Bosque Internship
UNM Biology 408L/508L
Fall 2015
Course Schedule and Syllabus
The BEMP Intern Handbook (supplied by staff) is the required text for this class.
Questions, comments and concerns
attendance/participation, final paper – Dr. Kim Eichhorst (kimde@unm.edu)
site assignments, special project hours (field and lab work) – Kim Fike (kimfike@unm.edu)
environmental education, outreach opportunities – Audrey Kruse (audrey.kruse@bosqueschool.org)
USGS river-flow website: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nm/nwis/uv?08330000
Central Bridge Gage
Tuesday, 8/18
First Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 41 Castetter Hall
Objectives: program orientation, expectations for the semester
Activity: Bosque Education Guide’s (BEG) changing river model
Assignment due next week: read preface and executive summary from the Bosque Biological
Management Plan - www.fws.gov/southwest/mrgbi/Resources/BBMP/Bbmp.pdf
RA1: Consider the significant alterations humans have made to the Middle Rio Grande Valley and
its ecosystem. a) Share your view of how the historical changes to the ecosystem have impacted
the landscape and wildlife. b) What types of scientific monitoring can help our understanding of
this system and future planning efforts? List all references.
Tuesday, 8/25
Field Orientation I: BEMP Research Design 4-6 pm Rio Grande Nature Center
Meet at the Nature Center gate (see directions page). DO NOT PARK IN THE PARKING LOT. Gate is
locked at 5 pm; park on the street a long block to the east (off Trellis Dr. NW).
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather!
Objectives: BEMP site orientation, monthly collection parameters/data and field notebook activity
Assignment due today: RA1 –e-mail to Dr. Eichhorst by 4 pm (use Word doc)
Assignment due next week: write RA2 for: Look, Don’t Touch
RA2: How have our cultures’ environmental opportunities shifted over the last century (personal
experience welcome)? What does Sobel suggest as treatment? Finally, how do you think BEMP
helps K-12 students with this issue? List all references.
Tuesday, 9/1
Field Orientation II: Environmental Education 4:00-6:00 pm Bosque School
Meet in the Upper School Science building at Bosque School (see directions page) Rm.S2
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather!
Objectives: introduction to environmental education (EE) and citizen science (Audrey)
Activity: bosque hike to Montaño and Savannah sites (sunset 7:34 pm)
Activity: Field quiz!
Assignment due today: RA2 –e-mail Audrey by 4 pm
Due 5 pm Thursday, Sept. 3rd: hand in or e-mail site schedule preferences to Kim Fike
Assignment due next week: Environmental Education (EE) Activity Write-Up to Audrey
Tuesday, 9/8
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 41 Castetter Hall
Lecture: introduction to the Middle Rio Grande ecosystem and hydrology
Discussion: citation, plagiarism, scientific writing and stating hypotheses
Activity: leaf litter lab
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Assignment due today: e-mail EE activity write-up to Audrey by 4 pm
Assignment due next week: state three testable, scientific hypotheses based on BEMP data and note
the associated datasets needed to test each hypothesis.
This week!: coordinate with your site representative for monthly monitoring
9/14 – 9/19
Monthly Monitoring Collection at assigned site – coordinate with site rep.
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect monthly data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Assignment due Sept. 15: three potential scientific hypotheses based on BEMP data and list associated
datasets
9/21 - 9/26
Set and Collect Pitfall Traps: Coordinate with Kim Fike. Setting and/or collecting at sites for at least
three hours is required for class credit; additional help counts towards special project hours
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect surface-active arthropod data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Assignment due next week: Choose one of your three hypotheses and refine it. List the BEMP datasets
needed to test your hypothesis and e-mail it to Dr. Eichhorst
Tuesday, 9/29
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 41 Castetter Hall
Activity: 1st round of EE presentations (approx. 10 minutes each)
Lecture: how to write BEMP final papers
Assignment due today: e-mail refined hypothesis and required datasets to Dr. Eichhorst
Assignment due next week: Introduction and References - e-mail to Dr. Eichhorst AND bring 2 printed
copies to class (make sure the introduction is double-spaced with 1” margins)
Tuesday, 10/6
Field Orientation III: AOP – ABQ Overbank Project 4-6 pm
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather AND bring your FIELD JOURNAL.
Activity: measuring cottonwood DBH, cottonwood counts (sunset 6:44 pm); 2nd round of EE activities
(approx. 10 minutes each); edit introductions in class
Assignment due today: Introduction and References – bring 2 copies to class, e-mail Dr. E by 4 pm
Tuesday, 10/13
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 41 Castetter Hall
Lecture: fire, floods and land management: BEMP results and data
Activity: writing methods and graphing data for final paper (lab organized by BEMP)
Assignment due next week: coordinate with your site representative for monthly monitoring and email Dr. Eichhorst your final paper graphs
5 Special Project Hours (of 10 total) must be done by 5pm Friday,
October 16th if you want to be able to earn extra credit.
10/19-10/23
Monthly Monitoring Collection at assigned site – coordinate with site rep.
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect monthly data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Assignment due today: e-mail Dr. Eichhorst your graphs by 4 pm
Assignment due next week: write RA3 for Regional Climatic Considerations for Borderlands
Sustainability (Gutzler)
RA 3: What are the impacts of climate change in terms of water availability for the Middle Rio
Grande and bosque? What are the likely future conditions of the bosque? What are some of the
challenges that land managers will face? List all references.
Tuesday, 10/27
Field Orientation IV: Tingley Beach 4-6 pm BioPark site; meet in the south parking lot (see directions
page, sunset 6:18 pm)
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather; bring your FIELD JOURNAL.
Activity: climate change, water quality monitoring and 3rd round of EE activities (10 minutes each)
Assignment due today: e-mail RA3 to Dr. Eichhorst by 4 pm
Assignment due next week: read Water in the Middle Rio Grande: One Observer’s View (Robert). Based
off your readings and personal curiosity, write down 3 questions to ask the water panel in class.
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Tuesday, 11/3
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm.41 Castetter Hall
Activity: water panel discussion with three guest panelists
Assignment due today: email three water panel questions to Dr. E. by 4:00; ask two questions in class
Assignment due next week: FINAL PAPER (this is NOT a rough draft)
Tuesday 11/10
Field Orientation V: Alameda Open Space 4-6 pm Alameda/Diversion/Badger sites; meet in the
parking lot (see directions page, sunset 5:04 pm/twilight 6:01 pm)
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather; bring FIELD JOURNAL!
Discussion: “How to Collaborate and Lead Others” – a discussion and activity
looking at how your own Leadership Style is manifested, and how you can be a leader in environmental
conservation and stewardship.
Activities: woody debris/fuel load
Assignment due today: email final paper to Dr. Eichhorst by 4 pm
Assignment due next week: peer review of final paper (e-mailed to you by Dr. E)
11/16-11/20
Monthly Monitoring Collection at assigned site – coordinate with site rep.
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect monthly data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Assignment due today: e-mail Dr. Eichhorst your peer review edits
Tuesday, 11/24
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 41 Castetter Hall
Lecture/Lab: surface active arthropods
Returned to you: peer-edited 1st draft and corrected 1st draft by Dr. Eichhorst
Assignments due next week: edited final paper to Dr. Eichhorst and bulleted list of special project
hours to Jennifer
Tuesday, 12/1
Final Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 41 Castetter Hall
Activities: final exam and class evaluation
Activities: repeat and graduate student final presentations (10-15 minutes)
Assignments due today: e-mail revised final paper to Dr. Eichhorst and bulleted list of special project
hours to Kim Fike; turn in field notebooks and return intern handbooks
Additional Notes
This is a three-hour credit course of which we meet for two hours during a class session. Other events and
opportunities will develop during the semester, many of which are optional but may be used for extra credit.
However, interns are expected to:
 Assist with their assigned volunteer group at monthly collections and pitfall setting/collecting.
 Complete 10 special project hours that assist in forwarding BEMP.
 Present an environmental education activity from the BEG (or other environmental educational source).
 Write a reflective analysis for the assigned readings.
 Write a final report.
 Attend class.
 DRESS PROPERLY and PROFESSIONALLY WHEN IN THE FIELD: long pants, closed-toed shoes, hat or
visor, sun block and WATER. Please make sure you also bring: field map and journal and a site map, bug spray,
etc. (at your discretion).
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