Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    ENVC

 Course #:    407

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5.5

 CIP:    030101

 EPC:    16B

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

Forest ecology includes the development of forestry, biogeochemistry, nutrient cycling, transfer and storage of energy, and the physical environment. Forest management as a renewable resource, including fire ecology, forest succession, and functioning of forest ecosystems.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: Admission to BASEC or Department Chair permission.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 44

Lab: 22

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Vocational Preparatory N/A  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Understand how forestry practices and forest ecology must be matched.
2. Quantify and evaluate nutrient cycling and energy transfer in forest ecosystems.
3. Understand the importance of management of forest genetics as a forest management component.
4. Understand how solar radiation, temperature and wind must be part of sustainable forest management.
5. Measure and evaluate forest soil components; including water.
6. Understand the importance of fire ecology in forest ecology and its sustainable management.
7. Quantify fuel loads and susceptibility to fire risks.
8. Quantify and understand community ecology of forests and its importance for sustainable management of forests.
9. Quantify and understand forest succession.
10. Assess and valuate ecosystem services provided by forested ecosystems at local and regional scales.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

1. Development of forestry and forest ecology.
2. Ecology and the ecosystem concept of forests.
3. Biogeochemistry: Nutrient cycling, and transfer and storage of energy.
4. Genetic aspects of ecosystems.
5. The physical area: Solar radiation, temperature and wind.
6. Forest soils and water.
7. Fire ecology.
8. Community ecology.
9. Forest succession.
10. Sustainable management of forest ecosystems.
11. Valuation of ecosystem services provided by Forested ecosystems.