Biology 447 – Advanced Topics in Biology Field Botany Summer 2018

Instructor Dr. Ross A. McCauley Office: 447 Berndt Hall Office phone: 970-247-7338 E-mail: [email protected] No!!!! This might look cute but you must Webpage: http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/mccauley_r/index.html always have the plant parts within the Office hours: T Th 10:00 am-12:10 pm and by appointment press.

Outside of office hours the best way to contact me is via email. I will respond to your email within 24 hours. I do not carry around a smart phone or remain in constant email contact so do not expect an immediate response.

Course information Meeting time and place: Field MW 8:00 am – 2:30 pm, Lecture/Lab T Th 8:00–10:00 am. Berndt 440. Field days may extend past the official time. I recommend you do not schedule work for immediately after class. The lab and herbarium will be open and available for independent work until at least noon on all class days. You will need to invest time after class to complete your required assignments.

Course Description Field Botany is a fun, and hands-on study of plant biodiversity with the specific goal of teaching students the skills necessary to identify vascular plants in the field. We will do this by focusing principally on plant taxonomy and secondarily on natural communities and the ecological determinants of plant distribution. Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of topics including basic nomenclature, descriptive botanical terminology, recognition of plant families, ability to use plant keys, plant species habitats and distribution, and plant collections and voucher preparation.

Prerequisites: BIO 245 (Issues in Ecology), BIO 260 (Genetics), and BIO 208 (Molecular Microbiology) or BIO 270 (Foundations of Molecular Biology) (Minimum grade of C-). Recommended: BIO 325 (Plant Form and Function) and/or Bio 302 (Systematic Botany)

Specific Objectives (in no particular order) 1. Be able to use the proper terminology for vegetative and reproductive features used in the identification of vascular plants. 2. Become proficient at using technical keys for the identification of flowering plants. 3. Learn to recognize approximately 35 different plant families of SW Colorado. 4. Learn to use proper scientific names. 5. Be able to prepare high quality voucher specimens for ecological and biodiversity research. 6. Gain an understanding of the relationships between evolutionary history and plant classifications. 7. Demonstrate basic knowledge and skill in using biodiversity data. 8. Learn basic procedures for vegetation sampling a census work. 9. Demonstrate proper use of herbarium-derived data. 10. Understand the importance of precise systematic data for use in management, conservation and research activities.

Biology Program Learning Outcomes 1. Biology graduates will be able to explain key principles, assumptions, and criticisms of evolutionary theory and natural selection. 2. Biology graduates will be able to explain the relationship between form, function, and organization across biological systems. 3. Biology graduates will be able to effectively use laboratory and field techniques relevant to their area of specialization. 4. Biology graduates will be able to manage, explore, and analyze biological data. Bio 447 Syllabus 2

5. Biology graduates will be able to read and interpret primary literature in the biological sciences in their area of specialization. 6. Biology graduates will be able to design, implement, and communicate an original research project in the biological sciences under the supervision of a faculty member.

Credit Hour Statement One credit hour is equivalent to one hour of guided instruction (50 minute class) and a minimum of two hours of out-of- class student work each week for a standard semester of approximately 15 weeks. The typical student in this 4 credit, 5 week summer course should expect to spend approximately 24 hours per week of concentrated attention on course-related work, including but not limited to time attending class, as well as out-of-class time spent reading, reviewing, organizing notes, preparing for upcoming quizzes/ exams, problem solving, developing and completing projects, and other activities that enhance learning.

Required texts:  Ackerfield, J. 2015. Flora of Colorado. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX. ISBN: 978-1- 889878-45-4.  Harris, J. G. and M. W. Harris. 2001. Plant Identification Terminology, 2nd edition, Spring Lake Publishing, Spring Lake, UT. ISBN: 978-0-96402-216-4

Required Supplies: (available at FLC bookstore – probably not shelved with textbooks – ask clerk for assistance) 10x handlens 1 Rite-in-the-Rain, Horizontal Line All-Weather Notebook, No. 391

Recommended supplemental Text: While not required, a text reviewing plant family characteristics can be very useful for learning plant families. Below are suggested books. I have copies of these if you want to look them over. Many of these are inexpensive on the used market.

Basic: Elpel, T. J. 2010. Botany in a Day. (there are multiple editions of this which gives basic family descriptions)

A little technical: Murrell , Z. E. 2010. Vascular Plant Taxonomy, 6th edition. (Older editions ok too. Older editions were authored by Walters and Kiel but the title is the same)

Very technical: Judd, W. S. et al. 2016. Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach. (Other older editions can work too) Simpson, M. G. 2010. Plant Systematics, 2nd Edition. Zomlefer, W. B. 1993. Guide to Flowering Plant Families (Nice but uses older classification system for some families.)

Course Websites: Canvas: I will use Canvas as a repository for any lecture material and plant lists. This will also provide links to pertinent botanical resources. SEINet (Southwest Environmental Information Network) (http://swbiodiversity.org): This is a tremendous resource for plant systematic data. I will be uploading interactive checklists following our various outings which will help with your review of required taxa. To access select the “Flora Projects” tab followed by the “Teaching Checklists” selection and look for those associated with FLC. The “Flash Card Quiz” under the “Games” option is a great way to study plant recognition.

Bio 447 Syllabus 3

Course Evaluation Quizzes (both family id and keying) (10 pts. each) 70 pts. (lowest quiz score will be dropped) Nomenclature and Herbarium Homework 10 pts. Graminoid Worksheet 20 pts. Group field survey project 50 pts. Plant Collection 100 pts Final exam 100 pts

Total: 380 pts

Your grade will be a sum of the earned points you have accrued throughout the term and follow a typical grade distribution. Due to the short time frame and practical nature of this course I will NOT accept any late work and there will be NO make-up quizzes or exams.

Course Organization Lecture/Lab: This class will have a minimal level of traditional lecture. Much of our time will be spent in “lab” working with plants collected in the field. Plant identification takes lots of practice to learn the morphological patterns corresponding to individual families, genera, and species. Thus most of our time will be used toward your learning how to identify these suites of characters.

Field trips: We will be in the field on Monday and Wednesday. Field trips are scheduled to run from 8 am to 2:30 pm. I will try to stick to this schedule but some days a late return may be possible due to the distance covered in the field, so plan accordingly. Your personal gear should include sturdy, closed-in shoes, long pants, sun protection, food and plenty of water for the entire day. If you are particularly sensitive to insects, insect repellent may be useful.

You should bring your field book, your Flora of Colorado, handlens, and your Plant Identification Terminology book with you on field trips. On most field trips you may bring a plant press as I will allow you to make collections – I’ll let you know if this is not the case. You will need to take notes in the field as I will spend time discussing plant identification traits, plant natural history, etc. Some of the material I discuss in the field will be required and not repeated in a lecture setting.

All trips will result in a list of observed and required families and/or species. Following the field trip I will provide a list of all required families and/or genera and species. These lists will also be uploaded to the SEINET site as a checklist.

I will expect all students to be prompt and we will leave at 8AM. I will not wait for late students and you will not be able to make up material missed by your absence.

Field safety rules and procedures:

Since a significant amount of our class time will be in the field, there are safety hazards we need to be aware of. In order to insure the safety of yourself and your classmates we should all anticipate these hazards and work to mitigate them. As your trip leader I have extensive experience in biological fieldwork and have wilderness first aid training and hold a Wilderness First Responder certification. I will do my best to keep the class from what I deem to be hazardous conditions; however, some things we cannot plan for. If you have any preexisting health concerns please make me aware of these ASAP and we can find a way to work with these. If at any time you feel unsafe in a field-setting let me know and we can amend the situation. If a student is found to be willfully endangering the safety of him/herself or others you will be required to leave the course immediately or at the earliest time possible. Following FLC policy there will be NO usage of alcohol or drugs at any time during the course. There will also be NO use of any tobacco or marijuana products both when on and off campus. FLC policy also prohibits the usage of any weapons during a school-sponsored outing.

Bio 447 Syllabus 4

While the following list is not exhaustive, I see these as the most likely/common hazards.

•Beware of uneven footing or loose rocks/gravel on trails or when heading off trail. Wearing sturdy footwear is important, and will help you avoid twisting ankles or slipping. Walk carefully and watch your footing to avoid tripping hazards. •On trails, watch out for other trail users (hikers, runners, mountain bikers, dogs) and try to get out of their way when possible. •Beware of knocking rocks down steep slopes that might roll into people below – don’t traverse a slope above another person; if a rock does roll free shout “rock!” •Beware of sharp branches, cacti, spined yucca leaves and other hazardous plants (eg. Poison ivy). If you are walking in a group through dense vegetation, be courteous and hold branches back for the person behind you, or warn them of the hazard. •As you are collecting plants with sharp tools be aware that these sharp tools have the potential to cause serious injury and use them carefully. •As it is summer and we will at many times be out in the open, realize it can be quite hot. Dress accordingly, with hat/sunglasses/sunscreen to avoid sunburn, and bring water to prevent dehydration. •We will at times be in high elevation alpine zones. This elevation can be difficult for some individuals. If you experience discomfort from being at altitude inform me immediately. •Our class overlaps with the beginning of the monsoon season here in SW Colorado. Afternoon showers should be expected on many of our outings and I would recommend bringing rain gear. At high elevation these showers can be accompanied by hail and lightning. Be aware of the weather conditions, particularly when in an exposed location. •At times we will be near streams and other water bodies. Watch your step on wet rocks and stream banks. We may also wade into wetland areas. If you are not comfortable with this, you will not be required to leave the shore. •Working in the field, it is possible we may encounter wildlife of many kinds. Be sure to treat all animals with respect: Do not try to approach them, or catch them. Most of the time wildlife will avoid us, but there are a few small but potentially dangerous (but rarely seen) animals in our area to be aware of, and watch out for: •Rattlesnakes on hot, dry/rocky sites •Black widow spiders in dark hiding places •Other biting insects (mosquitos…) or invertebrates •Note: If you have anaphylactic reactions to insect stings please let me know ahead of time and provide your own appropriate medicine (ie. EpiPen) and inform myself on how you wish it administered.

In the case of an emergency the affected individual(s) will be evaluated and evacuated to the nearest health care facility. I will have with me a listing of these facilities with their contact information.

Classroom/lab conduct: We will be meeting in the laboratory when not in the field and during this time standard laboratory safety precautions must be followed. A copy of the Biology department lab safety guidelines is available in the laboratory for your review if needed. Even though this is summer and our course is more laid back then that of a typical semester, we must still follow all the safety guidelines. Even though it is warm you must wear closed in shoes to the lab at all times. We must abide by this FLC policy. Also, FLC health and safety policies prohibit any food and beverage in laboratories. Therefore, DO NOT bring ANY food or drink (this includes water) to class.

Specific assignments/requirements. Quizzes: We will have an average of two quizzes each week. These quizzes will be held in the field and in the lab. In the field I will require you to sight id specimens to family and occasionally to genus and species for very commonly seen taxa. Lab quizzes will be keying quizzes where you will use your flora to determine an unknown specimen to species. While I hope that you will all determine the correct family or species, I will award partial credit for the correct family and/or genus determinations. To earn either full or partial credit on a keying quiz you must write out the number of each Bio 447 Syllabus 5 couplet you take starting with the Key to Families and ending with the specific epithet. Note that the use of common species or family names is not allowed – all correct names will be their Scientific or Latin names.

Final exam: We will have one exam at the end of the term which will be partially based on lecture material, sight identification of plant families/genera and/or species, and the keying of an unknown specimen.

Nomenclature and Herbarium Homework: This assignment will review select concepts in plant naming following the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) including Latin name formation, author citation and synonymy, and introduce you plant biodiversity information available through numerous projects in herbarium digitization and have you practice with specific applications of this data.

Graminoid worksheet: This will be a worksheet geared toward giving you practice in the keying of grasses, sedges, and rushes (Families Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae). It will be completed during class time.

Group field survey project: Students will divide into groups to complete a field exercise using a standard floristic sampling method. Each group will summarize their findings in a report to be given orally in class and submitted on paper.

Plant collection: Each student will be required to complete a plant collection consisting of 25 different plants sampled for inclusion in the college herbarium. This assignment will be due in two parts. Further specific information will be provided.

Other Course policies (the required stuff) Academic Integrity: The Biology Department upholds College policy on Academic Integrity. Therefore, students who commit acts of academic dishonesty (a.k.a. cheating, copying, plagiarizing):

1) on homework or other less major assignments, will receive a ZERO on the assignment in question, and will be reported to Academic Affairs.

2) on exams, major papers or reports will earn a ZERO and be automatically removed from the COURSE, and will be reported to Academic Affairs.

Any student who accumulates two reported incidents of dishonesty with the Academic Affairs office will have a formal hearing with the Academic Standards Committee and faces academic dismissal from the College.

Attendance: I expect all students to attend all class sessions. If this will be a problem I would suggest dropping the course.

Accommodations: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Services Office. If you qualify for services through the Disability office, bring your letter of accommodations to me as soon as possible so I can make the appropriate arrangements. Letters are available through Dian Jenkins, Coordinator of Disability Services, 280 Noble Hall, 247-7459. Bio 447 Syllabus 6

Tentative Schedule

Readings: Harrington: Harrington, H. D. 1977. How to identify grasses and grasslike plants. (Available on Canvas) Blair 1996. The Western San Juan Mountains: Their Geology, Ecology, and Human History. (Available on Canvas)

Wk Date Topics Reading/ Assignment 1 June 4-7 Introduction and Bookkeeping stuff Read: Blair Field – on campus intro to keying and plant id in the Chapt. 11 mountain shrubland community Watch: Botany: Mon. (Scavenger hunt; Introduction to keying and plant id; A Blooming Collection/pressing techniques) History – A confusion of names Why do plants have these god-awful names? Classification HW: and Nomenclature, Family Concepts, Botanical Nomenclature Nomenclature and New species description and Databases Tues. Herbaria; Biodiversity Databases Due. Monday Jun. 11

No Class – Dr. M. in Mexico City Wed.

No Class Thurs. 2 June 11-14 Field – La Plata Canyon – lower to middle montane zone (Oak scrub/Parks) Mon.

Review of observed families Harrington Graminoids I (Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, Poaceae) Chap. 1, 4, 6 &7 Tues. Graminoid worksheet Field – La Plata Canyon/ Tomahawk Basin – middle montane to lower alpine (Aspen/Mixed conifer/Stream side Wed. communities) Family Quiz

Review of observed families Graminoids II Thurs. Keying Quiz

3 June 18-21 Field – Haviland to Boyce Lake Vicinity – wetland species – additional montane zone Mon. Family Quiz

Review of observed families Tues. Vegetation sampling techniques

Field – Group Relevé Sampling – Junction Creek/Barnes Wed. Mt.

Bio 447 Syllabus 7

Review of observed families Plant Collection Thurs. Keying Quiz Pt. 1 Due 4 June 25-June 28 Field – Pass Creek Trail/Engineer Mountain – upper montane/ subalpine zone, spruce/fir forest Mon. Family Quiz

Review of observed families Tues. Keying Quiz Field – Alpine Location to be determined (potential localities – West Lime Creek Trail, Little Molas Lake, Wed. Andrews Lake) Family Quiz

Review of observed families Thurs. Rare plants and rare plant surveys

5 July 2-5 Field – Coal Bank pass to Jura Knob – Rare plant population survey of Physaria scrotiformis. Mon. Family Quiz

Final Plant Tues. Group presentations of Junction Creek/Barnes Mt. Collections Due Yes, we have class on July 4 – it is not a holiday for FLC. Knowing that many families plan things for this day I will not Wed. penalize you if you cannot attend. However... Field – Kennebec Pass via Junction Creek/Colorado Trail – multiple community types – great time for review. In-class Final (Lecture, family id, and keying) Thurs.