Winter Ecology - Spring 2009

WEEKLY  SCHEDULES  AND  READINGS
WEEK 1 | WEEK2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4: Project Presentation Guides, Sat 2/28, Sun 3/1 | WEEK 5 | RETURN TO SYLLABUS
(Schedules etc. subject to modification)


Week IV
Updated -
24 Feb 09: Project file submission requirements updated
2 March 09: Vegetation results added (minor update 3 Mar 09)

Saturday – 28 Feb 09
FORECAST
 
"SAT field day - prep"
Friday, 2/27/09 

Hi All:

Saturday our field site is near timberline  - As we have a distance to go, we'll have an early start from the Lodge.  On arrival, please be ready for the field with cold weather layers and lunch & snacks.

current forecast for 11,000' on Saturday is : Sunny, with a high near 26. Wind chill values as low as -11. West northwest wind between 9 and 13 mph. 

For what specific gear to bring, and link for latest forecast for our highest field location:
http://culter.colorado.edu/~kittel/WinterEcology_Week4Sched.html#field-veg

See you tomorrow,
Tim 

 Announcement: Comet Lulin (2009)

http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/Lulin_PR_Med.jpg

8:30a – Weather briefing · Review last weekend's 'Lessons'

8:35a – Field Day Set-up: Vegetation Winter Ecology – Front Range plant associations · Landscape patterns (effects of altitude, aspect, substrate, freeze/thaw, snow deposition) · Wintertime plant id · Plant ecophysiology (adaptations to winter by lifeform - e.g., deciduous vs. evergreen strategies). –
 
Readings:
  • LC Chapter 3
  • Interested in a re-phrasing? WEH provides a review of some of this material: Chap 3, p. 163-176
    • especially re Hardening: p. 165-167
Handouts:
  • Plant Lifeforms & Vegetation Distribution (pdf, 600k)
Other Resources:
  • Mountain Ecosystems: Studies in Treeline Ecology, by G. Broll & B. Keplin (eds. 2005, Springer, NY) [sci library: QH541.5 .M65 M722 2005]
8:45a-3:30p – Field: Vegetation structure of the upper montane/subalpine forests to timberline (weather permitting). Guest field instructor: Gwen Kittel, NatureServe, Western Resource Office, Boulder, CO
FIELD -
Bring: 
  • Field Journal
  • compass
  • topo map
  • pack lunch, lots of water/fluids
  • If you have: Hand lens, snow shovel, avi probe
photo from Hope Humphries and Patrick Bourgeron
Field Locations:
Related links:
Other Resources:
More on Vegetation Zones:
  • From Grassland to Glacier:  The Natural History of Colorado and the Surrounding Region, by C.F. Mutel & J.C. Emerick (1992, Johnson Books, Boulder CO)
  • Rocky Mountain National Park Natural History Handbook,  By John C. Emerick (1995, Roberts Rinehart Publ. and Rocky Mountain Nature Assoc.)
  • A Sierra Club Naturalist’s Guide to The Southern Rockies,  By Audrey Benedict (1991, Sierra Club Books)
More for Plant Id:
  • Rocky Mountain Flora, by Wm. Weber (1976, Colorado Associated Univ Press) -- the Marr Lab library has many copies.
  • Winter Guide to Central Rocky Mountain Shrubs, by Wm. McKean (ed.) (1976, 2nd ed., Colorado Div of Wildlife, Dept of Natural Resources).
3:30a-5:30p – Lab: Vegetation structure of the upper montane/subalpine forests to timberline - 5:30p– Group Dinner Prep

6:00p – Group Dinner

7:30p–Evening program with Guest lecture:

Understanding High Elevation Ecosystems in an Era of Global Environmental Change– Dr. Tim Seastedt, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & INSTAAR, CU

  • Related links: The Landscape Continuum: Niwot Ridge LTER research summary
  • Resources: Tim Seastedt's Presentation (3/1/08) (ppt file, 19M)

    • Sunday – 1 March 09
    FORECAST

    8:30a -12:00n – Individual projects – Final prep & practice time, Marr Lab (Instructor available)
     
    Guidelines for Project Presentations –
    • Your complete .ppt files are due at the time of presentations
      • Use the Notes pane for each slide to include the details of what you're presenting, and any extra material
      • Be sure to include a references slide at the end.  But end your presentation on your Conclusions/Take-home messages slide - so folks can re-read this as forming questions.
      • Please include your name in your .ppt filename
    • Be sure to include on title slide:
      • Your name
      • Name of course, with semester/year
      • Course location: "Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado, Boulder"
    • Submit your key references as pdf's
    Research & Writing Resources  –
    • Take advantage of EBio's Writing Lab for help in research and writing:   Ramaley C197. More Info including office hours (pdf, 50k).Contact: eebpaperhelp@gmail.com
    • The Writing Center. Looking for writing advice?  Meet one-on-one with a consultant for sound advice at any stage of the writing process. Learn strategies to formulate and organize strong thesis statements, use and cite evidence appropriately, master style and grammar and overcome writing anxiety. Services are free to all CU students. Located in the Norlin Library.  Email wrtghelp@colorado.edu. Additional information: http://www.colorado.edu/pwr/writingcenter.html

    12:00 – Lunch, at the Lodge

    1:00-4:00p – Individual projects – Oral presentations(10 mins each + 5 mins for questions), Marr Lab Seminar Room

    3:30-4:30 – Lab: Overwintering Pine Bark Beetles
     

    RETURN TO SYLLABUS, WEEK 4

    Course CD and website including all internal links © 2009 T. Kittel.  All rights reserved.  All copyrighted material on this CD and website is made available for limited educational use only (commerical use strictly prohibited).
    rev.  6 Mar 09