Wildlife Biology & Conservation 2009-2010 Course Syllabus Bosque School – Science Department & The Black Institute Teacher: Dan Shaw Assisting Teacher: Kimi Scheerer COURSE OVERVIEW Wildlife Biology and Conservation (WBC) is a field-based, college preparatory course devoted to student participation in actual wildlife research and conservation projects. Through those activities and supported by supplemental readings students gain a broad understanding of the fields of wildlife and conservation biology as well as an understanding of each studied species’ natural history, its landscape and ecological context, as well as its relationship with humans. Students select one of the WBC research projects to take primary responsibility for managing and analyzing its data and preparing its annual technical report. Furthermore, during each semester, students participate in a substantial outreach activity related to a WBC research or conservation project with groups beyond the Bosque School community. Each quarter WBC students provide leadership and environmental education programs to younger students on several wildlife and conservation projects. Key areas of study in WBC projects include: the ethical and moral implications of live animal research; safety; wildlife management techniques and procedures; field research design and execution; data management; and the preparation of technical reports. WBC is an elective science class open to juniors and seniors and can be used to meet the fourth credit of science that a student must complete to graduate from Bosque’s Upper School. Furthermore, students enrolled in WBC can also enroll concurrently with NM State University’s online wildlife biology class “WLSC 110 Introduction to Natural Resource Management.” The specific literature and course material used varies depending upon the animals selected for study. In all cases, key areas of study include: the ethical and moral implications of live animal research; safety; wildlife management techniques and procedures; field research design and execution; data management; and the preparation of technical reports. WBC is an elective science class open to juniors and seniors (sophomores with permission) and can be used to meet the fourth credit of science that a student must complete to graduate from Bosque’s Upper School. Furthermore, students enrolled in WBC can also enroll concurrently with NM State University’s online wildlife biology class “WLSC 110 Introduction to Natural Resource Management.” COURSE REQUIREMENTS As pre-approved by the teacher, a student may use one activity to meet more than one course requirement. 1. Participation. Class work involves full participation in discussion and instruction based on literature review, labs, field activities and presentations by guest lecturers. From time to time regularly scheduled class sessions are used for completing self-directed assignments or to trade out time for other activities that take place beyond the normal school day. 2. Weekly Readings. Students write and submit concise summaries of assigned weekly readings. 3. Field Journal. Students maintain an accurate field journal contemporary with their work. 4. Field Work. Each quarter students participate in a wildlife research project approved in advance by the instructor that takes place outside of class time. In each quarter they devote at least 6 hours of field time to the project. 5. Quizzes. Each quarter there are several field and/or classroom quizzes where students demonstrate proficiency with various technologies, research methodologies, local flora and fauna, and related topics. 6. Outreach. In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters students must attend or participate in one wildlife and/or conservation activity, meeting, or event beyond the Bosque School community. Upon completion of that assignment students present either a 2 minute oral summary to the class or a written 1 page summary. 7. Environmental Education. In the first quarter students develop a wildlife education lesson suitable for younger students and present it to our class in a practice session. In the second and third quarters, students present their lesson or another approved lesson to younger students. In the fourth quarter students participate as environmental education instructors in one of the large scale wildlife outreach event such as “Welcome Back Otters – Earth Day Celebration.” 8. Wildlife Skill. By the end of the second and then again by the end of the fourth quarter, through either an independent project or other course requirement, each student demonstrates an intermediate level of mastery of a supporting wildlife biology skill such as radio telemetry use, GPS mapping, wildlife tracking, applied statistical analysis, habitat restoration, or field sketching. 9. Wildlife Species. Either within regular class sessions or through pre-approved activities, each student participates in at least two different wildlife research projects a semester involving two different taxonomic classes of animals. Each quarter will involve at least one of those projects. At a minimum, each student’s participation in each of the projects must include a thorough documentation of the work completed in field note form, three contact hours of actual field or lab research per project, per quarter, and a clear compilation and presentation of all data collected. 10. Student Poster. By no later than the third quarter, each student working alone or with a partner shall, create and present a scientific poster for presentation (can be completed in earlier quarter). 11. Each student, in consultation with the teacher, and building upon one of the research topics in course requirement # 4, #7, or #9 completes a scientific paper and/or technical report on their topic by the end of the second semester. CLASSROOM AND FIELD RESPONSIBILITIES To be successful in WBC, students must be able to carefully and safely follow directions while working in a variety of difficult field settings. Furthermore, they must be self-directed and able to work without constant supervision. WBC students also must be able to work in a responsible manner with wildlife professionals such as field biologists, veterinarians, and similar people. Because of the unpredictable nature of wildlife research there is an inherent risk and unpredictability to both human researchers and wildlife subjects. As such, strict safety, ethical, humane, and other research guidelines must be absolutely followed. There is no free-lancing within this class. Students must have a stated protocol and prior approval from the teacher before participating in any activity involving wildlife. Failure to abide by these rules can result in immediate dismissal from the course with both academic and disciplinary consequences. Students are expected to be punctual to both class and out of class meetings. This is especially true when working with scientists and others from outside the Bosque School community. COURSE CONTENT Through the context of actual field-based wildlife research projects and supporting activities that take place within the lab and classroom, students gain a basic understanding of wildlife studies. They will understand both the practical, hands-on skills necessary to conduct wildlife research and the scientific and philosophical underpinnings of those procedures. Students will also demonstrate their understanding of those topics through both informal and formal presentations of their findings and conclusions. Students will be responsible for knowing common and keystone vertebrate and plant species within studied habitats. To those ends students will study the following topics as they relate to wildlife studies: 1. Ethics and researcher responsibilities. 2. How to read scientific literature 3. Observation and data recording 4. Survey of relevant wildlife research topics and methodologies including: a. Planning a wildlife research project b. Population surveys and estimations c. Habitat analysis d. Wildlife capture and marking e. Radio telemetry and home range determination f. Global Positioning System (GPS) use and mapping g. Statistical analysis of data h. Age and sex determination and post mortem analysis 5. Preparing and presenting scientific findings 6. How to lead student groups on wildlife and habitat research or enhancement projects 7. For the particular species selected for research there will be an in depth study of their: a. Natural history b. Landscape and ecological context c. Relationships with humans GRADING For each of the four marking periods, each student maintains and submits a “WBC Progress Report” documenting their work on each of the class requirements for that quarter. Standard letter grades are then earned based on the student’s completion of those requirements (90 to 100% equals an A and so forth). ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AT BOSQUE SCHOOL Bosque School is a learning community dedicated to fostering intellectual growth and development and a sense of responsibility in each student. For students, academic integrity means that they are absolutely honest in their intellectual efforts. Violations of academic integrity, in any form, are, therefore, contrary to the values of Bosque School and detrimental to the students’ own development as young scholars and responsible members of this community. Upper School consequence: If a student is not honest in his or her academic efforts, the student will serve a one-day in-school detention and fail the assignment or exam. Depending on the circumstances of the incident, other consequences may be imposed. Any subsequent example of academic dishonesty will result in a more severe penalty and may result in dismissal. One specific requirement of the honor code, which is set forth in some detail here because of its significance, is academic integrity, which requires each student to use only his or her work unless proper citations are made or the teacher is fully aware of a collaborative effort. The following are examples, not an exhaustive list, of violations of this requirement: 1. Plagiarism, which is the unacknowledged use of another's words or ideas, whether spoken, written, or computer generated. • If another's words are used, they must be enclosed in quotation marks and the source of those words must be given. • It is not enough to change the words of a source; credit must be given for the ideas obtained from any source. • Sources that must be credited are not simply published works but any other person or any other person's works. 2. Using unauthorized notes or other aids in a test, or copying from or being influenced by another student's work during a test. 3. Giving unauthorized aid to another student, such as allowing another student to copy or use one's test, paper, or homework. 4. Use of help on homework or a take-home test that is beyond the limits specified by the teacher. 5. Submitting the same work for credit to more than one teacher unless both teachers give their permission. (Taken from the Bosque School Student Handbook) ACADEMIC INTEGRITY SPECIFIC TO WILDLIFE BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION Group and cooperative work are the norm within WBC. However, all of the above described conditions still apply. Often times, there will be a field recorder of primary data and other students will base their own individual reports on that field recorder’s work. In such cases students must acknowledge the source of their written work and put in quotations or otherwise make clear when work is not original with them. When work is created cooperatively all contributors must be acknowledged in writing in the work. The fabrication of data or work is a horrendous academic betrayal. Science must be based on trustworthy and objective recording of experience and phenomenon. It is far better to have attempted to gather data or conduct an experiment and failed than to represent a falsehood that such an accomplishment was achieved when in fact it was not. What matters in the end is not an answer but the rigorous and detailed recording of what took place and what failed to take place. Students who do an honest attempt to complete a scientific investigation or activity will always receive credit for an assignment regardless of the activity’s outcome. COURSE TEXTS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS Core reading assignments include significant sections of the following texts: Bolen, E.G. and W.L. Robinsion. 2003. Wildlife ecology and management, 5th ed. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Bookhout, T.A., Editor. 1996. Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats, 5th ed., rev. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, MD. Morrison, M.L. et al. 2001. Wildlife study design. Springer-Velag, New York, NY. Supporting Introductory Readings for the First Term Include: Bailey, V. 1931. Mammals of the southwestern United States (With special reference to New Mexico). Reissue 1971 by Dover Publications, New York. DeStefano, S. and R.M. DeGraaf. Exploring the ecology of suburban wildlife. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2003, 1(2), 95-101. Findley, J.S. 1987. The Natural history of New Mexico mammals. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. (Selections). Ilse, L.M. and E.C. Hellgren. Demographic and behavioral characteristics of North American porcupines (Erathizon dorsatum) in Pinyon-Juniper woodlands of Texas. The American Midland Naturalist. 2001, 146: 329-338. Johnson, C.E. and C.C. Barton. Where in the world are my field plots? Using GPS effectively in environmental field studies. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2004; 2(9): 475-482. Leopold, A. 1949. A Sand county almanac. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. (selections) Nabhan, G.P. and S. Trimble. 1994. The geography of childhood. Beacon Press, Boston. (selections) Ratti, J.T. and E.O. Garton. 1996. Research and experimental design. Pages 1-23 in T.A. Bookhout, ed. Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats. Fifth ed., rev. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, MD. Roze, U. 1989. The North American porcupine. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. (selections). Waddle, J.H., K.G. Rice, H.F. Percival. Using personal digital assistants to collect wildlife field data. Wildlife Society Bulletin 2003, 31(1):306-308. Warner, W.W. 1999. Into the porcupine cave. Pages 16-34. Whitaker, J.O. 1996. National Audubon Society field guide to North American Mammals. Second ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. (selections). Zack, C.S., B.T. Milne, W.C. Dunn. Southern oscillation index as an indicator of encounters between humans and black bears in New Mexico. Wildlife Society Bulletin 2003, 31(2):517-520. Additional Supporting Literature Additional supporting literature and course material used varies depending upon the animals selected for study. A literature review is an integral part to each student’s research and is completed in consultation with the teacher. 25 August 2009