3 credits
Recommended prerequisites: BIOLOGY 171 or equivalent (e.g. BIOLOGY 195), two college-level courses in biology, or permission of instructor.
Satisfies Requirements for: BS ,NS, PitE Practical Experience, Biology Lab, EEB Field/Research, and EEB Biodiversity
Meets: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Instructors: Ines Ibanez, Stella Cousins
Course Description
Forest Ecosystems is an immersive, field-driven course that investigates and applies ecological principles to the study, conservation, and management of forested landscapes, with examples drawn from Northern Michigan and forests worldwide. The course focuses on communities of trees, the structural and functional foundation of forest ecosystems, while also exploring their dynamic relationships with other species, the soil and atmosphere, and broader landscape patterns.
Throughout the course, students will build a first-hand understanding of the ecological basis for conservation, restoration, and sustainable management in forests. Participants will analyze factors influencing structure and function—including structural and taxonomic diversity, alpha and beta diversity, geologic gradients, disturbances, and past land use -- and evaluate their implications for maintaining ecosystem resilience and biodiversity under changing environmental conditions.
Field activities, assignments, and labs investigate forests at UMBS and in the surrounding region, assessing forest composition, structure, function, and biodiversity via hands-on field measurements and examples. Through this work, students will develop skills in field-based vegetation measurement, ecological monitoring, and environmental data integration, as well as practice with data visualization and analysis using R. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to apply their ecological knowledge to science-based approaches for forest ecological research, stewardship, adaptive management, and conservation projects.
