This is a 2-unit undergraduate class with a 3-hour laboratory session on Friday afternoons (except on weekends when there are field trips). The laboratory focuses on dominant Utah ecosystems through the field trip experiences and lab exercises. Three mandatory field trips are part of the class. Each field trip will have associated laboratory exercises related to describing or quantifying vegetation and its ecophysiological characteristics. Note that one of the field trips is a 3-day trip to the University's Entrada Field Station. Students will have the choice to participate in either the September 19-22 or September 26-28 trip to the Entrada. Students will work in teams on field projects.







Course Outline

29-Aug Plant water relations, how to quantify water stress
05-Sept Field trip - Red Butte Canyon. Leave campus at 2pm and return by 6pm.
Plant water relations in upland and riparian habitats.
12-Sept Field trip - Red Butte Canyon. Leave campuse at 2pm and return by 6pm.
Measure stand structure and density.
19-Sept Field trip - The Entrada Ranch and Dolores River. Leave campus at 1pm and return Sunday around 6pm.
26-Sept Field trip - The Entrada Ranch and Dolores River. Leave campus at 1pm and return Sunday around 6pm.
03-Oct Analysis of leaf area and plant allocation.
10-Oct Analysis of tree ring growth data.
17-Oct FALL BREAK
24-Oct Stable isotope ratio analysis of plant samples I Report 1 Due!
31-Oct TBA
07-Nov Stable isotope ratio analysis of plant samples II Report 2 Due!
14-Nov Models for predicting plant water balance and stand evapotranspiration.
21-Nov Analysis of leaf area, groundwater, and water use data from the Entrada Ranch. Report 3 Due!
28-Nov THANKSGIVING BREAK
05-Dec Report 4 Due!

Printable Outline