Wetland Ecology (WFSC-628)

TTH 12:45-14:00; Fall 2005

instructor/office: Steve Davis; 113 Old Heep Building; office hours available by appointment

e-mail/phone: sedavis@tamu.edu; 458-3475

text (required): Mitsch, W.J. and J.G. Gosselink. 2000. Wetlands. 3^rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.

prerequisites and course template: This course is designed for graduate students who have some familiarity with ecological principles as they apply to wetland ecosystems. Having taken WFSC 403 (Animal Ecology), RLEM 316 (Rangeland Communities and Ecosystems), or a similar course should suffice. Please see me if you have any questions concerning this.

This course will not be taught unilaterally. It will require considerable input from both the instructor and the students in order to be successful. Each week, we will follow a pattern of TUESDAY lecture and THURSDAY lecture + article discussion. See attached calendar for schedule of assignments and details of materials to be covered each week.

course policy & expectations: Attendance to class is strongly encouraged due to the volume of material covered each week and the importance of your feedback each day. My standards are high and I expect each of you to be present and prepared for each class. This will involve turning in assignments on time and having read the assigned material before each class. Successful completion of this course will require a substantial amount of library research, reading, writing, and oral communication. Absences will be handled in accordance with TAMU policies.

assignments and grading: Your grade in this class (out of a possible 375 points) will be a result of your performance in the four areas listed below. I reserve the right to change this with approval by the class. The grading scale will be a standard 90% to 100% = A; 80% to 89% = B…scale.

1. Participation in article discussion (75 points):

a. leading weekly paper discussion (25 points)

b. contributions to weekly paper discussions (50 points)

• Individuals assigned to lead discussion on select THURSDAYs will choose 2 papers (at least 1 since 2002) and make copies of each available to me the THURSDAY before. I can also assist in the selection of papers if so desired. I will make copies and place them in a folder outside my office (Heep 110E). Discussion leaders should be prepared to give a ≈5 minute overview of each paper, with some potential questions for discussion. Discussion may involve criticism of the research questions, methods, conclusions, writing style or any other aspect of the paper. Paper discussion does not necessarily need to be negative. Be sure to read and review the papers before class. Given the small class size, it will be obvious if you are not prepared for discussion.

2. Weekly Quizzes (10 @ 5 points each = 50 points total)

• Nearly every week throughout the semester, I will administer a short answer pop quiz of 1-5 questions. Quiz questions will always relate to recent lecture or discussion material.

3. Exit Exam (100 points):

• An exit exam will be administered on December 15 (from 8-10AM), covering all of the material from lecture and discussion. It will consist of several essay questions, some short answer questions, and some math problems (mostly hydrological) related to material covered throughout the semester.

4. Presentation and evaluations (50 points)

• All students will research, develop, and give a 20-25 minute presentation on a wetland-related topic. Presentations will be given in Powerpoint to the entire class on select dates. Powerpoint files must be completed and submitted to me in advance of the presentation date. Grades will be based on organization, creativity, content, and peer evaluations.

5. Research Proposal, Reviews, and Panel Participation (100 points)

• Students will also be required to develop a research proposal for submission to the Society of Wetland Scientists Student Research Grant Program. See the following website or sws.org for details on preparation guidelines. http://www3.villanova.edu/sws/index.html. Feel free to use your graduate research project as the foundation for this or to develop ideas for a new project. Keep in mind the budget is only $1500 and is a required component of the proposal (LORs not required for this assignment). Proposals must be submitted as PDFs to me on the due date. We will then divide the class in half and meet as separate panels to determine awarding.

For those new to the field, I recommend the following journals as sources of material for your review papers, research proposals, and reports. Of course there are numerous others that may also contain articles dealing with issues of Wetland Ecology.

Wetlands

Wetlands Ecology and Management

Aquatic Botany

Aquatic Ecology

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Hydrobiologia

Limnology and Oceanography

Ecology

Estuaries

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Marine Ecology Progress Series

ADA statement: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statue that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Building. The phone number is 845-1637.