Syllabus
Field Zoology (ZO 459/859)
Summer 2008

instructor: Dwight Moore, Ph.D.
office - Science Hall 144
phone - 620-341-5611
email - dmoore@emporia.edu    
http://www.emporia.edu/biosci/moorbiol.htm
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office hours:By appointment. The nature of the class is such that there will be adequate time to discuss things with me during the class or right after class.
section: ZO 459/859, MTWT 8:00 - 12:00, 21 July - 7 August 2008, Science Hall 46 or Ross Natural History Reservation
There will be a few times when we have to meet outside of class and these will be worked out in advance.
I. course description:

This course is designed for biology graduate or undergraduate students and is designed to introduce some of the techniques for studying animals in their natural habitat. The course will provide practical applications as well as the theory supporting these techniques. The course will also introduce techniques for sampling animal populations and techniques for collecting and preserving animals.

II. course organization:

Theoretical basis for the material will be presented primarily in the form of lectures and reading assignments. Lecture will cover the points to be learned and will direct your study from various reading assignments. More than half of the class will be spent in the field applying the various techniques that are presented in lecture. Because the various organisms that we will work with do not arrange their schedule to fit an 8 - 12 class slot, we will, at various times, be meeting outside of this time period. Also because the work will be outside, you should be prepared to deal with the elements. I would strongly recommend that you be prepared for poison ivy, mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers and being wet. Class will often meet at Ross Natural History Reservation (ESU's field station).

III. grading:

Your grade will be determined based upon your field notes, participation, collection, and two tests.

Field Notes -- You are required to write down your observations for each day that you are in the field, either during class or when making your collection. All data collected during class must be recorded in your field notes and turned in on Friday, 8 August 2008. The procedure for taking field notes will be presented on the first day of class. Your field notes will be worth 40 percent of your grade.

Participation -- 10% of your grade will be based on participation and discussion. If you volunteer for activities in the field and in general are "on the mission" of the class, you will get all of these points. Missing class, being distracted, or avoiding work will all count against you.

Tests -- There will be two tests that will cover procedures, preparation of specimens, field observation, and theories of the various activities that we undertake. The last test (final exam) will be comprehensive. The two tests will be worth 50 percent of your grade.

Your grade will be determined based upon the total points earned. There is no provision for doing extra or outside work to improve your grade. Those enrolled in ZO 459 for undergraduate credit will have grades assigned based upon the following percentages of points earned.
A = 92.0 to 100
A- = 89.0 to 91.9
B+ = 86.0 to 88.9
B = 83.0 to 85.9
B- = 79.0 to 82.9
C+ = 76.0 to 78.9
C = 70.0 to 75.9
D = 60.0 to 69.9
F < 60.0

Those enrolled in ZO 859 for graduate credit will have grades assigned based upon the following percentages of points earned.
A = 94.0 to 100
A- = 91.0 to 93.9
B+ = 88.0 to 90.9
B = 85.0 to 87.9
B- = 81.0 to 84.9
C+ = 78.0 to 80.9
C = 72.0 to 76.9
D = 62.0 to 71.9
F < 62.0
Tentative Class Schedule
This schedule is subject to change depending upon the weather.

Week One
21 Jul meet in Science Hall 46; Introduction, how to take field notes, introduction to diversity indices and community similarity, walk through campus woods.
22 Julmeet in Science Hall 46; community similarity and population diversity of ground foraging spiders, set pitfalls discussion on how global positioning systems work.

23 Julmeet at RNHR; bird census techniques inluding rope dragging for birds

24 Julmeet in Science Hall 46; community similarity and population diversity of ground foraging spiders, check pitfalls and record species and abundance, sweep netting for spiders.

Week Two
28 Julmeet at RNHR; mark-recapture models, mark-recapture project on grasshopper

29 Julmeet at RNHR; TEST #1
sample grasshoppers and estimate population size and density.
around 19:00 pm set Tomahawk traps for woodrats.

30 Julmeet at RNHR; check woodrat traps and coat with flourescent powder and release
back at RNHR for nighttime tracking of woodrats at 21:00

31 Julmeet at RNHR; lecture on spatial distribution and measure spatial distribution of woodrat houses.

Week Three
4 Augmeet at RNHR; collect mud dauber nest and count prey items compare to prey sampling in the area

5 Augmeet at SH 46; seining in Neosho River and King Lake

6 Augmeet at SH 46; nighttime monitoring of bats around 21:00

7 Augmeet at SH 46; turn in field notes, finish organizing specimens, TEST #2



THINGS NEEDED FOR CLASS

notebook and field note paper (I will give you this)
cheap paper for taking various notes in the field
India ink pen for writing field notes and specimen tags
pair of sharp scissors
pair of forceps
a hand magnifying lens would be useful

shoes for wading in ponds and creeks
should wear long pants (blue jeans), no telling what kind of habitat we might walk through
insect repellant, especially chiggers
leather gloves for handling things that bite, digging in the ground, or flipping rocks
container of drinking water
flashlight (headlight would be better) for work at night
Last updated on 20 July 2008.
Provide comments to Dwight Moore at dmoore@emporia.edu.
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