| |  |
| Semester Courses
BI/EE (NS) 371 Techniques of Wildlife Management introduces students to the questions, principles and tools used by resource managers in the Kenyan savanna ecosystem. Students study habitat assessment, plant and animal identification, associations and distributions and other approaches to evaluating the savanna ecosystems. Behavioral, physiological and social responses of animals to a changing environment will be examined. Field and laboratory techniques for monitoring ungulate populations and optimizing management practices will be presented. Decision-making processes, on which wildlife management programs are based, will be addressed.
BI/EE (NS) 372 Wildlife Ecology presents students with the information and conceptual background necessary to understand the underlying ecological principles of the East Africa savanna ecosystem. We will focus on the fundamental processes and inter-relationships between the biotic and abiotic environment. We begin with basic ecological principles, setting them against the background of East Africa. Factors underlying distributions, population biology and behavioral ecology will be examined along with competition and predation using African examples. Theoretical models will be discussed in light of our observations on field trips.
BI/EE (NS) 373 Tropical Marine Ecology discusses the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance patterns of tropical marine organisms, with emphasis on the ecology of near-shore areas. Basic principles of ecology are integrated with an understanding of the sea as a habitat for life. Physical, chemical and geological oceanography are discussed. Major groups of dominant marine organisms of the region are examined in the field. Major near-shore marine habitats are examined, along with their associated biotic communities. Coral reef ecosystems are emphasized to illustrate basic concepts. Applications to the management of indigenous marine resources are discussed and demonstrated.
BI/EE (NS) 369 Rainforest Ecology introduces structure and function of tropical rainforests including floral and faunal components. Ecological processes that maintain biodiversity and the evolutionary processes that generate it will be presented. We will examine the dynamic relationships between plants and animals including pollination and seed dispersal. On a larger scale, we will examine tropical vegetation patterns along climatic gradients and discuss mechanisms for preserving and restoring tropical ecosystems.
EE (NS) 370 Principles of Forest Management presents the ecological and analytical tools used in the management of terrestrial, living resources. We will use examples from the tropics to stress the theories and skills that provide the foundation for land management worldwide. The assessment and minimization of adverse environmental impacts caused by resource development, as well as the restoration and rehabilitation of areas suffering from chronic human induced disturbances, provide key foci for applying principles learned.
EE (NS) 374 Principles of Resource Management introduces practical tools used in addressing complex environmental problems including coastal zone planning, guidelines for ecologically sustainable development, environmental impact assessment, fisheries management and protected-area planning and management. We will review these tools in terms of their application to local issues and to Case Studies from the Caribbean, the United States, Central America and East Africa.
EE (NS) 377 Tropical Ecology & Sustainable Development examines the ecological impact of human activity, especially agriculture in a tropical country. The agroecology of important crops will be studied with emphasis on biodiversity as the source of production means and materials. Students will identify renewable and nonrenewable resources and examine their historical use. We will study the long-term and large-scale impact of local agricultural and other practices on the national and global environment (e.g. water pollution, waste management, climate change). Options for alternative resources use, land restoration and preservation will be examined from ecological, socio-political and economic viewpoints. Factors that constrain or promote particular options will be included. Basic field techniques and measurements will also be covered.
BI/EE (NS) 379 Coastal Ecology examines the ecological processes interface between land and sea in order to understand how human perturbations impact both marine and terrestrial systems. The watershed concept will be used to explore nutrient flow, energy cycling, coastal circulation, productivity and biotic interactions. This course provides a basic understanding of how natural systems work in order to help guide resource managers toward ecologically sound and sustainable decisions. Fieldwork exposes students to techniques of surveying, monitoring and the study of biotic interactions in a complex physical/chemical milieu.
EE (SS) 302 Environmental Policy & Socioeconomic Values provides insight into the broad social context surrounding natural resources to determine effective approaches to resource management. Objectives are to understand sociocultural context including hierarchies and power structures; formal and informal decision making processes; value systems relevant to natural resources including religious factors and environmental ethics; past and present uses of natural resources; economic factors (local, regional, external); ownership patterns; attitudes and other factors that affect change and their historical basis; and legal basis for enforcement of environmental policy. Introduction of major constituencies which effect conservation (NGO conservation groups, economic interests, etc.) and their underlying philosophies.
EE (SS) 303 Economic & Ethical Issues in Sustainable Development addresses the principles and applications of Ecological Economics, or the scientific and management aspects of sustainability. Allocation, distribution and scale will be presented as parameters to assess the sustainability of development models (at a macro and micro level). Basic concepts of ecological economics cost-benefit valuation techniques will be presented and applied. The roles of local people, government, and private, national, and bilateral aid agencies will be examined as constraints for the implementation of sustainable development models. The empowerment of local people and their reaction to non-local proposals for sustainable development will be examined through the review of specific Case Studies.
EE 491 (Fall) EE 492 (Spring) Directed Research prepares students to distinguish hidden assumptions in scientific approaches and separate fact from interpretation, cause from correlation and advocacy from objectivity. Specific tools will include experimental design, field techniques, basic descriptive statistics and parametric and non-parametric quantitative analysis. Succinct scientific writing, graphic and tabular presentation of results and effective delivery of oral presentations will be emphasized.
LS 205E Language, Culture & Society of Costa Rica contains two distinct but integrated modules. The Spanish language module offers listening, oral and written practice of the Spanish language at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of proficiency. Students will engage in oral and written grammar and vocabulary exercises; and develop Spanish language skills and tools required for their research projects. The socio-culture module helps students develop a more refined understanding of Costa Rican culture and the various communities with which we work. Students participate in lectures, field exercises and other activities including a homestay- all of which teach them strategies and skills for working with people in a community-based research context and help them to assist with community extension projects.LE 205E Introduction to Swahili Language and East African Tribal Communities, contains two distinct but integrated modules. The Swahili language module offers listening, oral and written practice of the Swahili language, at a basic level of proficiency, to increase students' communication and comprehension skills. Much of the Maasai population does not speak Swahili, but it is the national language in Kenya – this phenomenon will be explained in the second course module. The socio-cultural aspects of East African tribes module emphasizes understanding of, and direct contact and interaction with the native communities with which SFS works, primarily the Maasai. This exposure to culture and language will be reviewed and processed through lectures, field exercises and classroom discussion. The socio-cultural module is designed to help students experience intense immersion in the culture and be therefore more adept at working effectively in their community-based Directed Research efforts.
Summer Course Descriptions
  | | |