WIS6934/WIS4934
Upland Game Bird Ecology & Management
Spring 2008 – 3 credits
Instructor:
Dr. Bill Giuliano
366 Newins-Ziegler Hall
Phone: 846-0561
E-mail: giulianob@wec.ufl.edu
Prerequisite:
WIS 3401 or equivalent and permission of the Instructor.
Lecture:
Monday, Periods 11-E2 (6:15-9:10 p.m.), Newins-Ziegler Hall, Room 203 and via Polycom.
Course Description:
Status, ecology, management, and conservation issues of North American upland game birds; emphasis on application of theory to management.
Course Goal:
The goal of this course is to get students thinking like a professional wildlife ecologist and manager—this will be demonstrated through an understanding of basic principles of upland game bird ecology and management and the application of knowledge to solve conservation problems.
Textbooks:
None.
Supplemental Readings:
For each course topic, the Instructor will assign supplemental readings. Copies of readings will be available through the library or the class website. Readings must be read prior to the appropriate class.
Course materials:
The course syllabus and other course materials will be available on the class website. Materials will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to access and print. This software is available free of charge at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Access to this information is password-protected. You will be provided the password in class.
Grading:
A (900 pts or above), B+ (850-899 pts), B (800-849 pts), C+ (750-799 pts), C (700-749 pts), and E (699 pts or below)
Grading:
| Final Exam | 200 pts |
| Presentations | 400 pts |
| EDIS Paper | 200 pts |
| Discussion and Participation | 200 pts |
| Total | 1000 pts |
Final Exam:
The exam will consist of essay questions and be take-home. You are responsible for all material covered in supplemental readings, lecture, discussion, presentations, and by guest speakers.
Presentations:
For each class, a student will develop and present a ~1 hr program on the status, ecology, management, and conservation issues related to a species of upland game bird. A sample program will be provided by the Instructor. Copies of all program materials (e.g., PowerPoint, handouts, and supplemental readings) will be provided to the class via email, 1 day prior to the class when it will be presented. In addition, the student will bring a current event/story related to the topic, and lead a discussion of it in class. Depending on class enrollment, each student will lead 2-3 presentations/discussions.
EDIS Paper:
All students in the class will work individually to produce a paper on a relevant topic of their choice to be submitted as an EDIS document (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/). Students will select a topic on or before 25 February 2008. The paper is due on 14 April 2008. Grades will be based on content (50 %) and writing style & format (50 %).
Discussion and Participation:
Supplemental readings must be read in advance of the corresponding class. Each student is expected to participate in all discussions.
Class Attendance & Demeanor:
Attendance will not be taken during class. However, if you do not attend class, you cannot receive credit for participation (see Discussion and Participation above). Students who come to class late, have ringing cell phones, read the newspaper or other non-class-related materials, or who talk (to others in the class or on cell phones) during class disrupt the class and are not discussing and participating--Discussion and Participation grades will reflect this.
Academic Honesty:
Students are expected to become familiar with and follow current University Policy (see http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial/academic.htm).
Counseling:
Students having class-related problems should regularly meet with the Instructor during office hours or make special appointments. Additionally, there are resources on campus for students having various personal, career, and academic problems: http://www.counsel.ufl.edu/ & http://www.hsc.ufl.edu/shcc/.
Students with Disabilities:
Every possible accommodation will be made to allow students with disabilities to successfully complete the course (see http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drp/). Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.
Date |
Topic |
1/7 |
Course Introduction |
1/14 |
Scaled quail |
1/21 |
No Class – MLK Day |
1/28 |
Gambel’s quail |
2/4 |
Mountain quail |
2/11 |
Spruce grouse |
2/18 |
Sage grouse |
2/25 |
Prairie chickens |
3/3 |
Ptarmigan |
3/10 |
No Class – Spring Break |
3/17 |
Wild turkey |
3/24 |
Mourning doves |
3/31 |
Band-tailed pigeon |
4/7 |
Crow |
4/14 |
Plains chachalaca |
4/21 |
Chukar |
4/28 |
Final Exam Due by 5 p.m. to Instructor |
