BIOEE 6602 - Graduate Field Course in Ecology

Spring. Offered alternate years. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Fee charged to help cover food and lodging for trip to Florida. Enrollment limited to: graduate students. Offered in central Florida.

J. Sparks, K. Zamudio.

Designed to give graduate students experience in defining questions and designing field investigations. The course is based at the Archbold Biological Station in central Florida over spring break and during the following week. The class visits several ecosystems including sand pine scrub, cattle ranches, cypress swamps, and the Everglades.

Outcome 1: Students will be able to identify the most ecologically significant organisms in Florida scrub habitats.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to explain the ecological roles of these critical species in their habitats.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to formulate two or more original hypotheses about an ecological issue in the Florida scrub.

Outcome 4: Students will be able to design experimental or observational tests of hypotheses that can be carried out in a week’s time.

Outcome 5: Students will be able to design an experiment or set of observations (both theoretical and practical) to execute a meaningful research project.

Outcome 6: Students will be able to accomplish research tasks effectively.

Outcome 7: Students will be able to design experiments that can be carried out using the equipment and supplies that can be carried with them. They will work out ways to sample, carry out experiments, and fill simple scientific needs with materials that can be purchased locally (such as at hardware stores, etc.).