Fall 2006, 3 credits

Tues 1:55-2:45 PM, Thurs. 1:55-3:50 PM

495 Hodson Hall

Instructor: Dan MacNulty (Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior)

Email: macn0007@umn.edu. I check my email frequently. This is the best way to get in touch with me if you have a simple question or want to schedule an appointment.

Telephone: 612-968-9550

Office: 330N Ecology Building, individual meetings by appointment.

Assistant Instructor: Dr. Peter A. Jordan (Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology, 104 Hodson Hall, phone: 612-624-9281, email: pajordan@umn.edu)

Teaching Assistant: Peter Cutter (Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology, 201A Green Hall, phone: 612-626-1213, email: cutt0016@umn.edu )

Text: Wildlife Ecology and Management (Bolen and Robinson, 2003, 5th edition).
Additional readings that supplement the text will be placed on reserve at the Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife library.

Website: fwcb.cfans.umn.edu/courses/fw5603/. The syllabus and schedule are posted on the website. Additional materials, such as lecture notes and guidelines for written assignments, will be posted throughout the semester, so please check the site frequently.

Audience
This course is designed primarily for upper-level undergraduate students in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. It is also appropriate as an elective for undergraduate and graduate students in other natural resource or ecology-related programs. There are no prerequisites. The course material is neither highly technical nor quantitative; however, a basic understanding of ecological principles and population biology is assumed, as well as a reasonable knowledge of the natural history of quadruped vertebrates of the United States.

Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will have an understanding of the ecological factors and processes that are important to consider in developing effective wildlife management strategies. You will also become familiar with the government agencies and laws involved in the regulation of wildlife resources. You will develop professionally-relevant writing skills by completing two major written assignments relating to wildlife habitat management and regulation.

Readings
Required readings for each class session are listed on the schedule; you are expected to read them before coming to class. Readings can be found on the reserve shelf in the Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife (EFW) library located in Hodson Hall, on electronic reserve on the University of Minnesota Libraries web site. To access the e-reserves go to http://eres.lib.umn.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=323 and enter the password that was provided in class. View and download an assigned reading by clicking on its title.

Exams
There will be two exams: a mid-term and a final. The mid-term will be a one-hour, in-class exam consisting of short answer and essay questions. The final will be a take-home exam in essay format.

Assignments
There will be two major written assignments. The first will be a review/critique of a current or proposed wildlife habitat management plan. The second will involve developing an original habitat-management plan for a site on or near the St. Paul campus, or within the Twin Cities metro area. Detailed descriptions for these assignments will be provided separately in this web site and in class.

Class participation
Participation will account for 10% of your grade for this course. You will earn participation credit from short written exercises and quizzes (10 points) and by participating in group activities and discussions (10 points) during class sessions.

Grades
To assure a uniform standard for measuring performance, grades will be determined using a criterion-referenced point system. For each assignment, you will earn points for meeting specific criteria. Point values for each of the assignments are as follows:

Final grades for the course will be assigned based on the total points earned: A 180-200, B 160-179, C 140-159, D 120-139, and F < 120.

Course evaluation
In order to get feedback about the course in a way that is relevant to you this semester, I will ask you to complete brief, confidential written evaluations of particular aspects of the course during weeks 4, 8, and 12.

Late and Make-up Assignments Policy
For assignments not turned in on time, ten percent of the points earned will be subtracted from the grade for each day that the assignment is late. In cases of extreme schedule conflicts, see me at least one week before the assignment deadline to negotiate an extension.

Make-up exams will only be offered to those with health or family conflicts after obtaining consent from the instructor in advance. If you are unsure whether or not your situation qualifies, come see me immediately. Make-up assignments will be offered for those who have missed in-class quizzes and written exercises. These assignments will involve significantly more work than the in-class excercises, so it is to your advantage to make regular class attendance a priority.

I (Incomplete)
In the event that a student is unable to complete the work for the course by semester's end, an incomplete will be recorded. The instructor and student will negotiate a written agreement specifying how the grade can be made up. .

Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty, including cheating on exams and plagiarism, shall be grounds for receiving a failing grade for the course. Please see www.cnr.umn.edu/ug/policies/integrity.php for a description of the College of Natural Resources' policies on the Honor System and academic integrity.

Course Schedule
Click the link to open a copy of the course schedule in MS Word.