Ecology Courses

Rangelands are vast landscapes that cover most of western North America and the earth. Students will examine the ecological principles that cause these grasslands, shrublands, woodlands and deserts to change or stay the same. How humans use and manage these ecosystems will also be explored. The modern challenges of rangeland management must be met with broad thinking and new, sustainable practices to maintain and restore rangelands and the human communities that rely on them.

History and overview of the ecological, social, and economic aspects of wildland restoration using case studies. Students will explore approaches and philosophies towards restoring and rehabilitating wildlands that have been damaged through natural forces and human activities such as wildfire, overgrazing, cultivation, and weed invasion.

Fundamental principles of the science of ecology. Major topics covered by the course include the physical environment, how organisms interact with each other and their environment, evolutionary processes, population dynamics, communities, energy flow and ecosystems, human influences on ecosystems, and the integration and scaling of ecological processes through systems ecology. Computer-based materials are used extensively for guided independent learning of ecology. Course information: EcologyOnline.net. Recommended Preparation: Introductory botany and zoology.

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This web-based course contains modules covering wetland science, restoration ecology, freshwater restoration, coastal restoration, and monitoring/maintenance. The emphasis is on the science of wetland ecosystems and the applied ecology/practice of restoration, with additional consideration of cultural and socio-political contexts. Extensive readings, an assignment, and a study guide are required for each module. Students apply their learning in and contribute relevant professional experience to weekly online discussions. Students are also responsible for obtaining documentation of at least one wetland restoration site in their region and conducting a site visit in order to evaluate the success of the restoration project. A final exam (re-design of a failed restoration project) is administered online, with partial credit earned through discussion with an interdisciplinary team of classmates and the remaining credit earned through individual analysis and synthesis.

Patterns of biological diversity, factors producing changes in diversity, values of diversity, management principles applied to small populations, protected areas, landscape linkages, biotic integrity, restoration, terrestrial, marine, and freshwater conservation, legal issues, and large landscape conservation. The course includes, lectures, homework assignments, and participation in a debate with your fellow students on a conservation biology topic chosen by the class.

A discussion on the major ecological principles and processes that influence the function of rangeland ecosystems. Ecological processes are similar across all types of ecosystems. However, some processes are more important determinants in some ecosystems than in others. We will focus on those processes that greatly influence the function of rangeland ecosystems such as succession, disturbance (e.g. herbivory, fire, and climatic variation), and nutrient cycling. Diversity and sustainability of ecosystems are ever- increasing important considerations. We will discuss these topics as they are currently applied to rangelands. I will often use examples from other types of ecosystems, such as wetlands, tide marshes, and temperate forests, to illustrate particular points.

Historical and current relationships between wildness and domestication as it relates to fisheries management and aquaculture in mitigation and industry. Interactions between wild and hatchery-reared fishes, including salmon. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.

This graduate course provides an overview of fire effects in multiple ecosystems, as well as key concepts, approaches to studying ecological effects of fires, and the science literature. Exams are take-home, requiring extensive reading in scientific journals available online through the University of Idaho library. Because you can choose which questions to address on the take-home exam, you can tailor this class to your interests in fire ecology. I have high expectations of my students for their ability to synthesize science information, and to write concisely in style of scientific journals. We cover restoration ecology, fire and climate change, and other ecological issues, but this is not a course on fire management.

This web-based course contains modules covering wetland science, restoration ecology, freshwater restoration, coastal restoration, and monitoring/maintenance. The emphasis is on the science of wetland ecosystems and the applied ecology/practice of restoration, with additional consideration of cultural and socio-political contexts. Extensive readings, an assignment, and a study guide are required for each module. Students apply their learning in and contribute relevant professional experience to weekly online discussions. Students are also responsible for obtaining documentation of at least one wetland restoration site in their region and conducting a site visit in order to evaluate the success of the restoration project. A final exam (re-design of a failed restoration project) is administered online, with partial credit earned through discussion with an interdisciplinary team of classmates and the remaining credit earned through individual analysis and synthesis.

The application of molecular genetic methods has become increasingly important in the conservation and management of fish, wildlife and plant species. This course is designed to help students learn the basic principles of population genetics and phylogenetics as they are applied in the fields of conservation genetics and conservation genomics. Students will learn to design conservation genetics research projects, interpret genetic data and critically review papers from a wide-range of important topics in conservation genetics and genomics.

Functional responses and adaptations of individual species to their environment, emphasizing the physiological mechanisms that influence the interactions between organisms and the major environmental factors (e.g., solar radiation, energy balance, temperature, water and nutrients, climate), and how this affects the interactions among species and their growth and survival (e.g., competition, herbivory, and allelopathy). Interactive computer-based learning materials are used extensively.

Landscape genetics is an interdisciplinary field of study that evaluates how landscape and environmental features influence gene flow, population structure and local adaptation by integrating landscape ecology, population genetics and spatial statistics. This course covers applications of landscape genetics that can improve our understanding of ecology, evolution, and management of wild populations. Recommended Preparation: Population genetics or conservation genetics, and multivariate or spatial statistics. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students. (Spring, alt/even yrs)

This optional lab course is a complement to WLF 561 Landscape genetics and should be taken concurrently. Students will learn to analyze and interpret landscape genetic datasets using a variety of methods. If taken for two credits, students will do a project analyzing landscape genetic data. Recommended Preparation: Population genetics or conservation genetics, and multivariate or spatial statistics. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students. (Spring, alt/even yrs)