Bosque Internship
UNM Biology 408L/508L
Spring 2016
Castetter Hall room 184
Course Schedule and Syllabus
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 (kim.fike@bosqueschool.org)
environmental education, outreach opportunities, special project hours (education related) –
Audrey Kruse (audrey.kruse@bosqueschool.org)
USGS river-flow website: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nm/nwis/uv?08330000
Central Bridge Gauge
Tuesday, 1/19
First Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Objectives: program orientation, expectations for the semester
Activity: Bosque Education Guide’s (BEG) changing river model
Assignment due next week: write reflective analysis (RA) for the Bosque Education Guide’s – The Middle
Rio Grande Bosque
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, 1/26
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). (Sunset 5:29 pm,
twilight 6:43 pm)
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather!
Objectives: BEMP site orientation, monthly collection parameters/data and field notebook discussion
Assignment due today: RA1 – e-mail Dr. Eichhorst by 4 pm (use Word doc)
Due 5 pm Wednesday, January 27th: site preferences and your schedule to Kim Fike
Assignment due next week: write RA2 for: Sobel’s Look, Don’t Touch article from Orion Magazine
RA2: Discuss your personal experiences in the natural environment as they relate to this article.
Integrate the following questions into your write-up: How can parents and teachers best support
“un-tutored savagery” in children while still being mindful of safety and risk management?
Tuesday, 2/2
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Lecture: introduction to the Middle Rio Grande ecosystem and hydrology in the basin
Discussion: citation, plagiarism, scientific writing and stating hypotheses; site assignments/field
notebooks
Activity: leaf litter lab
Assignment due today: RA2 –e-mail 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.
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Tuesday, 2/9
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: Review of BEMP protocols, learning styles, introduction to environmental education (EE)
(Audrey)
Activity: bosque hike to Savannah sites (sunset 5:43 pm)
Activity: Field quiz!
Assignment due today: email 3 potential scientific hypotheses and associated BEMP datasets
Assignment due next week: learning style reflection & EE Lesson Plan write-ups
Assignment due next week: coordinate with your site representative for monthly monitoring
2/15 – 2/20
Monthly Monitoring Collection at assigned site – coordinate with site rep
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect monthly data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Assignment due Feb. 16: email learning style reflection & EE Lesson Plan write-ups up to Audrey by
4:00 pm
Tuesday, 2/23
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Lecture: how to write BEMP final paper
Lecture/Lab: surface active arthropods
Assignment due today:
Assignment due next week: revised EE activity
Tuesday, 3/1
Crawford Symposium: 4:00-6:00 p.m. (7 pm if you can stay for dinner) UNM SUB Ballroom C
Assignment during symposium : write down three potential final exam questions and answers, turn in
before you leave
Assignment due today: Email revised EE activity to Audrey
Assignment due next week: Introduction and References - e-mail to Audrey & Dr. Eichhorst AND
bring 2 printed copies to class (make sure the introduction is double-spaced with 1” margins)
Tuesday, 3/8
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Lecture: fire, floods and land management: BEMP results and data
Activity: 1st round of EE presentations (10 minutes each) & edit introductions
Assignment due today: Introduction and References – email Audrey and Dr. Eichhorst AND bring 2
copies to class
Assignment due next week: coordinate with your site representative for monthly monitoring
5 Special Project Hours (of 10 total) must be done by 5pm Friday,
March 18th if you want to be able to earn extra credit.
3/16 – 3/21
UNM Spring Break!
Special Project Hours / Extra Credit: Monthly Monitoring Collection at assigned site – coordinate with site rep.
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect monthly data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Tuesday, 3/22
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Activity: computer lab graphing work for final paper
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Continue onto next page…
Activity: 2nd round of EE activities (10 minutes each)
Assignment due next week: read Water in the Middle Rio Grande: One Observer’s View; based on your
reading, BEMP discussions, and personal curiosity - email three questions to ask the water panel
Also due next week: graphs for final paper (with associated hypothesis)
Assignment due today:
Tuesday, 3/29
Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Activity: water panel discussion with three guest panelists; ask two questions for full credit
Assignment due today: three water panel questions; graphs for final paper
Assignment due next week: write RA3 for Regional Climatic Considerations for Borderlands
Sustainability (Gutzler) and Global Warming: The good, the bad, the ugly and the efficient (Moore)
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? Contrast and use arguments from both papers. List all
references.
Tuesday, 4/5
Field Orientation III: Water Chemistry 4-6 pm
BioPark site; meet in the parking lot (see directions page, sunset 7:27 pm)
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather; bring FIELD JOURNAL!
Objectives: site overview of Tingley Beach and associated wetlands
Activities: water chemistry and water supply and demand; 3rd round of EE activities
Assignment due today: RA3 - e-mail Audrey by 4 pm
Tuesday, 4/12
Field Orientation IV: Montano 4-6 pm
Dress appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather AND bring your FIELD JOURNAL.
Activity: climate change and DBH, phenology (sunset 7:33 pm)
Assignment due today: e-mail your final paper (NOT a rough draft) to Dr. Eichhorst by 4 pm
Assignment due today: be prepared to discuss climate change papers
Assignment due next week: coordinate with your site representative for monthly monitoring AND peer
review of final paper (e-mailed to you by Dr. E)
4/18-4/23
Monthly Monitoring Collection at assigned site – coordinate with site rep.
Objectives: work with volunteers to collect monthly data (NO CLASS SESSION!)
Assignment due April 19: email your edits of the peer-review paper to Dr. Eichhorst
Tuesday, 4/26
Final Class Session: 4-6 pm Rm. 53 Castetter Hall
Activities: repeat and graduate student final presentations (approx. 10 minutes)
Activities: final exam and class evaluation
Returned to you: peer-edited 1st draft and corrected 1st draft by Dr. Eichhorst
Assignment due next week: final paper, e-mail a bulleted list of special project hours to Kim, turn in
field notebooks
5/2 - 5/7
Set and Collect Pitfall Traps: Coordinate with Kim Fike. Setting and/or collecting at sites for at least
two 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!)
Assignments due 5/10: e-mail a bulleted list of special project hours to Kim Fike, turn in field
notebooks AND e-mail corrected final paper to Dr. Eichhorst
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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.
 Develop and present an environmental education activity to the class.
 Write a reflective analysis for the assigned readings.
 Write a final paper.
 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).
Special Project Hours Opportunities – Spring 2016
~ connect with Kim Fike & Audrey to sign up and/or learn more ~
Community Outreach
Friday, Jan 22-Sat 23, 2016 – JackRabbit Survey – 5pm Friday-1pm Saturday. Survey jackrabbits at the
Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge with 6th and 7th grade students
Thursday, April 28th – 4-6th grade BEMP Congress at Bosque School
Friday, April 29th – 7-12 grade BEMP/Watershed Watch Congress at El Rancho de los Golondrinas
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