Updated LAB Syllabus, with links to readings

Conservation Biology Lab (406L/506L)
--Readings not to be accessed except by students currently enrolled in course--

Last Updated 27 November 2005

Check back often for changes to readings and schedules…
(original lab syllabus from 25 Aug 2005)


Most of the readings are saved as .PDF files which require the Free Adobe Acrobat Reader Software


Conservation Biology Lab Schedule 2005
[Generally meets Friday 1230-1530 (10 of 13 potential meetings)]

Meetings involving VANS will generally meet on the South Side of BSE (corner of 4th and Highland on campus)

26 Aug. Tumamoc Hill and Introduction, VAN
ecological research, study plots, geology, Tucson basin, desert vegetation, introductions and schedules
Tumamoc Hill Research,
Tumamoc Hill Reading by Nancy Wall,
Views of the Changing Sonoran Desert (large file)
(10 points)


02 Sept. No lab (Labor Day on 05 Sept.)


09 Sept. Urban ecological restoration in Tucson. With Phil Rosen. VAN
PHOTOS 2005
Biological Values of the West Branch
Paseo de las Iglesias
As an aside: City High School, a charter school, has a class with 14 or 15 students focused on the West Branch - its inhabitants, culture, ecology, restoration, and relationship to restoration elsewhere.
(10 points)


16 Sept. No lab


23-25 Sept. Ramsey Canyon (Matt Killeen), Chiricahuas, Northern Mexico (Valer and Joe Austin), San Pedro (San Pedro House, BLM), VAN
PICTURES from 2005
pictures from 2004
We will plan to leave campus around 1230 on Friday the 23rd.
Friday afternoon we will visit with TNC folks at Ramsey Canyon.
The night of the 23rd we will likely camp near Ramsey Canyon.
Saturday morning the 24th we will meet with the Austins and tour properties in N. Mexico.
Saturday night we will likely spend camped in the Chiricahua mountains.
Sunday we will stop at the San Pedro river on the way back to Tucson.
Arrive mid afternoon in Tucson on Sunday the 25th.

Please work with your group in lab (we will assign on Friday 09 September) to coordinate relevant meals and equipment.
(50 points)

RAMSEY CANYON:
The Nature Conservancy web link

SAN PEDRO:
Barbara Kingsolver, National Geographic, San Pedro
AZGF write-up on the San Pedro
Troubled Waters, by Sandra Postel
2002 Economic Report on Recreation in San Pedro drainage
Upper San Pedro Partnership (peruse some of these documents to get an idea about the issues surrounding San Pedro water)
BLM San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (optional: some of the BLM info in a word file)
(optional: Friends of the San Pedro River)

RANCHING/GRAZING:
Floyd et al. 2003 (grazing)
Sheridan 2001 (ranching)
(optional: Brogden and Greenberg 2003 [ranching])
San Pedro pre and post grazing (photos)

FIRE in CHIRICAHUAS:
Backer, Jensen, McPherson 2004 (article on fire suppression and fire effects)
Kauffman, 2004 (perceptions of fire, restoration ecology)
Article on Rattlesnake Fire (1994) in Chiricahuas (optional: short article on erosion post fire in Chiricahuas)
(optional: LTRR Big Arizona Fires with links to newspaper articles etc.)


30 Sept. Computer Time: Island Biogeography, Population Growth, COMPUTER LAB (meet in ECE206)
2005 word file to bring with you to lab.
xxUpdate:Excel Sheet to open in lab on Friday 30 Sept.
Island Biogeography, Species-Area Relationships (part 1), (part 2), More on species-area relationships (~part3)
Barrett et al. 2003
(10 points)


07 Oct. Mt. Lemmon all day, VAN
PICTURES from 07 October 2005
(Pictures from 02 October 2004)
leave campus Friday 0700h from south-side BSE (bring money if interested in pie in Summerhaven; return to campus ~6pm)
Rex Adams, or graduate student, from Lab of Tree-Ring Research
Sonorensis Publication 1989 (a great overview of Mt. Lemmon and our Sky Islands)
Guide to Mt. Lemmon Highway (with mileage, elevation, and checklists)
Miscellaneous Mt. Lemmon-related information (including a map; PRINT some of these pages to bring with you)
Whittaker and Niering, 1965 (excerpts) (optional discussion of life zones and vegetation on Mt. Lemmon)
Cruising for Timber! (optional details on how to quickly calculate standing biomass)
(20 points)


14 Oct. Sewage Treatment / Santa Cruz / Sweetwater Wetland, VAN
(Pictures from 15 Oct 2004)
Troubled Waters, by Sandra Postel
How water management in Tucson has affected desert surroundings
Shutes 2001
Verhoeven and Meuleman 1999
Constructed Wetland details
(10 points)


21-23 Oct. Organ Pipe, Pinacate, CEDO, 3 day, VAN
leave campus 6am on Friday 21 Oct., return evening of Sunday 23 Oct.
PHOTOS from 2005, or as 6 slides/page (smaller file)
PHOTOS from 2004
(60 points)

Background Reading:
Organ Pipe Website (especially focus on the links under "management docs")
One of many possible links
Organ Pipe issue
Finding of No Significant Impact re: Vehicle Barrier
Desert Invasion website

Judith Becerra (UA Entomology) research on Bursera:
Short popular article
Becerra 2003 PNAS
(Kathy Gerst did a research project on Bursera).

CEDO website (located in Puerto Penasco)
WWF Vaquita Site
D'agrosa et al. 2000 (Vaquita Bycatch ...) OR Rojas-Bracho and Taylor 1999 (Risk Factors Affecting the Vaquita)
Rodriguez et al. 2001 (Effects of Colorado River Diversion on Estuarine Bivalve Molluscs...)
Report on Northern Gulf of California (please read: exec. summary, intro., 1.2, 1.3.2, 2.4, 2.5, 5.3, and 6)
2002 State-of-Knowledge Workshop Summary RE: Colorado River Delta (interesting optional reading)

Tentative Organ Pipe/Pinacate/CEDO itinerary:
Students will be asked to pay for some of the food and lodging costs incurred in Mexico.
Friday 21 October
0600 depart
1000 meeting with Organ Pipe staff
1200 lunch picnic
1300 short hike
1530 cross border into Sonora, Mexico
1700 meet with Pinacate staff
1800 set up camp in Pinacate, cook dinner
Saturday 22 October
0600 explore pinacate, breakfast on the go
0830 break camp, explore pinacate by vehicle
1200 leave Pinacate
1300 lunch in Puerto Penasco ($)
1400 explore beach and tide pools [check tide charts]
1600 arrive CEDO
1730 dinner at CEDO ($)
1900 evening presentation at CEDO
Sunday 23 October
0600 breakfast using CEDO kitchen and our food
0700 explore estuary with Rick Boyer
1000 leave CEDO
1030 eat early lunch in Puerto Penasco, ($) explore
1200 leave for Tucson with stop at Dunes on way home
1700-1800 arrive Tucson


28 Oct. No lab.


04 Nov. Computer Time: MVP, Sea Turtle Populations, COMPUTER LAB (meet in ECE206)
(10 points)


11 Nov. No lab (Veteran's Day)


18 Nov. Tucson Mountain Park, diversity indices, VAN
(a few pictures from 2004)
Readings:
Connell 1978
Species Area Curves and Conservation
(10 points)


25 Nov. No lab (Thanksgiving Holiday)


02 Dec. Student Group Oral Presentations in BSE 218, PROJECTOR for powerpoint
(10 points, plus the 50 points for the assignment)
[Again, please get powerpoint file to KEB by 11am on 02 Dec. 2005, and bring it with you on CD or USB memory stick]


Link to Conservation Biology Lecture Schedule 2005, Meets T,R 1230-1345h

RETURN TO ECOL 406/506, 2005 HOMEPAGE