Regional Biology

Professor Delbert Hutchison and I want to give Whitman Biology and Biology-ES students more opportunities to learn about and enjoy biology in the field. With this in mind, we’ve created a 1-credit weekend field course. It’s called Regional Biology. Here’s the official course description:

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BIOL 256: Regional Biology

Field biology of a region with emphasis on ecology and evolution in a natural history context. Students will prepare for the trip by researching and developing a presentation that they will give to the group at the field site on a relevant aspect of the site’s biology. Students will also keep field notebooks, which will be turned in at the end of the trip and will be graded. Trip will usually be taken over a long weekend (typically Thursday to Sunday). May be repeated for credit for different areas, but no more than two credits may apply towards required Biology major (or Biology-Environmental Studies or Biology minor) electives. This course does not satisfy the lab course elective requirement.

Fee: $50. Prerequisites: BIOL 111, BIOL 112 and declared Biology or Biology-Environmental Studies major or Biology minor.

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For photos from previous trips, click below

Wallowa County OR - September 2008

Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge - April 2008

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IMPORTANT DATES:

Thursday, September 3rd

7pm - MANDATORY PLANNING MEETING - Science Hall room 151

At this meeting, we will discuss more details of the trip, and each student will select a topic to research prior to the trip

Thursday, September 17th

Noon: Depart for trip

Afternoon: Set up camp on National Forest land east of White Pass

Friday, September 18th

Day: Exploring watersheds draining into Rimrock Lake. We expect our central focus of the day to be bull trout evolution, ecology, and management.

Evening: Cross White Pass and camp in National Forest near Packwood.

Saturday , September 19th

Day: Visit mesic west side forests and various elevations and stages of transition. A major theme today will be spotted owl ecology and conservation.

Sunday, September 20th

Morning: Break camp and return to Whitman by about lunch time

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The cost is 50$ per student. This covers transportation, food, and camping fees.

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Grades:

Your grade will be determined based on the following:

1. An in-the-field presentation on a pre-determined topic. With our help, you will select a topic relevant to our trip destination at our preliminary meeting the first week of the semester. You will research that topic during the two weeks leading up to the trip and then when we are in the field at a good location to discuss your topic, you will present your information to the class.

2. A field notebook. In your field notebook you will record information learned from others as well as your own natural history observations and interpretations. We will provide further guidence on field notebook content at the beginning of the trip.

3. Thoughtful and positive participation in the various aspects of the trip.