Wetland Wildlife Ecology
COSC 5583
Spring 2008
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Hrs:
Dr. Craig A. Davis
239 Agricultural Hall
744-6859
craig.a.davis@okstate.edu
Anytime I’m in my office
Class Time:
Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30-11:45, 019 Agricultural Hall
Required Text:
There is no required text for the course, but you will be given
selected readings on various aspects of wetland wildlife ecology
throughout the semester.
Course Description: This course will focus on 3 aspects:
1. Ecology and conservation of wetland wildlife species.
2. Management of wetland systems in North America for wetland
wildlife species.
3. Issues and problems associated with conservation and management of
wetland wildlife species.
Format:
The course will follow a lecture/discussion format. On Thursdays, a peerreviewed article from the scientific literature (assigned on the previous Thursday)
on a topic related to some aspect of wetland wildlife ecology or conservation will
be discussed. I will select some of the readings, but I also expect students to
suggest some papers that may be of interest to the class. The last 30-45 minutes
of the class will be dedicated to discussion. Issues to consider when reading the
paper: 1. What is(are) the primary question(s) being addressed in the paper? 2.
What methods were used to answer the question and were they appropriate? 3.
Did the results address and answer the primary question? 4. What was the
primary conclusion of the paper? Did the conclusion make sense based on the
results that were presented? Did you agree or disagree with their conclusions?
5. How could the study/paper be improved? 6. What are the strengths and
weaknesses of the paper? 7. Are the arguments presented appropriate and
logical? Did the author(s) appropriately defend the arguments? 8. Does the
paper make an important contribution to our understanding of wetland wildlife
ecology or wetland conservation? Your participation grade will be based your
participation during discussions. For exams, you are responsible for all material
from the lecture, assigned readings, discussions, and field trips. Each week, one
student will lead the discussion.
2
Grading:
Assignment
Point Total
Exam 1 (Feb 14)
Exam 2 (Mar 13)
Exam 3 (Apr 17)
Final Exam (1 May; 10-11:50)
Scientific Paper Critiques (10 pts. each)
Participation
Total Points
100
100
100
150
100
50
600
A = 90-100 %, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F < 60%
Assignments: You are required to read all readings for our topic discussions and write a 1-2
page critique of 10 of the assigned readings throughout the semester. Each
summary should have the citation of the article at the top of the page (should
follow Journal of Wildlife Management format). The summary should be typed
and single-spaced . You should try to keep the size of the summary to 1-2 pages,
but you will not be penalized if you exceed this limit. However, do not go well
over 2 pages. In the summary, you should focus on 2 areas: 1. Summarize the
main points of the paper (if you were to provide an overview of the paper to a
colleague, what would you want to tell them) and 2. Provide a critique/evaluation
of the merits of the research and author’s discussion and conclusions.
Policies:
All assignments must be turned in on time for full credit. Five percent of the
grade will be subtracted for each day an assignment is overdue. Make-up
exams will only be given if the student has notified me at least 2 days before the
exam that the student will be unable to take the exam on the scheduled day.
Students are expected to attend class and are responsible for all material whether
you are present or absent.
Field Trip:
I have tentatively planned 3 field trips this semester. Two of the field trips will be
day trips to Hackberry Flats WMA and Salt Plains NWR one field to Quivira
NWR (Kansas), Cheyenne Bottoms State Management Area (Kansas), and the
Platte River and Rainwater Basin Region (Nebraska). Students will be
responsible for all information obtained on the field trip (for exams).
Tentative List of Topics Covered
1. Waterfowl: taxonomy, feeding ecology, nutritional requirements, breeding ecology, mortality
factors, harvest management
2. Shorebirds: taxonomy, feeding ecology, foraging strategies, migrations strategies, habitat
selection
3
3. Cranes: taxonomy, feeding ecology, breeding ecology, migration and movement patterns,
harvest and habitat management, Platte River
4. Wading birds: taxonomy, feeding ecology, foraging strategies, habitat selection
5. Amphibians: taxomony, life history, ecology, management strategies, special concerns
6. Furbearing mammals: life history, habitat management, harvest management
7. Aquatic invertebrates: life history strategies, management, role in wetland functions
8. Other wildlife species: fish, reptiles, ??????
9. Wetland animal community dynamics and interactions
10. Habitat management and conservation strategies for wetland wildlife with focus on specific
wetland regions of North America