Ecology of the Southwest

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List of Topics:

Topic  (Number & Title)

 

 

Part I.  A Sense of Ecology

Click on a Topic to link to its Learning Goals;    

Click on the “Homework” link for a topic to find homework assignments & answers.

Week 1:  What is Ecology?

 

1 - A Sense of Place, A Sense of Purpose

 

2 - Ways of Knowing: What is Ecology?

 

3 - Ecological Constraints

 

 

 

Week 2:  What is the Southwest?

 

4 -                 Global Climate

 Our LAB this week (Tues. 9/8) will be held at the Durango Mtn. Park on the west side of town.  We will meet AT THE PARK at 8:20 am.  Please visit the attached map for directions on how to get there, & arrange to travel with a classmate.  Plan on 15 minutes to get there from campus!

5 - Southwest Climate & Landscapes

Homework - graph of ave. monthly precip. a site in the SW - follow link to Topic 5 (@ left)

 

 

Week 3:  Change is the Only Constant

 

The Physical Environment - cont'd.

 

6 - Disturbance & Succession

 

 

 

Week 4:  The Human Animal

 

7 - Why Rabbits Have so Many Babies

 

8 - Population Growth

 

9 - Human Ecology

 

 

 

Week 5:  … & Other Animals

 

10 - Why Are Big Fierce Animals Rare?

 Leopold "Odyssey"

11 - Predators & Their Prey

 Leopold "Think Like a Mountain" & "Escudilla"

Beast in the Garden  Discussion 1

read pages 5-36 & be able to address the linked questions

   

Topic  (Number & Title)

 

Part II.  One -Earth, Many Homes

 

Weeks 6 & 7:  “Climb the Mountains …”

 

10/6 - Exam 1

 Study Guide!

 10/8 - Life Zones - Introduction

 

   

10/15  –12- Life Zones, cont'd.

 

10/17 - Beast in Garden Discussion 2 pages 37-78; Questions; Link to Mtn.LionExhibit worksheet
   

Week 8:  High Mountain Forests

**For all of the communities we study, be able to name an indicator animal &/or describe the animal interaction(s) outlined by your class-mates, & name the dominant plants!!

13 - Alpine Tundra & Treeline

 

14 - Subalpine Forests

 

Fire Policy & Beast  Discussion 3

pages 81-166; Questions

 

 

Week 9:  People in the Forest

 

15 -  Ponderosa Pine Forests

 

 Vallecito All-Day Field Trip

 

16 - Human Land-use in the Forest  

 

 

Week 10:  The Foothills & Cold Deserts

 

17 - Cryptobiotics - Keystone of Colo. Plateau Reserves: Belnap

18- Sagebrush: Endangered Habitat?

 

19-Pinyon-Juniper & Mtn. Shrub

 Readings: Leopold "Cheat Takes Over";
HCN 2/4/02: "Last Dance of the Sage Grouse" - http://www.hcn.org/issues/219/10992 ;
HCN 5/22/00: "Save our Sagebrush" - http://www.hcn.org/issues/179/5809

Beast Discussion 4

pages 169-240; Questions                           video Link: http://www.hcn.org/articles/video-still-howling-wolf
   

Week 11:  Hot Deserts

 
19 - Hot Deserts  
20 - Sonoran Dances   (see previous day) Reserves: Nabhan essays
   
   

Week 12:  Water: Liquid Gold of the SW

 

21 - Riparian Ecology

22 (see above) - Of Floods & Dams

HCN 11/26/07: "Beetle Warfare" - http://www.hcn.org/issues/359/17368

 

HCN 5/28/98: “Tackling Tamarisk” - http://www.hcn.org/issues/131/4174

11/19-EXAM 2 – Part II. material

Study Guide!

23 - Who gets to use the water? (see above)

HCN 8/13/01: ”No Refuge in the Klamath Basin”

 

 

Topic

 

Part III. Sustainability in Ecological Systems

 

Week 13:  Threats to Native Species

 

24 - Habitat Loss & Fragmentation

 

25 - Species Extinctions

Leopold “Monument to the Pigeon”

26 - Exotic Species

Extinction Video worksheet with questions

 

 

Conservation & Ethics

 

27 - Restoration Ecology

Reserves: Leopold’s “Land Ethic”

 Sustainable Agriculture

  

29 - Conservation Biology: Closing

 

Final Exam – Issues from older material

 Study Guide!

 Take-Home Portion of Exam

 Assignment for Take-Home

FINAL EXAM  (details TBS)

 Monday 12/15, 10:00 am, rm. 755 BH

  (but watch for an email from Dr. G. in case he needs to change rooms)
FINAL ILP Lunch & Take-Home DUE!! Wednesday 12/17, 12:00 CUB

 

 

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