A Unified, Field Based Ecology Curriculum for Undergraduates

生物科学(61)这个项目建立了一个模式，使传统上仅限于在研究实验室使用的生态学研究方法适应和实施综合的、以野外为基础的生态学课程。这一新课程包括本科生(从一年级到四年级)在人口、群落和生态系统生态学方面的最新研究。该项目的核心是一门新的基于现场的普通生态学定量实验室课程，这是一门必修课，学生们在这门课程中，作为一项自然实验，沿着跨越沙漠到苔原生态系统的3000米海拔梯度进行研究。此外，这个项目通过增加沿坡度的野外练习来增强其他生物入门课程，这些练习向学生介绍他们在普通生态学中更全面地重温的实验系统。该项目还在一些生态学高级课程的现有实验室中增加了涉及梯度的高级练习，这些课程包括昆虫学、植物生理学、哺乳动物学、微生物生态学、生态系统生态学、稳定同位素技术和田间生态学。因此，这个项目对生态学课程进行了实质性的修订，并提供了一个统一的主题，即学生在不同的课程和不同的年份访问相同的地点。学生学习如何从不同的角度处理相同的系统和梯度，并使用它们来应对我们这个时代的一些主要的生态、环境和保护挑战。通过这个项目，已经购买了设备，并开发了课程，以促进学生积极参与生态学的综合研究。

Biological Sciences (61) This project establishes a model for adapting and implementing ecological research methodologies traditionally restricted for use in the research laboratory to an integrated, field-based ecology curriculum. This new curriculum involves undergraduate students (freshman to seniors) in state-of-the-art research in population, community and ecosystem ecology. The core of this project is a new field-based quantitative laboratory course for General Ecology, a required course in which students conduct research along a 3000m elevational gradient spanning desert to tundra ecosystems as a natural experiment. Additionally, this project enhances other introductory biology courses by adding field exercises along the gradient which introduce students to the experimental system they revisit more comprehensively in General Ecology. The project also adds advanced exercises involving the gradient to existing laboratories of a number of upper division courses in ecology including Entomology, Plant Physiology, Mammology, Microbial Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, Stable Isotope Techniques, and Field Ecology. Thus, this project substantially revises and provides a unifying theme to the ecology curriculum in that students visit the same sites in different courses and in different years. Students learn how the same systems and gradients can be approached from different perspectives and used to address some of the major ecological, environmental and conservation challenges of our time. Through this project, equipment has been purchased and curriculum has been developed to promote active student involvement in integrated research in ecology.