| Natural Resources |
NR 802 - Natural Resource Workshops
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
Short-term courses (generally a few days to two weeks)
offered off-campus by the A) Watershed Ecology and
B) Sustainable Schools, as well as C) Nature Study covering
a broad variety of enviromental and natural resource topics;
D) GLOBE (Global Observations to Benefit the Environment)
Teacher Training; E) Community Mapping; F) Forest Watch;
G) Tools of Inquiry. May be repeated. Special fee required
depending on topic. Credit/Fail.
NR 802A - Natural Resource Workshop/Watershed Ecology
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
NR 802B - Natural Resource Workshop/Sustainable Schools
Credits:
2.00
NR 802C - NR Wrkshp/Nature Study
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
NR 802D - Wrkshp/GLOBE Teacher Training
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
NR 802E - NR Wrkshp/Community Mapping
Credits:
2.00
NR 802F - NR Workshop/Forest Watch
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
NR 802G - Natural Resource Workshops/Tools of Inquiry
Credits:
2.00
NR 809 - Fire Ecology Seminar
Credits:
2.00 or 3.00
Lectures, guest lectures, and student presentations dealing
with the natural role of fires in wildland communities, fire
adaptations in plant and animal species. Human responses to
wildland fires and prescribed fire applications. Optional
set of one-half to one-day field trips for an additional
1 credit. Prereq: basic ecology course. Special fee. (Not
offered every year.)
NR 812 - Sampling Techniques
Credits:
2.00 to 4.00
Techniques of sampling finite populations in environmental
sciences; choice of sampling unit and frame, estimation of
sample size, confidence limits, and comparisons of sample
designs. Prereq: applied statistics or equivalent. (Not
offered every year.)
NR 813 - Quantitative Ecology
Credits:
4.00
Applied quantiative techniques: basic concepts in
probability and statistics applied to ecological systems;
population dynamics; spatial patterns; species abundance and
diversity; classification and ordination; production; and
energy and nutrient flow. Additional credit for in-depth
mathematical analysis of a particular topic. Prereq:
introduction courses in calculus, statistics, and ecology.
(Not offered every year.)
NR 814 - Ecosystems of Puerto Rico
Credits:
1.00
Field examination of a variety of tropical ecosystems in
Puerto Rico including cloud forest, montane rain forest,
tropical dry forest, mangroves, and coral reefs. Field study
supplemented by appropriate readings from the scientific
literature and expert presentation. Students are responsible
for round-trip airfare and personal expenses. Prereq: two of
the following three: 1) ecology course; 2) introductory soil
or geology course; 3) introductory WARM course; permission.
NR 830 - Terrestrial Ecosystems
Credits:
3.00
Processes controlling the energy, water, and nutrient
dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems; concepts of study at the
ecosystem level, controls on primary production,
transpiration, decomposition, herbivory; links to
Earth-system science, acid deposition, agriculture. Prereq:
forest ecology; introduction to botany; principles of
biology;/ or permission. Lab. (Also offered as EOS 830.)
NR 853 - Decision Sciences in Natural Resources Management
Credits:
4.00
Application of decision-science methods (optimization,
simulation, input-output, and statistics) to natural
resources problems. Emphasis is on practical work in
evaluating projects, dealing with risk and uncertainty,
analyzing regional impacts, valuing nonmarket resources,
and exploring sustainability of managed forest. Prereq:
economics of forestry or intermediate microeconomics.
Special fee. Lab.
NR 857 - Photo Interpretation and Photogrammetry
Credits:
4.00
Practical and conceptual presentations of techniques for
using remote sensing, specifically aerial photographs, in
natural resources. Includes photo measures of scale, area,
parallax and object heights; flight planning; photo
geometry; an introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum;
and photo interpretation and mapping. Concludes with an
introduction to digital remote sensing including
multispectral scanners, radar, and thermal imagery and a
brief discussion of geographic information systems (GIS).
Applications to forestry, wildlife, land-use planning, earth
sciences, soils, hydrology, and engineering. Prereq:
algebra. Special fee. Lab.
NR 859 - Digital Image Processing for Natural Resources
Credits:
4.00
Introduction to digital remote sensing including
multispectral scanners (Landsat and SPOT) radar and
thermal imagery. Hands-on image processing including
filtering, image display, ratios, classification,
registration, and accuracy assessment. GIS as it applies to
image-processing. Discussion of practical application. Use
of ERDAS image processing software. Knowledge of PCs and
DOS required. Prereq: NR 857 or equivalent and permission.
NR 860 - Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources
Credits:
4.00
Introduction to the use of geographic information systems
(GIS) for use with natural resources including data input,
manipulation, storage, analysis, and display. Accuracy of
spatial data and use of digital elevation models. Discussion
of practical applications. Use of PC Arc/Info software.
Prereq: permission. Lab.
NR 896 - Summer Institute in Environmental Education
Credits:
8.00
The Summer Institute is an intensive (8 credit), team-taught
educational experience that immerses students in a process
of inquiry explicitly designed to connect and integrate work
in the focus areas of: Pedagogy, Environmental Science, and
Human Patterns and Environmental Transformations. Classroom
and field-based activities help students experience the
interdisciplinary nature of environmental education
firsthand, while beginning to construct a plan for deepening
their understanding through an individually designed program
of graduate study. Prereq: Bachelor's degree, permission.
(Also offered as EDUC 896.)
NR 899 - Master's Thesis
Credits:
1.00 to 10.00
Usually 6 credits, but up to 10 credits when the problem
warrants. Credit/Fail.
NR 901 - Special Topics in Natural Resources
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
Study of any one of a variety of special topics dealing with
the general areas of natural resources and the environment.
Course involves hands-on learning experience with a
combination of lecture, lab, and field exercises. Generally
offered off campus as professional development. Credit/Fail.
NR 902 - Ecological Ethics and Values
Credits:
4.00
Increasingly fundamental philosophical questions, including
spiritual values questions, are posited concerning the
ecological/environmental challenge of our time, its causes,
and its resolution. Examination of these questions, put
forth with ethics and values approaches. Students work to
develop responses to both problem identification and
resolution. Lab.
NR 903 - Approach to Research
Credits:
3.00
The meaning of science and the application of logic in the
scientific method. Principles and techniques of scientific
research. Survey of experimental design procedures.
Organization of investigative work, problem analyses,
working plans, and scientific writing. Prereq: permission.
NR 947 - Current Issues in Ecosystem Ecology
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
Examines current issues in ecosystem ecology and
biogeochemistry by weekly discussion of primary research
articles. Topics covered include elemental interactions in
biogeochemical processes, mechanisms regulating nitrogen
losses from terrestrial ecosystems, and hydrologic-chemical
interactions in streams and groundwater. Special fee.
Credit/Fail.
NR 972 - Laboratory Experiences Science
Credits:
1.00
Focus on developing effective, relevant exercises and
demonstrations in both physical and biological sciences.
Readings, lectures, and discussion present theory and
examples of successful design strategies, as well as issues
of health, safety, and liability. Each student develops a
potential syllabus for a laboratory-lecture course in
his/her discipline. Students also prepare and lead the
rest of the class in at least one sample laboratory or field
exercise which will be critiqued. Prereq: AOE 900 or
equivalent. (Also offered as GRAD 972.) (Not offered every
year.)
NR 973 - Large Enrollment Classes in the Sciences
Credits:
1.00
Many introductory courses in the sciences consist of large
enrollments (more than 50 students). The large size,
combined with the factual nature of much of the material,
presents many challenges for instructors who wish to attain
rapport with the class, stimulate student interest, and
promote effective learning. This module explores techniques
and experiences for dealing with large classes. Students
will also prepare and deliver mock sessions in their
respective fields. Prereq: AOE 900 or equivalent. (Also
offered as GRAD 973.) (Not offered every year.) Credit/Fail.
NR 993 - Natural and Environmental Resources Seminar
Credits:
1.00
Presentation and discussion of recent research, literature,
and policy problems in the natural and social sciences
influencing resource use. Credit/Fail.
NR 996 - Natural Resource Education
Credits:
1.00
Responsibilities include set-up, teaching, and grading of
one lab section per week or equivalent lecture experience.
Required of all M.S. degree students in the department.
Credit/Fail.
NR 998 - Directed Research
Credits:
4.00
Student designs and conducts original research that
culminates in a paper of publishable quality. Alternative to
NR 899 for those choosing nonthesis degree option.
Credit/Fail. IA (continuous grading).