given based on the following criteria:

Written work: effort and quality are the criteria - all work must be legible! Data sheets will by definition
be hand written, the data graph-analysis-discussion assignment should be typed, use correct spelling
and punctuation, and have all components required for that assignment. The writing style should
exhibit professionalism and be written with appropriate effort. I can tell if you put effort into your work.

Participation: you will be awarded 10 points per class period for which you are fully participating. If you
show up unprepared for the conditions or activity (ie. you didn’t bring boots, you forgot data sheets,
didn’t read supporting materials, etc.), you will lose points for that day.

Presentation: For the Special ID project, you will work in small groups to design and execute one of 4
selected survey projects which will include directing fellow students in the survey. The points you
receive on this will reflect your level of participation in preparation and execution of the project as well
as in the presentation of your data and results to the class (your group will evaluate you too)
ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON TIME OR YOU WILL LOSE POINTS.
Homework Assignments:
Points Given:
Syllabus: BIO4803 May term 2011
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Journal Assignment:
Daily Reflection question (10 points/day x 13 days)
Class Participation:
Daily class sessions (10 points/day x 13 days)
Plant Phenology Journal (13 days)
Data sheets (10 points/15 data sheets)
Special ID Project (40 points/1 selected)
Final Exam
TOTAL POINTS:
130 points
130 points
50 points
150 points
40 points
100 points
600 points
Grading Based on % of Possible Points:
A = 100 - 93%
A- = 92 - 90%
B+ = 89 - 87%
B = 86 - 83%
B- = 82-80%
C+ = 79-77%
C = 76 - 73%
C- = 72 - 70%
D+ = 69 - 67%
D = 66 - 63%
D-= 62 - 60%