This course is designed to develop participants’ skills in critically designing, implementing, and construing meaningful ecological and archeological studies. Fundamental concepts and techniques of surveys and inventories used in land and natural resource management will be applied. The course will also cover experimental design relating specifically to field studies. Participants will be introduced to various natural resource measurement and archeological assessment tools, and their use, and will design and conduct a small field study, analyse the data collected, and interpret that data in a report.
Credits: 3
Hours: 45 (Lecture Hours: 45)
Total Weeks: 15
Prerequisites:
CPSC 101 and one of BIOL 101, BIOL 102, BIOL125, BIOL 127, or SOIL 117, or permission of Chair
Non-Course Prerequisites:
None
Co-requisites:
None
Course Content:
Ecological Monitoring Fundamentals
- Describe ecological monitoring and its importance and how it should be conducted
- Define which methods and techniques should be chosen, why, how to implement them
- Elucidate the key principles for establishing clear monitoring objectives
Data Management
- Demonstrate common methods of recording data in the field
- Explain how to manage digital data
Data Analysis
- Elucidate key statistical principals and methods used in ecological studies.
- Comprehend and apply descriptive statistics
- Create statistical and graphical summaries to describe field and laboratory data
Study area and reference sites
- Characterize the study area/sites
- Describe and apply Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification
- Define and apply Ecosystem Based Approach
Important Field Equipment
- Describe the common equipment needed to do field work
- Examine the basic concept, capabilities, and uses of GPS in ecological and archeological studies
- Examine the photo-documentation techniques to investigate and create a visual message about natural and archeological resources
Vegetation Inventory Fundamentals
- Describe the vegetation attributes (i.e., Biomass, Cover, Density, Frequency, Species Composition)
- Define common field sampling techniques to measure vegetation attributes.
- Elucidate application of remote sensing and photo-monitoring techniques in ecological and archeological studies.
Wildlife Inventory Fundamentals
- Define the role of species inventory in biodiversity conservation
- Describe design considerations for inventorying and monitoring wildlife.
- Demonstrate common techniques of wildlife capture, marking and monitoring.
- Elucidate the ethical and humane considerations that are involved in wildlife research
- Explain laws, regulations and management strategies that maintain and enhance the health and diversity of British Columbia’s wildlife
Assessment of aquatic ecosystems attributes and functions
- Explain major abiotic and biotic factors which influence aquatic ecosystem functions and values
- Elucidate standardized techniques for evaluating habitat, benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities in streams
- Define common riparian habitat attributes
- Explain importance and diversity of wetlands
- Demonstrate field techniques to inventory wetlands vegetation, water quality, soils, birds, amphibians, and fish
Archaeological Assessment Techniques
- Define archaeological assessment
- Define indicators of archaeological sites
- Describe basic techniques and tools to sample for archaeological attributes
- Elucidate the archeology of Treaty 8 territory
Learning Outcomes:
- Examine experimental design concepts
- Apply wildlife and vegetation survey techniques
- Apply aquatic ecosystem assessment techniques
- Apply archaeological assessment techniques
- Implement basic study design principles and demonstrate data analysis
- Demonstrate the ability to use simple hand-held GPS systems in the field
- Implement effective ecological and archeological studies
Grading System: Letters
Passing Grade: D (50%)
Percentage of Individual Work: 85
Percentage of Group Work: 15
Textbooks:
Textbooks are subject to change. Please contact the bookstore at your local campus for current book lists.