Instructor:                              Dr. Matthew J. Gray (mattjgray@utk.edu)

Phone:                                     974-2740 (office)

Office:                                     247 Ellington Plant Sciences Building

Office Hours:                         M-W-F: 8:00–11:00 or by appointment

 Meeting Time and Place:      12:40–1:55       T,R      125 PSB (lecture)

2:10–6:20         T          276 AE or field trip (section 46847)

2:10–6:20         R          276 AE or field trip (section 46850)

Course Goal: 

 

To expose students to the basic principles of habitat sampling, statistical analysis and presentation of habitat data, and some habitat management practices.  We will cover many quantitative concepts useful in habitat evaluation and management, and students will learn aspects of ArcGIS 8.3, Fragstats for ArcView, Program MARK 2.2, Excel and SAS 9.1.

 

Academic Assessment:

 

Weights of Academic Assessments and Grading Scale:

 

Tests, lab and homework assignments, final project and presentation, plant collection, and participation (lab attendance) will be weighted as follows:

 

            ● Tests:                                                60%     (each test 30%)           

            ● Final Project & Presentation:             20%     (group project)

            ● Lab Assignments & Homework:        10%     (group and independent assignments)

            ● Plant Collection:                                5%       (independent project: due 28 October 2004)

            ● Participation:                                     5%       (lab attendance mandatory:  see below)

 

Your course grade will be determined using the following scale:

 

Grade

Final Weighted Percent

 

Grade

Final Weighted Percent

A

90–100%

 

C

70–76%

B+

87–89%

 

D

60–69%

B

80–86%

 

F

<60%

C+

77–79%

 

 

 

 

Extra Credit:  Students may volunteer with TWRA at Kyker Bottoms or Forks of the River WMAs for extra credit (5 pts/4 hrs; 10 pts max).

 

TWRA Contacts:              1)     Bill Smith (Kyker Bottoms): Bill.Smith@state.tn.us         

(423-587-7037)               2)     Mark Thurman (Forks of the River):  Mark.Thurman@state.tn.us

 

NOTE:  If you would like to volunteer with TWRA for extra credit, you will need to contact Bill Smith or Mark Thurman personally.  Also, after volunteering you will need to fill out and turn in the TWRA Volunteer Form (see PDF file under Teaching Resources below).  Your extra credit with be added to your final test score.

 

Attendance:    Attendance at labs is mandatory1 and will count for 5% of your final grade.

 

Number of Labs Missed

Percent Added to Final Grade

0

5%

1

3%

2

1%

>2

0%

 

            1If you miss a lab (excused or unexcused) and do not want percentage points deducted, you may write an original 5-page scientific paper for this credit.  The topic will be randomly assigned to you by Dr. Gray, and due exactly one week following the missed lab.

 

Specifications for a Make-up Paper

 

Full Syllabus

Teaching Resources:

Homework

          Homework #1 (GIS): due 8/24/04 (beginning of class)

            Homework #2 (Test Questions): due 9/28/04 electronically (before class)

Handouts

            Class Role and Groups (as of 9/01/04)

            Plant Collection

            TWRA Extra Credit Form

            Kyker Bottoms WMA Location Maps

            Additional Kyker Maps—Lab #2

            Lab #2 Handout

            Lab #3 Handout

            Comments on Lab #3: Vegetation Sampling

            Nantahala

            Management Plan Requirements (Rough Draft Due: Thursday, 18 November)

            Distributions

            Data Analysis Handout (SAS and Excel)

            Peer Evaluations (Due: Thursday, 09 December)

            Student Evaluations (Due for Extra Credit: Thursday, 09 December)

 

Required Readings

1)      Hall et al. (1997).  The habitat concept and a plea for standard terminology.  Wildlife Society Bulletin 25:173−182.

2)      Wing and Bettinger (2003).  GIS: an updated primer on a powerful management tool.  Journal of Forestry 101(4):4−8.

3)      Oderwald and Boucher (2003).  GPS after selective availability.  Journal of Forestry 101(4):24−27.

4)      M. G. Turner (1989).  Landscape ecology: the effect of pattern on process.  Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 20:171−197.

5)      Higgins, K. F., J. L. Oldemeyer, K. J. Jenkins, G. K. Clambey, and R. F. Harlow.  1996.  Vegetation sampling and measurement.  Pages 567−591 in T. A. Bookhout, editor.  Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats, 5th edition.  The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland.

6)      Jones, B., C. Harper, and D. Whitaker.  2004.  Ruffed grouse ecology and management in the Appalachian region.  Final Report of the Appalachian Cooperative Grouse Research Project. 

Recommended Readings

1)      Ratti, J. T., and E. O. Garton.  Research and experimental design.  Pages 1−16 in T. A. Bookhout, editor.  Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats, 5th edition.  The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland.

2)      Engerman, R. M., R. T. Sugihara, R. T. Pank, and L. F. Dusenberry.  1994.  A comparison of plotless density estimators using Monte Carlo simulation.  Ecology 75:1769−1779.

3)      Pollock, K. H., J. D. Nichols, C. Brownie, and J. E. Hines.  1990.  Statistical inferences for capture-recapture experiments.  Wildlife Monographs 107:1−97.

4)      Bart, J., and W. Notz.  1996.  Analysis of data.  Pages 24-48 in T. A. Brookhout, ed.  Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats.  Fifth edition.  The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Md.

5)      Johnson, D. H.  1999.  The insignificance of statistical significance testing.  Journal of Wildlife Management 63:763−772.

6)      Anderson, D. R., K. P. Burnham, and W. L. Thompson.  2000.  Null hypothesis testing: problems, prevalence, and an alternative.  Journal of Wildlife Management 64:912−923.

Test Preparation

TEST 1:

Practice Problems—Test #1

            Student Questions—Test #1

            Test #1 Review

            Solutions to Practice Problems

ANNOUNCEMENT:  There will be a review for Test #1 on Monday, 04 October, from 6−8 p.m. in 125 PSB.  The review will be structured as a question and answer session. 

 

TEST 2:

            Test #2 Review

 

            Practice Problems--Test #2

 

ANNOUNCEMENT:  There will be a review for Test #2 on Monday, 22 November, from 6−8 p.m. in 125 PSB.  The review will be structured as a question and answer session. 

 

 

 

Internet Resources:

Lectures:  Test 1

          “What is Habitat?                             “What is Habitat? (PDF)  

          “GIS and GPS Use”       (Ben Jones, no slides)                                 

          “Populations and Landscapes”          “Populations and Landscapes” (PDF)

          “Introduction to Habitat Analysis”   “Introduction to Habitat Analysis” (PDF)

          “Sampling Designs”                           “Sampling Designs” (PDF)

          “General Sampling Techniques”        “General Sampling Techniques” (PDF)

          “Mark-Recapture Methods”              “Mark-Recapture Methods” (PDF)

          “Nantahala & Ruffed Grouse”          “Nantahala and Ruffed Grouse” (PDF)      

          “Plant and Insect Sampling”             “Plant and Insect Sampling” (PDF)

          “Amphibian Sampling”                     “Amphibian Sampling”  (PDF)         

Habitat Management Plan: 

          “Management Plan Components”     “Management Plan Components” (PDF)

          “Humacao Wildlife Refuge Management Plan” (presentation)

          “Kyles Ford Preserve Management Plan” (presentation)

          “Kyles Ford Preserve Management Plan” (written)

Lectures:  Test 2

          “Niche Concept and Habitat Selection”      (Ben Jones, no slides)

          “Analysis of Habitat Data I”                       “Analysis of Habitat Data I” (PDF)

          “Analysis of Habitat Data II”                     “Analysis of Habitat Data II” (PDF)

          “Analysis of Habitat Data III”                    “Analysis of Habitat Data III” (PDF)

          “HSI Models”                                             “HSI Models” (PDF)

          “Grassland & Shrubland Management”      “Grassland & Shrubland Management” (PDF)

          “Aquatic Sampling”                                    “Aquatic Sampling” (PDF)

          “Wetland Management I”                           “Wetland Management I” (PDF)

          “Forest Management” (PDF)

          “Wetland Management II” (see above wetlands presentation)

          “Estimating Duck-use Days”                       “Estimating Duck-use Days” (PDF)

Websites

          Vascular Plant Identification and Taxonomy:      http://tenn.bio.utk.edu/vascular/vascular.html     

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/idit.htm 

Making a Plant Collection:        http://www.herbarium.usu.edu/K-12/Collecting/specimens.htm

 

Lab Experiences and Resources:

Lab Photos

Nantahala

Data

 

ANNOUNCEMENT:  John Gruchy will meet with students in 114 PSB from 6−8 p.m. on Wednesday, 20 October, to help with plant identification for your collection!!

 

 

Graduate Instructors:

Ben Jones (Ph.D. Candidate, Wildlife [Ruffed Grouse])

Holly Marlow (M.S. Candidate, Fisheries [Aquaculture])

Jonathan McCurry (M.S. Candidate, Wildlife [Wetlands])