ENTOM 3340 - Tropical Field Entomology I

(crosslisted) BIOEE 3340
(OPHLS-AG) (CU-ITL)

Multi-semester course (Fall, Spring, Winter). 4 credits. First course: R grade only (in progress).

Prerequisite: ENTOM 2120 Corequisite: ENTOM 3341 , ENTOM 3342. Course fee: $2000. Students pay separately for their international airfare, meals, and exit fee. Permission of instructor required.

B. Danforth, J. Dombroskie, P. O’Grady, R. Reed.

This course will give students hands-on exposure to insect biodiversity, ecology, and behavior in a neotropical rainforest environment. Students will gain experience in insect sampling and survey methods, insect identification to the family level, insect natural history, experimental design and data collection in a field setting, basic statistics, interpretation and evaluation of scientific literature, and scientific writing. Multi-semester course, fall (weeks 8-14). 4 credits total (awarded on completion of all classes in multi-semester course). The on-campus discussion will be followed by a field component in Costa Rica. Students must enroll in all three courses (ENTOM 3340, 3341, 3342) to receive a final grade and a total of 4 credits. Students will receive a placeholder grade (R-in progress and satisfactory) in the fall and winter. Upon completion of ENTOM 3342, the R grade will be replaced with a final grade for all three courses.

Outcome 1: Introduce students to insect field survey methods and insect biodiversity in a Neotropical rainforest environment.

Outcome 2: Develop skills in insect natural history observation.

Outcome 3: Formulate project questions and hypotheses; collect ecological and behavioral field data to analyze particular questions/hypotheses.

Outcome 4: Apply basic statistical methods as applied to field ecological and behavioral studies.

Outcome 5: Explain/present scientific results orally and in writing.

Outcome 6: Interpret, analyze, and discuss scientific literature on tropical insect biology and ecology.