Ecology emphasis

Resources Conservation Degree Program

Advisors: Paul Alaback and Andrew Larson

Goals:

Prepare students for graduate level program in ecology, forest biology, plant ecology, forestry and allied disciplines as preparation for careers as natural resource scientists for government agencies, NGO’s, consultants, or academia. In all cases the goal is to train scientists with a broad technical background as well as to have working knowledge of the social/policy context of conservation, so that they can be effective in both acquiring and using scientific knowledge in the conservation field. As an example this degree program could be used to prepare students for graduate programs that would provide training for forest service botanists, ecologists, and silviculturists, and as ecologists for NGO’s. Key skills that need to be developed include use of scientific method (study design), retrieval and synthesis of primary scientific literature, field work including data collection and measurement of both biotic and abiotic factors, taxonomic skills, statistics, and GIS. Students should be familiar with key concepts in ecology including consideration of geology, soils, hydrology, biology, botany, and wildlife, but at the same time have a general understanding of economics, policy and society and how it influences the practice of conservation. As designed this curriculum provides the scientific foundation so that students can take upper division courses in biology, forestry, and allied disciplines. Many specializations are possible within this general framework.

Basic Resources Conservation Degree Requirements:

• 3 communications courses:
  • 1 oral (Comm 111 or Dram 111)
  • FOR 220 Tech Writing (or transfer equivalent)
  • Upper-division writing (also required for GER)
• 3 quantitative courses:
  • 1 math course out of (Math 111, 112, 121, 150, 117)
  • 1 statistics course out of ( Math 241, Soc 202, FOR 201)
  • 1 course of either GIS or math (Math of above- not already taken or FOR 250 GIS)
• FOR 200 Natural resources managment camp
• Chem 151
• 1 general biology course out of (BIOL 108, BIOL 110, 120, 121 or transfer equivalent)
• 1 soils class (FOR 210 Soils)
• 1 ecology course out of (For 330, BIOL 340, RSCN 462 or transfer equivalent)
• 1 policy course out of ( FOR 422, RSCN 370, WBIO 410 or transfer equivalent)

Students have to take at least 36 traditional letter-graded credits within the College – so any courses with FOR, RECM, RSCN, WBIO prefix will work.

Students have to take at least 39 upper-division credits – now that can be in with the above 36 to count for both. General educational requirements of UM (GER) need to be completed and 120 total credits need to be completed.

Students also need to complete forestry measurements camp during their sophomore year (FOR 200) either at end of spring semester or before the beginning of the fall semester, and need to complete at least 400 hours of professional experience.

 Below is an example of how this resources conservation degree might be implemented for an emphasis in ecology (classes in bold fulfill basic requirements, but other courses can substitute for them as explained above):

First Year
ENEX 101	Composition	3
COMM 111A OR DRAM 111A	Public speaking Acting for Non-majors	3 3
CHEM 151N	General chemistry	3
CHEM 152N	Organic chemistry	3
BIOL 108N OR BIOL 110N OR BIOL 120N OR BIOL 121N	Diversity of life Principals of biology Botany Intro to Ecology	3 3 3 3
GEOL 100N/101	General geology	3
MATH 121	Precalculus	4
MATH 150	Calculus	4
Electives		1
Summer
FOR 200	Natural resources meas. camp	2
Second Year ***
FOR 201 OR MATH 241 OR WBIO 240	Biometrics Statistics Intro to Biostats/honors	3 4 3
FOR 210	Soils	3
FOR 220	Technical writing	2
FOR 230	Forest fire management	2
FOR 240/241	Forest biology or Biol 316	3-5
ECON 111	Microeconomics	3
BIOL 223**	Genetics and evolution	4
Phys 121	General physics	5
Electives		5
Third and Fourth year ****
FOR 275	Wildlife habitat conservation	3
FOR 330 OR BIOL 340	Forest ecology Ecology	3 3
FOR 385	Watershed hydrology	3
FOR 422 OR WBIO 4120	Natural resource policy Wildlife Policy & Biopolitics	3
FOR 347	Multiple resource silviculture	3
FOR 480	Project design and analysis	3
FOR 250	GIS Practicum	2
BIOL350	Rocky Mtn. Flora	3
BIOL 316/345	Plant or animal structure & physiology	4-5
Electives		27
Electives - One Additional ecology class (3 credits from below:
For 455	Riparian ecology and management	3
For 462	Range ecology	3
For 465	Restoration ecology	3
Biol 413	Field ecology	3
Biol 340	General ecology	3
Biol 447	Terrestrial ecosystem ecology	3
Biol 366	Freshwater ecology	5
Biol 448	Terrestrial Plant ecology	4
Biol 430	Plant biogeography	3
Electives		24

**advanced juniors or seniors can also take Conservation Genetics (Biol 480)

***The second year is an ideal time to do the year-long wilderness and civilization program for students that are interested in conservation or interdisciplinary synthesis combined with extensive field trips which are central elements of this program. See information sheet on wilderness and civilization for more information. Most of those courses can meet core course or general education requirements if taken early in your program.

****Strong encouragement is given for students continuing on to graduate school to do an independent study research project in their junior and senior years and to take calculus (Math 150) and basic physics (Phys 121).

The ecology option of Resources Conservation degree as shown above provides all the requirements for the Ecologist Series (GS-408) in the Federal Government (e.g. USDA Forest Service, USGS, Park Service, and others).