FOR 341 Ecology of Forested Ecosystems. INSTRUCTOR:

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1 FOR 341 Ecology of Forested Ecosystems INSTRUCTOR: Diane White COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides an overview of plant ecology as it pertains to the management of forest ecosystems. Principles of plant community ecology, plant autecology and ecosystem science will be presented in the context of management of forestlands. Course is comprised of readings, Powerpoint presentations, discussion, and field videos. LEARNING OUTCOMES AND INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES The focus of the class is to instill knowledge on how forest ecosystems function, and the complex nature of interaction that exist between organisms and their physical environment. Knowledge gained from this course will provide students skills useful in the preparation of a forest management plan. Specific instructional objectives are for students to be able to: Understand the components of an ecosystem Describe and predict vegetation succession as it occurs in forests, with examples from the Pacific Northwest. Understand basic environmental factors that contribute to plant growth on forestlands. Understand how ecosystem function is relevant to management of forests. Recognize important ecological issues relevant to forestlands of the Pacific Northwest PRE-REQUISITES: One year of biology. REQUIRED MATERIALS AND/OR READINGS The required text for this course is: Kimmins, J. P Forest Ecology: A Foundation for Sustainable Forest Management and Environmental Ethics in Forestry. Prentice Hall. 3 rd Edition. REFERENCE TEXTS:

2 There are several excellent texts that I would encourage you to reference. These provide excellent foundations in Ecology and will prove valuable in your future careers. Barbour, M. C., J. H. Burk, W.H. Pitts, F.S. Gilliam, M.W. Schwartz Terrestrial Plant Ecology. Benjamin/Cummings. 3 rd Edition. Barnes, B. V., D. B. Zak, Denton, S.R., and S. H. Spurr Forest Ecology. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 4 th Edition. Chapin, F.S. III, P.A. Matson, H. A. Mooney Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. Springer. COURSE STRUCTURE AND EXPECTATIONS The course will address ecological topics through a combination of readings, power point presentations, video field trips, and discussions. COURSE GRADING: Examinations for the course will consist of a take home Midterm Examination (150 points; worth 30% of total grade) and a take home Final Examination (200 pts.-worth 40% of total grade). Examinations will consist of a combination of short-answer, fill in the blank, and essay questions. All examinations will be open-book and comprehensive. Small Projects (100 points worth 20% of total grade. You will complete a short paper, 1-2 pages in length (double-spaced) that demonstrates your understanding and integrative knowledge of the subject. Class Participation in s - (50 pts. worth 10% of total grade). It is expected that students be actively engaged in the course. It is also expected that students ask questions, provide responses and generally be engaged during the course. A new discussion topic will be posted on Blackboard every other week, with instructions for posting messages and for responding to fellow students' messages. Just click on the Board button (at left) and select the appropriate forum for each week. In a distance course such as this, the discussion forum is one of the most important vehicles for learning. Regular, timely and meaningful participation during the entire term counts for up to 50 points toward your grade (out of 500). Each bi-weekly discussion counts up to 10 points toward your grade: 5 points: post one original thread of at least 100 words 5 points: same as above, plus post at least 3 replies of at least 50 words each to other threads

3 There will also be a permanent forum for asking questions about course content or assignments. For informal communication with classmates, please use the Hallway discussion forum. Grading (pts.): = A = B = C = D < 300 = F ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND CONDUCT OSU, as an institution of higher education and as a community of scholars, is committed to the elimination of discrimination and the provision of equal opportunity in education. People must treat each other with dignity and respect in order for scholarship to thrive. Student conduct rules are formulated to guarantee each student s freedom to learn and to protect the fundamental rights of others. Behaviors that are disruptive to teaching and learning, or that create a hostile, offensive, or intimidating environment will not be tolerated, and will be referred for disciplinary action. Behaviors that discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or veteran's status will be referred to the Affirmative Action Office. For more information about student conduct, see Students are expected to be honest and ethical in their academic work. Academic dishonesty is defined as an intentional act of deception in one of the following areas: Cheating, or the use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information or study aids; Fabrication, or falsification or invention of any information; Assisting, or helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty; Tampering, or altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and documents; and Plagiarism, or representing the words or ideas of another person as one's own. You must write using your own words. Cutting and pasting blocks of text from other sources is considered plagiarism. You may quote from other sources but the quote must

4 be enclosed within quotation marks and cited in the text and in the bibliography. Please ask if you are uncertain about the appropriate use of material from other sources. The penalty for academic dishonesty may result in an "F" grade for the course. For more information about academic integrity and the University's policies and procedures, see the Student Conduct web site at: TOPICS Introduction Ecosystems and Man Populations Communities Plant Succession and Disturbances Plant Classification Genetics Energy and Production in Ecosystems Biogeochemical Cycles Soils Light, Temperature, and Water Ecosystem Functions and Flows Schedule The week runs from Monday morning through Sunday evening at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. All assignments are due Sunday on the week they are assigned. Week 1. Sustainability of Forest Ecosystems, Development of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Ecology and the Ecosystem Concept, and Population Ecology

5 Week 2. Population Ecology and Community Ecology Week 3. Ecological Succession: Processes of Change in Ecosystems and Ecosystem Classification: The Ecological Foundation for Sustainable Forest Management Week 4. Ecological Succession: Agents of Change in Ecosystems Power Points Week 5. Production Ecology: The Transfer and Storage of Energy in Ecosystems Midterm Exam Week 6. Biogeochemistry: Cycling of Nutrients in Ecosystems Week 7. Soil: The Least Renewable Physical Component and Water: The Material that makes Life Possible Week 8. Temperature as an Ecological Factor and Ecological Role of Solar Radiation Short paper Week 9. Genetic and Evolutionary Aspects of Ecosystems: Adaptation and Evolution

6 Week 10. Landscapes and Ecosystems Student Evaluations Final Exam Plagiarism You are expected to submit your own work in all your assignments, postings to the discussion board, and other communications, and to clearly give credit to the work of others when you use it. Academic dishonesty will result in a grade of F. Link to Statement of Expectations for Student Conduct: Students with Disabilities Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Disability and Access Services (DAS). Students with accommodations approved through DAS are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through DAS should contact DAS immediately at Course Evaluation We encourage you to engage in the course evaluation process each term online, of course. The evaluation form will be available toward the end of each term, and you will be sent instructions by Ecampus. You will login to Student Online Services to respond to the online questionnaire. The results on the form are anonymous and are not tabulated until after grades are posted.