HNRS 351 / ENST 404
Summer Burch Program in the Sierras
Mountain Ecology
Pre-trip Assignments:
1) Read the assigned book chapters and journal articles. For each one, list the topics on
the syllabus that are touched upon by the reading assignment.
2) Included in the reading list is a New York Times article that addresses one of the
topics we’ll be covering (habitat selection – migration). Each student should find their
own popular article on one of the topics they are most interested in and bring a copy of
the article with them on the trail. You will present a summary of this article to the rest of
the group as we cover that topic. Please email me a one paragraph summary of the article
(and the article itself if possible) by Tuesday, June 20th.
3) One of the last units we will have in this section of the course is to have a discussion
about the use of umbrella species, charismatic megafauna, and keystone species as
management tools (Simberloff article). Each student should think of one good example of
a specific umbrella species for the Sierra Nevada as a whole, or for a specific ecotype of
the Sierra Nevada. By the time of the discussion, you should have a detailed argument
for how and why each would make a good umbrella species, acknowledging both
limitations and benefits for each.
4) Read Watching, from the Edge of Extinction by Stearns & Stearns. While reading the
chapters, consider the following questions:
1. How does each case study exemplify an ‘unnatural’ extinction?
2. What common characteristics do the species and the extinction stores share?
3. What role do humans play (both negative and positive)?
Research and develop a case study for a species “on the edge of extinction” in the
Western mountain region using Watching, from the Edge of Extinction as a template. This
includes species that are threatened, endangered, and declining in the Sierra Nevada,
Cascades, or Rocky Mountain Ranges.
5) Read Quamman excerpts. List five reasons why scientists study islands. Email your
lists by Friday, June 20th to Lindsay Berk (berk@email.unc.edu).
Assignments to be done during or after the trip
1) Complete assigned readings before the trip
2) Create a food chain of the Sierra starting with soil bacteria (include at least 5 trophic
levels) and connect your chain to a class food web.
3) Choose a popular press article (from a newspaper or news magazine) about some area
of ecology that interests you. (It does not need to be about the Sierra.) Write a paragraph
summary of the article followed by a 1-2 page opinion essay discussing whether the
media did an accurate job of portraying the ecological story to the public. Be as specific
as possible in your essay incorporating concepts you learned in the class (in any section).
4) Present your case study on extinction to the group (on the trail – approx. 5-10min) and
answer any relevant questions. You may find it helpful to bring case study notes with
you.
5) Participation in keying exercises and sampling exercises during trip
6) Plant quiz using dichotomous keys
7) Paper assignment (2-4pgs) describing a natural pattern in plant ecology observed
during the trip and how human and/or natural disturbances affect that pattern. (due after
trip)
8) Revisit your five reasons why scientists study islands. Write a 2page essay that
expands on your list, incorporating class discussions, and include habitat and mountain
‘islands’. (due after trip).
Grading- Field quiz, the three papers and a final exam will count for about 75% of the
final grade and the roughly remaining 25% of grade will be calculated based on
performance in the various exercise described above. An exact formula will be
determined later by all instructors.
Reading list:
General Background reading suggestions:
Austin, M.H. 1903. The Land of Little Rain. Houghton Mifflin Co, New York.
Storer, T.I., R.L. Usinger, and D. Lukas. 2004. Sierra Nevada Natural History. California
Natural History Guides, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. (pgs. 1-33).
Physical Geography (just glaciers)
Guyton B. 2001. Glaciers of California: Modern Glaciers, Ice Age Glaciers, the Origin of
Yosemite Valley, and a Glacier Tour in the Sierra Nevada (California Natural
History Guides). University of California Press, Washington D.C.
Chapter 1; California, glaciers and the Ice Age, pp. 3-17
Chapter 3; Ice Age Glaciers of the Sierra Nevada, pp. 42-63
Ecosystem Ecology
Chapin, F. Stuart III, Matson, P.A., Mooney, H. A. 2002. Principles of Terrestrial
Ecosystem Ecology. Springer-Verlag, New York.
Ch12: Community Effects on Ecosystem Processes
Ch14: Landscape Heterogeneity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Ch15: Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Ch16: Managing and Sustaining Ecosystems
Plant Community Ecology
Potter, Donald A. 1994. Guide to Forested Communities of the Upper Montane in
Central and Southern Sierra Nevada. USDA Forest Service, Washington D.C.
164 pp.
Introduction only, pp. 1-8
Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of
North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of
Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation,
Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
Introduction only, pp. 1-8
Landscape Ecology
Crooks K. R., M. Sanjayan. 2006. Connectivity Conservation (Conservation Biology).
Cambridge University Press, Washington, D.C.
Chapter 2; Introduction: Connectivity research – what are the issues? AND
Landscape connectivity: a return to the basics, pp. 23-43
Stokstad E. 2005. Ecology - Taking the pulse of earth's life-support systems. Science
308:41-43.
Turner M. G. 2005. Landscape ecology in North America: Past, present, and future.
Ecology 86:1967-1974.
Wildlife Ecology
Quammen, D.. 1997. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of
Extinctions. Scribner.
pgs-128-147, 385-293, 409-447
Simberloff, D. 1998. Flagships, umbrellas, and keystones: is single-species management
passé in the landscape era? Biological Conservation 83 (3): 247-257.
Stearns, B.P. and S.T. Stearns. 1999. Watching, From the Edge of Extinction. Yale
University Press. London.
Human and Natural Disturbance
Keeley, J.E. and N.L. Stephenson. 2000. Restoring natural fire regimes to the Sierra
Nevada in an era of global change. USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-15Vol. 5, pgs255-265.
Vitousek, P.M., C.A. D’Antonio, L.L. Loope, and R. Westbrooks. 1996. Biological
invasions as global environmental change. American Scientist 84. 468-478.
Short articles on Chytrid fungus outbreak and restoration efforts for mountain yellowlegged frogs in high-elevation Sierran lakes:
https://www.yosemitesecure.org/naturenotes/SteckelChytrid1.htm
https://www.yosemitesecure.org/naturenotes/mtnyellowleg.htm
https://www.yosemitesecure.org/naturenotes/SavingFrogs.htm
https://www.yosemitesecure.org/naturenotes/StekelMYF1.htm
Field methods, data collection and sampling
Brower J. E., J. H. Zar, and C. N. v. Ende. 1997. Field and Laboratory Methods for
General Ecology. McGraw-Hill Science, Boston.
Chapter 3; Biotic Sampling Methods, pp.87-109 and 115-123.
Jensen J. R. 2006. Remote Sensing of the Environment: An Earth Resource Perspective
(2nd Edition) (Prentice Hall Series in Geographic Information Science). Prentice
Hall; Upper Saddle River, New Jersey .
Chapter 1; Remote Sensing of the Environment, pp. 1-31
Popular Article Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/09/science/09MIGR.html?ex=1083038400&en=
359bf5b210cce938&ei=5070
Course outline:
1. Climate
I) Global to regional microclimates
A) Landform effects
B) Vegetation effects
C) Variability in climate
II) Atmospheric Composition/Chemistry
A) Pools/fluxes in atmosphere
B) Global Circulation
III) El Nino, La Nina
A) Causes and effects
B) Role in weather and fire cycle of Sierra Nevada/Southern CA
IV) Principles of climate change
A) Greenhouse effect / greenhouse gases
B) Long-term climate record
C) Human role
2. Geology, Soils, Hydrology
I) Basics of Geology
A) Rock types – igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
B) Tectonic forces, uplift (continental drift)
C) Earthquakes in CA
D) Formation of the Sierra Nevada range
II) Soils
A) Soil formation
B) Soil types, horizons, and classifications
C) Soil properties and ecosystem functioning
D) The living soil – soil food webs
1) Bacteria and fungi
2) Arthropods
3) Nematodes
4) Small mammals/birds
III) Hydrology
A) Wetland and stream ecology
B) Wetland delineation
IV) Glaciers
A) Types and formation of glaciers
B) Benefits of glaciers in Sierras
C) Global warming impacts on glaciers
3. Ecosystem Ecology
I) Ecosystem energetics
A) Photosynthesis/respiration
1) C3/C4 Photosynthesis
2) GPP, NPP
B) Trophic levels
II) C,N,P,S, macronutrients
A) Nutrient limitations to plant growth
B) Interactions among nutrients
III) Scale
A) Global biogeochemical cycles
B) Regional to micro-scale nutrient cycling
4. Plant Ecology
I) Species and Populations
A) Scientific classification system
B) Evolution and speciation
C) Species range/niche
II) Plant communities
A) Open vs. closed communities
1) Ecotones
2) Climate change and communities
B) Classifying communities
1) Associations – USFS guide to forested communities
2) Landscape Guilds – Stephen Hall
3) Digital data – GIS (NLCD, GAP, MODIS, Landsat)
C) Biomes
1) Dictated by climate
2) Biomes of the Sierra Nevada
III) Range dynamics
A) Natives, endemics, exotics, invasives
B) Invasive issues in the Sierra Nevada
IV) Taxonomy
A) Using dichotomous keys
5. Landscape Ecology
I) Patterns, process, heterogeneity
A) Effect of scale
B) Importance of diversity
1) Resistance
2) Resiliance
II) Disturbance and fragmentation
A) Types of disturbance/fragmentation
B) Implications for native populations
III) Indices and measures of pattern, biodiversity
IV) Ecosystem services
A) Types
B) Measurement techniques
C) Economics and trading credits
D) Management and policy implications
6. Wildlife Ecology/Zoology
I) Species, speciation, and diversity
A) Allopatric/sympatric speciation
B) Adaptive radiation
C) Predator-prey relationships
D) Symbiosis, commensalism, parasitism
E) Umbrella, keystone, flagship species
II) Extinction
A) Five major extinction events throughout history
B) Anthropogenic extinction
III) Range dynamics
A) Natives, endemics, exotics, invasives
B) Invasive issues in the Sierra Nevada
7. Island Biogeography
I) SAR, ETIB, immigration, local extinction
II) Speciation/extinction on islands
A) Why scientists study islands
B) Mountains as islands
8. Land Valuation, Habitat Management and Conservation
I) Habitat Connectivity –plants and animals
A) Functional vs. structural
B) Corridor usage
II) Land management
A) Land management agencies in US
1) USFS, USGS, NPS, BLM, TNC, DOD
2) How do they manage their lands differently?
B) Single species mgmt vs. ecosystem mgmt vs. resource mgmt
III) Conservation
A) Land valuation
B) Prioritization for conservation
9. Human and Natural Disturbance
I) Types of Disturbance
A) Fire/fire suppression
B) Roads/Development
C) Invasive species
D) Mechanical thinning/logging
E) Damns
II) Frequency, extent, intensity
III) Impacts on native plants and animals
IV) Restoration/recovery efforts
10. Field Methods and Analysis Tools
I) Conducting field work
II) Soil sampling
III) Vegetation sampling
IV) Wildlife sampling
V) Remote sensing
VI) GPS