The University of Tennessee at Martins Reelfoot Lake Environmental
Field Station is happy to announce its 2015 Maymester/Summer field
courses. Anyone interested in enrolling in courses should contact
Dr. Tom Blanchard at [email protected]. Visit
www.utm.edu/departments/reelfoot/ for application form and more
information about the field station.
2015 Maymester and Summer Course Schedule:
Field Herpetology (ZOOL 327/527) 3 semester hours)
Meeting time: May 11-29 (Monday Thursday, full day)
Instructor: Dr. Tom Blanchard (University of Tennessee at Martin)
e-mail: [email protected]
phone: (731) 881-7594
The Reelfoot Lake area provides a great variety of aquatic and
terrestrial habitats that supports a diverse assemblage of amphibians
and reptiles. The lake itself is a relatively shallow, natural lake
with abundant emergent and submerged vegetation and extensive areas
of periodically flooded cypress forests. The loess bluffs that are to
the east and south of Reelfoot Lake offer upland habitat unlike that
which is found throughout most of northwest Tennessee. This course
offers a great opportunity to observe a number of amphibian and
reptile species in their natural habitats. The course will focus on
the basic ecology of amphibians and reptiles, common techniques used
to capture, handle, and mark various species, and the analysis of
ecological data. Each day will include a 1 2 hr. lecture, followed
by field trips to different habitats around the Reelfoot Lake
area. Night-time sampling will be a common activity during this
course. Prerequisites: introductory biology (BIO 130 and 140) or
instructors approval.
Field Ornithology (ZOOL 323/523 3 semester hours)
Meeting time: June 1-July 1 (Mon., Wed., alternate Frid., Full day)
Instructor: Dr. H. Dawn Wilkins (University of Tennessee at Martin)
e-mail: [email protected]
phone: (731) 881-7188
Field Ornithology is designed to teach students how to identify birds
and to give students a better understanding of what it means to be a
professional field ornithologist. We will investigate the numerous
habitats around Reelfoot Lake as students learn to identify a wide
range of species. In addition, students will use the scientific
method and common field techniques in ornithology as they participate
in research projects. Projects include observing differences in
diversity between habitat types, censusing owls, erecting and
monitoring nest boxes, observing interactions within heron rookeries,
and mapping Osprey/Eagle nests. This course will require extensive
field work in a variety of situations including hiking, wading,
canoeing, and boating. Prerequisites: introductory biology (BIO 130
and 140) or instructors approval.
Aquatic and Wetland Plants (ZOOL 306/506 3 semester hours)
Meeting time: June 2-July 2 (Tues., Thurs., alternate Frid., Full day)
Instructor: Dr. Ron Jones (Eastern Kentucky University)
e-mail: [email protected]
Aquatic and Wetland plants is a field-oriented course designed to
introduce students to the biology, ecology, and taxonomy of aquatic
and wetland plants, with an emphasis on sight recognition and
identification of species using diagnostic keys. The course includes
field trips to various aquatic and wetland habitats around the
Reelfoot Lake area where students will collect plant material that
will then be identified through the use of keys. Students will also
learn how to dry and preserve plant specimens for the herbarium. Some
brief coverage of aquatic and wetland plant adaptations and the
biological classification of hydrophytes will be developed in
lectures. As many private, state, and federal agencies are interested
in hiring people with plant identification skills, this course may be
of particular interest to students planning to pursue careers in
wetland consulting or rare species biology, as well as in other areas
of environmental biology or ecology. This course requires field work
involving physical activities such as hiking, wading and canoeing.
Prerequisites: introductory biology (BIO 130 and 140) or instructors
approval.
