Bios 316 ‑ Field Ecology Lab

Fall 2007

This is a one‑credit laboratory course in field ecology. The goal is to acquaint students with some aspects of the natural history of south and east Texas and with some basic techniques for field sampling and data analysis. This will be accomplished through three required field trips (two involve overnight stays). Each lab has a and an independent project. The labs each involve a day of preparation and a day of wrap-up. Each lab has a required write‑up.

Prerequisites: Bios 323 or Bios 325 or permission of instructor

Attendance is required at all scheduled labs

Co‑instructors:

Dr. Evan Siemann

101A Anderson Biology Lab

phone: X5954

siemann at rice.edu

Dr. Nat Holland

103A Anderson Biology Lab

phone: X3987

jholland at rice.edu

TA:

Chris Gabler

101C Anderson Bio Lab

phone: X2570

gabler at rice.edu

Meeting Place:

125 Anderson Biology Lab

(but also other places)

Meeting Time:

Fridays 1 to 5 pm

(but also other times)

Schedule

Friday August 31^st

Course introduction [BL 125]

Armand Bayou Lab intro

[estimated meeting time one or two hours]

Friday September 7^th

Armand Bayou Lab

off-campus lab from 1 pm to 8 pm [start in BL 125]

launch from Bay Area Park

[estimated meeting time up to 7 hours]

Friday September 14^th

Armand Bayou Lab wrap-up [BL 125]

[estimated meeting time one or two hours]

Friday September 21^st

no meeting

Friday September 28^th

Big Thicket feral hog lab prep [BL 125]

[estimated meeting time one or two hours]

[Armand Bayou Lab report due]

Friday Oct 5^th

Big Thicket Lab

off-campus lab departing 1 pm [start in BL 125] from BL loading dock

Spend night in Big Thicket [Saratoga, TX]

return to campus [possibly late] Saturday night Oct 5^th

Friday Oct 12^th

no meeting

Friday Oct 19^th

Big Thicket lab wrap-up [BL 125]

[estimated meeting time one or two hours]

Friday Oct 26^th

Butterfly Lab Prep [BL 125]

[estimated meeting time 3 hours]

Friday Nov 2^nd

Butterfly Lab

off-campus lab departing 1 pm [start in BL 125] from BL loading dock

Spend two nights in Mission TX (maybe camping in tents)

return to campus [possibly late] Sunday night Nov 4^th

[Big Thicket Lab report due]

Friday Nov 9^th

Butterfly lab wrap-up [BL 125]

[estimated meeting time 3 hours]

LAST MEETING

Friday Nov 30^th

Butterfly lab report due

Textbook:

None ‑ you will use lab handouts.

Grading:

Grades will be based on lab reports (33% for each of three ~5 page lab reports)