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
