Previous ECOL 592 Interdisciplinary Seminars
These unique seminars provide cutting edge ecology topics which are changed and updated each semester.
Fall 2023
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 65074
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 08/28/2023
Monday 1:15-2:30PM
Multivariate Analyses in Community Ecology
Instructors: Alex Siggers, Dr. Melinda Smith, Dr. Stephanie Kivlin
Course description:
Analyzing ecological community data is tough. The good news is that many statistical approaches can be applied across scales- from bacteria to elephants! This course will examine common multivariate statistical approaches through a community ecology lens. We will incorporate Legendre’s Numerical Ecology with case studies in R software. A few topics include: variance partitioning, spatial and temporal autocorrelation, principle component analysis, and phylogenetic covariance analyses. The course will be co-taught by instructors at CSU and University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 65075
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: 08/29/2023
Tuesday 12:00-12:50PM
Urban Ecology
Instructors: Mikko Jimenez, Kyle Ruszkowski, Dr. John Mola
Course description:
In this course, students will learn the history of urban ecology and how it has become the discipline it is today, build an understanding of urban ecosystems, consider human perceptions and interactions with urban ecosystems, identify management challenges within these systems, visit local green spaces that are managed by the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department, and discuss current literature on research conducted in an urban ecology setting.
Students will be evaluated on their participation in discussion and engagement with the material. There will be no assignments. However, the instructors will evaluate student performance based on participation in discussions and engagement with guest lecturers.
ECOL 592-003
CRN: 65079
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 08/23/2023
Wednesday 1:00-1:55PM
Ecological Statistics in Practice
Instructors: Ehsan Khedive & Seth Davis
Course description:
In this course, students will learn the who, what, when, and why of various basic statistical tools and packages in the R programming environment, with emphasis on techniques commonly used in ecological studies. The course will focus on the application of several key hypothesis testing and modeling approaches, including t-tests, ANOVA, repeated-measures analysis, multiple comparison of means tests, survival analysis, linear and non-linear modeling, chi-square tests, KS-tests, and basic clustering and ordination. We will also cover diagnostic tools such as power analysis and spatial and temporal autocorrelation. Multivariate models such as PCA, Discriminant analysis, Correspondence analysis, and Factor analysis will also be a part of the class if needed. Students will work on applying statistical packages using their own data or real example datasets, building code, and visualization of results.The students will learn how to select and optimize the statistical methods so that they can extract the maximum information from their data. Ecological datasets can usually be analyzed using several types of statistical methods. Learning to select a method that best answers research hypotheses is key to research. Students are encouraged to bring their own datasets or discuss their desired variables so that we can discuss the different statistical methods which suit their data. We expect that students who have datasets ready will be able to analyze them properly during the course and get their questions answered.Students will be evaluated based on their participation in discussions and engagement with the course material.
ECOL 592-006
CRN: 67756
Credits: 1
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 12
Start Date: 08/22/2023
Tuesday 3-4PM
Migrant Ecology and Conservation
Instructors: Kristen Ruegg & Kyle Horton
Course description:
In this course we will review classic and modern papers in the field of migration ecology and conservation. Students will become familiar in the tools and methods available for studying migratory birds, the ways in which birds have been used as models systems in ecology and evolution, and the current challenges that birds are facing.
Students will be assessed based on participation in discussions. They will also be assigned one or two weeks to lead the discussion and will be assessed based on their presentation and leadership.
ECOL 592-004
CRN: 65232
Credits: 2
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 14
Start Date: 08/21/2023
Monday 6-8PM
Biodiversity in War Zones – Conflict, Conservation, Reconciliation
Instructor: Joel Berger
Course description:
| This seminar will address three key questions: 1) Why do militarized border zones harbor extraordinary species diversity? 2) What lessons emanate from understanding risk in non-human communities? 3) How do scientists capitalize on acquired knowledge from refuge precincts to accomplish real conservation? We will assess how & why ecological communities flourish and fail when safety and danger persist. Animal models reveal we are not unique. The focus is to be international and national, and on to whom this matters. Grading will be based on two primary factors: a) a student-led discussion based on assigned readings with other class attendees, and b) participation in class by all students reflected by understanding and questions about the assigned readings. |
Spring 2023
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 18824
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 16
Start Date: 01/19/2023
4:00pm on Thursdays
Vertebrate Climate Change Responses
Instructor: Dr. Cory Williams
Course description:
|
Fitness consequences of climate change responses are often due to biotic interactions within and across trophic levels, rather than being simple outcomes of responses to changes in the abiotic environment. This course examines how climate change is altering the abiotic and biotic environment, and the consequences of these changes for vertebrate populations. As part of this course, students will learn to characterize climate change responses from different disciplinary perspectives and to consider how integration across disciplines leads to new understanding of the components that make up climate change resilience. We will discuss the primary literature, including seminal papers and recent reviews on climate change responses; topics covered will include phenology, temperature-dependent sex determination, microclimate refuges, sky islands, geographical patterns, ecosystem-specific responses, and resilience. Grading: Pass/Fail Students will be evaluated based on pre- and post-discussion quizzes, as well as on participation in discussions and leading paper discussions. Discussion leaders will put together the pre- and post-discussion quizzes. Instructor will grade the quizzes. |
Assessing the Genetic Status of US Endangered Species Act-listed Species
Instructors: Drs. Chris Funk, Brenna Forester, Sean Hoban
Course Description:
The goal of this course is to work as a team to summarize the capacity to extract genetic indicator information from Species Status Assessments (SSAs) and Recovery Plans (RPs) for US Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species, as well as summarize their genetic status. The course will start with an introduction to genetic indicators, their importance, and methods for standardized data collection as part of a meta-analysis. Each student will then be responsible for extracting genetic indicator data from a subset of SSAs and RPs. Finally, the team will analyze the results and write a paper for publication in a scientific journal in the field. Students are required to have at least some introductory background in population genetics.
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 10126
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 01/17/2023
2:00pm on Tuesdays
ECOL 592-003
CRN: 15033
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: 01/17/2023
1:00pm on Tuesdays
Continuation of Fall 2022 ECOL 610 project
Instructor: Dr. Joe von Fischer
Course description:
Students enrolled in Fall 2022 ECOL 610 Ecosystem Ecology are invited to continue participation in the class project by signing up for this ECOL 592 section. We will continue analysis of NEON data. Day and time of class will be determined during the first week of classes; email Joe if you can’t make the first class session to let us know your available times. Remote/Zoom participation is not out of the question.
Transdisciplinary Approaches in Sustainability: principles & practice
Instructor: Dr. Joe von Fischer
Course description:
“Wicked problems” in sustainability have potential for resolution if stakeholders from diverse academic and applied disciplines can work together toward a transdisciplinary understanding of the problem. Development of this transcendent understanding is a limiting step for the stakeholders that takes time and deliberate conversation. However, the potential for payoff is significant. In this graduate seminar, pairs of students from differing disciplinary backgrounds will lead discussions of selected papers from the transdisciplinary literature. Grading is based on participation.
ECOL 592-004
CRN: 10127
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 30
Start Date: 01/19/2023
12:00pm on Thursdays
ECOL 592-005
This will also be listed as FWCB 696
CRN: 10128
Credits: 2*
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 10
Start Date: 01/17/2023
3:00 – 4:30 pm on Tuesdays
*Note: this class can count either towards the ECOL 592 requirement or the ECOL693 communications requirement.
Ecological Science Writing
Instructors: Drs. Dan Preston and Kevin Bestgen
Course description:
Students will gain knowledge and skills focused on 1) organizing a scientific paper, 2) the process of publishing a scientific paper, 3) enhancing writing behavior, and 4) style for scientific writing. The instructional format will include lectures, discussions, written assignments, peer-review, and readings from The Scientist’s Guide to Writing by S. B. Heard. Students are strongly encouraged to have their own writing project (e.g., manuscript) to work on as they develop and hone their writing skills.
Sustainable Food Systems
Instructor: Dr. Meagan Schipanski
Course description:
Food systems include the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food, and associated waste management. In addition to the material flows, food systems are embedded within sociopolitical contexts, mediated by complex and uneven power relations, and changing in response to global and local challenges. Students will engage in literature-based discussions that address the interdisciplinary complexities of food system challenges to identify promising strategies for improving the sustainability and resilience of food systems. Primary disciplinary foci will include ecology, agronomy, and social sciences.
ECOL 592-006
CRN: 10129
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 25
Start Date: 01/19/2023
1:00pm on Wednesday
ECOL 592-007
CRN: 12969
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 10
Start Date: 01/17/2023
12:00 pm on Tuesdays
Pollinators and Citizen Science
Instructors: Drs. Gillian Bowser and Phil Halliwell
Course description:
Biodiversity loss and pollinator decline are two emerging topics of discussion in the climate change debate. What are some of the drivers of pollinator declines, how can biodiversity loss be measured against changing climate and how can these be detected using citizen science? We will explore the advances in citizen science databases such as iNaturalist and how such databases may be a new key for measuring biodiversity loss and pollinator declines in the global climate change discussions. We will explore policy documents such as the Glasgow Climate Pact, management actions around pollinator decline and literature on accuracy and validation of citizen science datasets to answer these questions at a global scale.
Fall 2022
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 65074
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 18
Start Date: 08/31/2022
Understanding the “Insect Apocalypse”: Global insect declines and recovery strategies
Instructors: Drs. John M. Mola and Ruth Hufbauer
Course description:
|
In this seminar, we will examine the “Insect Apocalypse” by reviewing recent literature on insect declines and conservation. We’ll start by reading broadly on the current understanding of insect population declines and proposed recovery strategies from both an ecological research perspective and more applied approaches. We will adapt our exact readings based on the interests of participants (e.g. natural, agricultural, and/or urban ecosystems, disturbance ecology, ecosystem services, etc). Students will gain knowledge broadly on the topic of insect conservation as well as on specific focal species of participant’s choosing. Students will be graded on participation in discussion as well as leading the presentation of one week’s paper(s). |
Equity and Justice in Conservation Practice
|
Instructors: Dr. Sara Bombaci, Erin Weingarten, Tamara Layden Course Description In this seminar, we will introduce students to diverse histories in conservation, tracing how institutional structures and their legacies manifest in conservation practice and policy today. We will explore alternative frameworks to approach ecological research, methods for identifying personal bias and privilege, and meaningful ways of engaging in ethical conservation practice. By the end of the course, students will have a basis for understanding how to identify and disrupt harmful cycles and engage in meaningful collaboration rooted in inclusion, equity, and justice. |
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 65075
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: 08/24/2022.
ECOL 592-003
CRN: 65079
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 08/24/2022
Developing and testing compelling research questions
Instructors: Dr. Alison E. King
Course description:
The scientific method starts with asking a question, but the skill of articulating a curiosity or a hunch into a testable research question is rarely taught. This course focuses on skill development so that students can reliably ask questions that advance knowledge in their field. Course format will include lecture, bespoke exercises, classroom discussion, and student presentations. Students will practice searching the literature to reveal experimental needs, identifying disconnects between theory and evidence, and iterating between questions and experimental design. By the end of the course, students will have created a set of research questions coupled with experimental designs that could serve as a jumping-off point for grant writing.
Grading: Pass/fail. Students will be responsible for submitting brief literature reviews and drafts of research questions they develop throughout the course, and for presenting their research questions to the class
ECOL 592-005
CRN:65233
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 12
Start Date: 08/31/2022
Global Change and the Shortgrass Steppe Ecosystem
Instructors: Drs. Alan Knapp, Melinda Smith
Course description:
In this course, students will first gain a basic ecological understanding of the shortgrass steppe ecosystem through weekly readings, and then attend a local one-day symposium (date TBD) during which results from current ecological research at the USDA-ARS Central Plains Experimental Range will be presented by CSU, ARS, and other scientists
Grading (pass/fail) will be based on student participation
Spring 2022
Overpopulation and Ecological Sustainability
Instructor: Dr. Philip Cafaro
Course description: Human overpopulation is the environmental problem that ecologists and sustainability advocates don’t like to discuss. But it’s at the root of a host of environmental problems we do discuss, and that we want our societies to address successfully. This interdisciplinary seminar explores the science, ethics and policy implications of overpopulation in relation to global climate change and global biodiversity loss, the defining environmental challenges of our time. To pass this course, students are responsible for attending, leading one class discussion, and writing a short paper on an aspect of population and sustainability of their choic
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 18824
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 01/19/2022
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 10126
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 12
Start Date: 01/19/2022
Plant-soil feedbacks and drought
Instructor: Dr. Melinda Smith, Carina Donne, Alex Siggers
Course description: With climate change, drought events are expected to increase in magnitude, duration and frequency. Drought can alter the composition of plant and soil communities, but how droughts affect plant-soil feedbacks is still poorly understood. Yet, such understanding is crucial for predicting how plant-soil feedbacks will be impacted by intensified drought in the future. The goal of this interdisciplinary seminar is to review key primary literature on the effects of drought on plant-soil feedbacks, produce a synthesis of the literature, and identify gaps in understanding and avenues for future research.
Understanding the ecological impacts of drought from drought experiments
Instructor: Dr. Alan Knapp
Course description: In this seminar course, students will review the literature with a focus on how drought experiments have increased our understanding of drought impacts on terrestrial ecosystems, what can and can’t be learned from this approach, and what kinds of drought experiments are needed in the future.
Students will provide weekly updates on papers they have reviewed, with noteworthy results shared with the class. Grading will be based on student participation.
.
ECOL 592-003
CRN: 15033
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 6
Start Date: 01/22/2022
Fall 2021
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 71540
Credits: 1
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 09/01/2021
A Primer of Community Composition Analysis
Instructors: Drs. Melinda Smith and Kate Wilkins
Course description: We will cover key approaches to analyzing community compositional change in space and time. Students will have the opportunity to work on their own data or on a group project focused on compositional change.
Movement Ecology and Analysis of Tracking Data
Instructors: Nathan Hahn, Hanna McCaslin, Dr. George Wittemyer
Course description: Movement processes in both animals and plants are now recognized as key elements of their ecology, and animal telemetry is a frequently used tool for understanding the ecology and space use of free-living animal populations. This course is intended to provide a foundational understanding of movement ecology and building blocks for the analysis of GPS movement data for any graduate students who are aiming to incorporate analyses of space use into their research.
.
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 60075
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: 09/08/2021
Spring 2021
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 10126
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: January 27, 2021
Food Systems
Instructors: Drs. Meagan Schipanski and Carrie Chennault
Course description: Food systems include the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food, and associated waste management. In addition to the material flows, food system organization and cultural context determines who has the power to influence and shift food systems in the face of global and local challenges and pressures. Students will engage in literature-based discussions to understand the interdisciplinary nature of food system challenges and to identify promising strategies for improving the sustainability and resilience of food systems. Primary disciplinary foci will include ecology, agronomy, and social sciences.
Grading: Pass/fail. Students will be responsible for weekly readings, class participation and a short summary of a subset of the readings. Students will lead discussion for a part of a lecture period, either individually or as part of a group.
Ecological Science Writing
Instructors: Drs. Kate Huyvaert and Kevin Bestgen
Scientists spend a huge amount of time writing and, whether it’s a report to a funding agency, job application, research proposal, thesis chapter, or manuscript for peer review, making and taking the time to write and writing well are critical for effectively communicating science. In this seminar, we’ll address topics in scientific writing including motivations for writing well, behavioral barriers and strategies to taking the time to write, elements of structure and style for a diversity of writing projects, and the publication process. The seminar will build from Stephen B. Heard’s recent book The Scientist’s Guide to Writing while also drawing from other readings, short lectures, and discussion to explore scientific writing. Lastly, we will ‘workshop’ writing exercises and parts of participant-chosen focal writing projects. Discussions, workshopping, and exercise completion will be used to evaluate participant learning.
ECOL 592-003
CRN: 15033
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 6
Start Date: January 19, 2021
ECOL 592-004
CRN: 10127
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: January 19, 2021
Colorado Wildfires 2020
Instructors: Dr. Cini Brown and Nate Teich
Record-breaking wildfires were just one of the remarkable things about 2020. What factors contributed to these catastrophic fires? Why were they so large and devastating? What can we do now to avoid them in the future? Experts in the science, management, and policy of wildland fire will share their knowledge and perspectives with time for discussion during each class. Students will have the opportunity to meet professionals from wildfire agencies and participate in a final project to synthesize the topics covered during the semester. This class will be entirely online, which will enable participation of wildland fire experts from far and wide.
Seminars (Fall 2020)
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 60075
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 18
Start Date: August 25, 2020
The Science of Ecosystem Measurement
Instructors: Dr. Claudia Boot, Katie Rocci
The goal of this course is to introduce graduate students with a focus in ecology and/or biogeochemistry to the scientific instrumentation used to measure the environment. The course will cover measurements in air, soil, plants, and water from subatomic to landscape scales. Instrumentation will include, but not be limited to: xray, microscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, optical spectroscopy and remote sensing-based tools. Classes will consist of laboratory visits, paper discussions, and instrument expert presentations/discussions. In pairs, students will lead paper discussions focused on a specific instrument. Students will be evaluated based on their knowledge of the paper they lead as well as on their participation in class each week. If students put forth demonstrable effort when leading their paper and participate regularly in class, as determined by the instructors, they will pass
Sagan Lecture Seminar: Compton J. Tucker’s view of life on Earth
Instructor: Dr. Dennis Ojima
|
The AGU Sagan Lecture series sponsored jointly by the Biogeosciences and Planetary Sciences Sections of AGU and is aimed to provide perspectives on astrobiology and public engagement on critical issues which transcends boundaries of disciplinary research and planetary boundaries. These lectures encompass topics integrate and synthesized multiple disciplines in a unique fashion to explore and to expand our knowledge of life without boundaries. The AGU Sagan Lecture this year will be given by Dr. Compton J. Tucker, the developer of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). He developed this product in the late 1970’s will working on his PhD at CSU. This product is now used globally to measure the earth metabolism. Through his innovative research and production of crucial data sets, he has enabled the research community to observe earth’s dynamic seasonal and inter-annual cycles of plant productivity at the global scale, as well as contributing to understanding land cover and its change, monitoring droughts, providing famine early warning, and predicting ecologically-coupled disease outbreaks. Tucker’s papers using NDVI phenology to map African ecosystems, arguably the least observed in situ, and then to monitor the expansion and contraction of the Sahara with inter-annual rainfall were remarkable in their day and now. Notably, the first LANDSAT-based estimate of deforestation is due to Tucker (with David Skole), an estimate that is still a benchmark. Tucker has used these observations to inform, to educate, and to excite the public and decision makers across the globe of the intricacies and fragility of the earth we depend upon. His current work on land cover change, combining today’s most advanced high resolution sensors with machine learning show that his career of innovation—scientific and technical—is not yet slowing. Our course goal is to develop a deeper understanding of the foundation of interdisciplinary contributions involved in our current understanding of astrobiology, biogeosciences, and planetary sciences through the lens of the Compton Tucker’s accomplishments and discoveries. We propose to develop a graduate level discussion/seminar series to delve into the creative steps that led Tucker to develop his research perspective and to communicate the findings to the public. |
ECOL 592-003
CRN: 60079
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: August 28, 2020
ECOL 592-004
CRN: 60232
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: August 27, 2020
Wildlife Disease Science for Application to Risk Assessment and Control
Instructors: Dr. Kim Pepin, Dr. Amy Gilbert, Dr. Susan Shriner, Dr. Sarah Bevins
Wildlife populations transmit diseases that can infect humans and domesticated and/or wild animals. Wildlife exhibit complex, taxon-specific behavior that often depends on ecological context, requiring unique strategies for surveillance, risk assessment, and control. Minimizing disease risk in wildlife requires innovative strategies, potentially different from those used to manage risk among humans and domesticated animals. This weekly seminar course will begin with three lectures on the application of wildlife disease science to surveillance, risk assessment, and control by USDA scientists. The rest of the semester will be run like a journal club where students lead a discussion on an applied wildlife disease topic drawn from a provided list of recent literature. Papers for discussion will highlight interdisciplinary connections between disease ecology, epidemiology, management, economics, and/or other relevant fields. To pass this course, students will be responsible for attending each class and submitting a written paragraph describing the key strengths and weaknesses of each method/design/strategy discussed.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) in Ecology
Instructor: Dr. Meena Balgopal, Dani Lin Hunter, Emily Stuchiner
Issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity (JEDI) are well-documented across STEM disciplines but are only recently being uncovered within ecology. Although the community of ecologists is changing, there are still disparities, which are being discussed in research papers, blogs, and commentaries. Some minoritized groups have almost no representation in ecology (e.g., those who identify as Black, Latinx, or with disabilities). Furthermore, representation in ecology does not preclude bias (e.g., women). In this class, we will read about and discuss the following topics: 1) what is stereotype threat; 2) who is and isn’t represented in ecology; 3) explanations for representation in ecology (considering recruitment, retention, and persistence); and 4) should we and how can we diversify ecology (considering inclusive mentoring, inclusive pedagogy, and inclusive public engagement). Students will be asked to reflect on a vexation (based on their own experiences and observations, readings, and class discussions) and to develop a venture (an action plan to increase JEDI in ecology using whatever form of expression they prefer: blog, poetry, visual arts, digital media, formal presentation, interpretative arts, etc.). We will meet outside the first day of class to discuss preferences for instruction for the rest of the class in light of COVID-19. Accommodations will be made for students who need to participate online. Enrolled students will be contacted regarding the details of the class. Class periods will be an hour and a half to allow time to discuss these topics, but we will only meet until Fall Break (last class period will be 11/17/2020).
ECOL 592-005
CRN: 60233
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 12
Start Date: August 25, 2020
ECOL 592-006
CRN: 62784
Credits: 1
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 12
Start Date: August 25, 2020
The Ecology of Seeds and Seedlings
Instructors: Dr. Miranda Redmond, Dr. Ian Pearse
In this course, we will read and discuss literature on the dynamics of seed production and early stages of growth of plants, focusing both on trees and herbaceous systems. These discussions will be paired with optional local field trips to observe topics discussed related to seed production of plants near Ft Collins. Specific topics will be driven by student interests, but may include themes such as mast seed production, seed banks and bet hedging, the evolution of seed size, forest regeneration, seedling banks, pollination, and seed predators. Student evaluation will be based on active participation in discussions. Discussions will be mostly be held online, though outdoor, in-person discussions will be considered when safe and feasible.
Seminars (Spring 2020)
ECOL 592-008
CRN: 18755
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 30
Start Date: January 21, 2020
Wildlife in Ecological Systems
Instructors: Julie Heinrichs, Adrian Monroe, David Edmunds
Wildlife exist in complex ecological systems, and conserving species requires a systems-level view of ecology and the environment. In this weekly seminar series, we will engage with a diverse group of guest lecturers who will survey a breadth of related ecology sub-disciplines. Lecturers will highlight the contributions of CSU Research Scientists, postdocs, agency and NGO scientists who study wildlife as key components in broader ecological systems. Each lecture will highlight the key questions and methods that define each sub-discipline and provide an example of wildlife research that advances our understanding of ecological systems. Applied research examples will highlight interdisciplinary connections and the importance of integrative analyses and collaboration to the management and conservation of species and systems. To pass this course, students will be responsible for attending and drafting 1 constructive Tweet-style response to each guest lecture.
Socio-ecological Approaches to Human-Carnivore Coexistence
Instructors: Kevin Crooks, Stewart Breck, Courtney Schultz
The conservation of mammalian carnivores is a challenging and complex socio-ecological issue. Maintaining sustainable and ecologically relevant populations of carnivores increasingly requires they coexist with humans. Living with carnivores, however, can be challenging for people who are negatively impacted by them. Developing approaches to minimize human-carnivore conflicts will require innovative approaches, cross-boundary cooperation, and diverse skill sets to address ecological, social, economic, and political aspects of this challenge. Though the specifics will vary by system, the need for more holistic approaches applies to landscapes globally. This course wil focus on interdisciplinary approaches to minimize conflict and promote coexistence between humans and carnivores. Class sessions, led by graduate students, will review and discuss the human-carnivore coexistence literature and real-world case studies of coexistence in practice. Students will be evaluated based on participation.
ECOL 592-009
CRN: 18756
Credits: 1
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: January 21, 2020
ECOL 592-010
CRN: 18757
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 10
Start Date: January 21, 2020
Mechanistic and Predictive Models for Polygenic Traits
Instructor: John McKay
This course will function as a journal club. Students will take turns leading a discussion on a recent paper using whole genome polymorphism data and trait data to
predict phenotypic or breeding values or identify causal variants underlying complex phenotypes.
Ecological Networks: Theory and Applications
Instructors: Dr. Colleen Webb and Brooke Berger
The objective of this seminar will be to build a solid foundation in network theory and understanding of how networks are used in ecology. Graph theory is relatively new to the field of ecology but literature using networks is rapidly expanding. Through weekly paper discussions from a wide range of topics within this field, we hope to provide a jumping-off point for students to continue to explore these areas in their own research. Topics that we plan to cover include: the history of networks and graph theory fundamentals; networks of species interactions (food webs); animal movement and behavior; evolutionary based perspectives of ecological networks; human interactions; spatial relationships; and disease modeling. Time permitting, there may also be opportunities for students to select additional and/or more specific areas to explore, based on the interests of the class. Regular attendance is expected and students will be evaluated based on their participation.
ECOL 592-001
CRN: 18824
Credits: 1
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: January 21, 2020
ECOL 592-011
CRN: 18839
Credits: 2
Grading: Traditional
Enrollment Limit: 15
Start Date: January 23, 2020
Ecosystem-Based Adaptation and Biodiversity Changes at a Global Scale
Instructors: Dr. Gillian Bowser, Sarah Whipple
Description: Ecosystem-based adaptation is a framework for creating community livelihood strategies to adapt to climate change. EbA models explore issues of biodiversity changes within an ecosystem and the impacts of adapting to new climate norms for human communities. Here we will explore EbA approach that have been piloted in high mountain systems world wide with traditional pastoralist communities who face extreme glacier retreat and large-scale ecosystem changes. Eba includes community-created strategies such as using pollinators and bee-keeping or changing to traditional livestock to adjust economic strategies for high elevation communities in Peru. Do these approaches work? In this class we will use the EbA framework to explore case studies of different high mountain ecosystems from the Rocky Mountains to the high Andes of Peru. We will use the lens of traditional agriculture approaches and lifestyles as one end of a spectrum combined with more developed nation approaches to protecting livelihood in mountain systems. Extreme environments create leading case studies for adaptation-based approaches for sustainable development under change planetary systems
Federal Perspectives on Invasive Species Science, Management and Policy
Instructors: Dr. Cynthia (Cini) Brown, Jeff Morisette
The objective of the course will be to introduce the students to a wide range of current invasive species science and management work being done by federal agencies. Students will be able to apply what they learn to investigate an invasive species challenge of their choosing. By proximity in the Fort Collins and Front Range area, there are many professionals who can share their experience with the class. Dr. Jeff Morisette is the Chief Scientist with the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) and will work with Dr. Cini Brown to gather speakers from local federal agencies. Each week will involve a guest presenter working for and/or with a federal agency and a roughly 1-2 hour reading assignment related to that presenter’s topic. Students will synthesize what they learn to propose an invasive species research or management project, which will be submitted as a short written report and summarized in a brief oral presentation given to the class. Dr. Brown will be responsible for grading student participation, reports and presentations.
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 10126
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: January 21, 2020
Location: C123 Plant Sciences
International Climate Science and Diplomacy-COP25 in Chile
Instructors: Gillian Bowser, Elisabeth Gilmore (Clark University)
Description: Environmental and climate sciences are tightly coupled with international diplomacy through the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This class will focus on the actual negotiation process along different scientific focus areas so students are introduced to environmental diplomacy on the world stage. The class is co-taught with Clark University and students will have the opportunity to participate in a team presentation with peers from several institutions as part of a panel at the UNFCCC Convention of the Parties (COP) in Santiago, Chile in December 2019. The panel will be designed during the class with students from other institutions so students will work to incorporate their own research interests into the framing of international processes and have the opportunity to present to an international audience of climate scientists, stakeholders and diplomats. Students will have the opportunity to travel to Chile and meet their peers in person at COP25. For students unable to travel to Chile, virtual presentations and active participation opportunities also exist so students can attend virtually. International diplomacy is challenging and exciting! Learning how to frame research questions to international stakeholders and present on the world stage is invigorating and highly rewarding.
Past Seminars
Pollinator Hotshots: Using Citizen Science to Answer Perplexing Ecological Questions
Instructors: Gillian Bowser, Sarah Whipple
Description: Citizen science is a fast emerging phenomenon with increased accuracy of digital imagery and cloud community resources. Tracking large scale changes is small organisms is now possible using cellphones and addressing questions of geographic scale changes is more feasible. In this seminar we will explore uses of citizen science data and dig into actual datasets to address the puzzling question of pollinator decline and measuring taxonomically complex species across wide geographic scales.
The Ecology of Aquatic Organisms Exposed to Multiple Stressors
Instructors: Dana L Winkelman, Jessica E Brandt
Description: Anthropogenic and natural stressors – including chemicals, biological threats, and physical alterations – converge in aquatic systems where they pose risks to aquatic organisms and have the potential to disrupt ecosystem functioning. In this course, students will learn about multiple-stressor interactions and the feed backs between stressor dynamics and ecosystem processes. We will focus on freshwater and riparian ecosystems and consider stressor effects at multiple levels of biological organization (i.e, from organismal to community-level effects). Our goal is that students taking this course will develop a broader understanding of the cumulative aquatic ecosystem stress imposed by contaminants and non-chemical stressors.
Root Traits and Ecological Restoration
Instructors: Cynthia Brown, Magda Garbowski
Description:
Roots are the primary organs by which plants acquire and transport nutrients and water needed for growth and function. Root traits are highly variable across plant functional types and ecosystems and in disturbed systems undergoing ecological restoration may influence plant establishment, competitive outcomes, plant resistance to abiotic or biotic stresses, or both, and soil stability. The goal of the proposed ECOL 592 seminar is two fold: (1) read and discuss foundational papers related to root traits to gain a deeper understanding of what we do and do not know about how these vital organs contribute to plant success in different environments; and (2) review and summarize the wide breath of literature on root traits related to drought, invasion/competition, and mycorrhizal associations with the end goal of writing a review paper focused on how root traits could be used to improve restoration outcomes. Participants will be evaluated based on participation.
Developing Conceptual Frameworks for Proposals and Publications
Instructors: Saran Twombly
Description: Almost all successful research proposals and publications place a specific study within a concept or principle of broad interest in a discipline. This conceptual framework attracts interest across a spectrum of readers, demonstrating how the research presented improves general understanding of this principle in concrete ways.
One of the most important skills for graduate students to learn as they prepare for careers that involve research, grant proposals, and publications is to develop a convincing conceptual framework. They must also learn to argue that their particular study advances general understanding of this concept and the field of ecology.
Advances in Freshwater Aquatic Metabolism
Instructors: Jill Baron, Isabella Oleksy
Description: Streams and rivers have a limited spatial extent, but are increasingly recognized as important components of regional biogeochemical cycles. The collective metabolic processing of organisms, known as ecosystem metabolism, is centrally important to nutrient cycling and carbon fluxes in these environments, but is poorly integrated into emerging biogeochemical concepts. Metabolic theory using first principles of physics and chemistry provides a way of determining freshwater responses to global changes, especially warming and nutrient inputs. Participants in this graduate seminar class will read foundational and novel papers in aquatic metabolism with the goal of stimulating discussion on aquatic metabolism in mountain lakes and streams. We propose to collate and analyze existing data from current and past unpublished research in the Rocky Mountains to quantify metabolism in high elevation streams and lakes and evaluate major influences on metabolism over time. Students are encouraged to bring their own data, but that is not a prerequisite for participation in the seminar. Students will be evaluated based on participation (leading and contributing to discussions).
Growing a Revolution from the Ground up: A Comprehensive Exploration of Soil Health
Instructors: Megan Machmuller, Jocelyn Lavellee
Description: Soil health is a buzzword in the field of agriculture and soil ecology, but what does it actually mean to have healthy soils? This term is trending faster than it is understood, with big uncertainties regarding the ecology behind it and the social and economic implications of management strategies that aim to improve it. In this seminar we will examine the concept of soil health from multiple perspectives, to better define it, but also to understand how the concept relates to the bigger picture of ecosystem science, ecology, society, and the economy. We welcome those from diverse educational backgrounds to join this discussion of a topic that has implications far beyond soil. This seminar will culminate with the dissemination of a comprehensive framework of soil health. Student performance will be evaluated (pass/fail) based upon attendance and contributions to weekly discussions.
Population and Conservation Genomics Seminar
Instructors: W. Chris Funk, Kristen Ruegg
Description: Recent advances in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics are revolutionizing population and conservation genetics. Population genomics is the study of numerous loci to understand the roles of evolutionary processes (genetic drift, gene flow, selection, and mutation) that shape variation across genomes and populations. Conservation genomics is the application of genomics to address questions important in conservation and management. This course will focus on the growing literature in these related fields.
International climate negotiations at the UNFCCC
Instructors: Gillian Bowser
Description: The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meets annually with the Conference of the Parties (COP). This year, the COP will meet in Poland and as the first full meeting under the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the Talona Dialogues, students will “follow” different processes within the COP including Adaptation and Mitigation; Loss and Damage, and the Paris Agreement itself. The class will follow individual countries and their current positions leading up to the COP in December 2019. Students will have the opportunity to be actively engaged with the COP through the Research and Independent NGO (RINGO) group that works with country delegations to develop positions.
Evolutionary Ecology
Instructors: Ruth A. Hufbauer
Description: Ecologically important traits (competitive ability, water use efficiency, virulence, dispersal ability, etc.) evolve. Evolutionary ecology is the study of how organisms evolve and adapt to their environment. We will read and discuss book chapters and papers from the primary literature on the interplay of selection, drift and inbreeding in the evolution of ecologically important traits.
Ecological Modeling and Forecasting of Climate Change Impacts on Communities and Ecosystems
Instructors: Melinda Smith, Alan Knapp, Nate Lemoine
Description: We will hold weekly one hour-long lectures and demonstrations via teleconference focusing on the use of models to assess the impacts of drought on ecosystem processes. We will have presentations from a variety of modelers who will describe their approach to ecological modeling. The class will also become familiar with PeCAn as a mechanism to explore the use of different ecological models for understanding ecosystem responses to drought. Presentations will be recorded so they can be viewed during convenient times depending on the institutions involved. Instructors will answer questions submitted via email and these responses will be copied to the entire group of participants. Each participating institution is encouraged to develop and carry out a modeling exercise of their choosing. There will also be an across-institution synthesis activity that will include a subset of students from each participating institution in Ft Collins from 10-13 October. The general goal of the DGS is to familiarize participants with the hows and whys of using ecological models and the kinds of models that are available for research and forecasting.
Proposal Development
Instructors: Saran Twombly, Colleen Webb
Description: Work with a former NSF program officer and a successful grant-writing faculty member to learn the basic skills needed to prepare competitive grant proposals. We will develop concept maps that depict logical relationships connecting individual ideas to form a larger research plan. Subsequent sessions will address developing novel ideas; constructing a logic map for a proposal; defining and refining goals and objectives; strategies to identify appropriate funders; understanding their missions and identifying relevant solicitations; evaluating and interpreting reviews and review criteria; and putting proposal components together. Group discussions, individual presentations, writing and revising, and peer review will occupy most of our time. These topics are open to revision to tailor the seminar to participants’ needs. For those who have draft proposals completed and ready for peer review, we will also provide feedback opportunities.
Defense Mechanisms in Plant-Insect Interactions
Instructors: Brittany Smith, Ryan Paul, Paul Ode
Description: Insect herbivores pervade most ecological systems. The damage caused by insect herbivores to their targeted plant(s) can lead to complex trade-offs between plant growth, reproduction, and defense. Plants elicit mechanical and chemical defenses, both constitutive and inducible, to combat losses from insect herbivory. Yet, some insects also adapt to and sequester plant defenses to increase fitness and fecundity. These interactions are the basis of ecological and agricultural intrigue that shape how we think about community dynamics.
This course will offer students a foundation into plant defense theory and insect interactions that can be applied towards research, conservation, and agriculture. Students will gain a strong premise of plant-insect interactions through reading seminal and new research papers and class discussion.
Sustaining River Hydroecosystems in the Anthropocene
Instructors: LeRoy Poff
Description: The course objective is to develop an integrated, multidisciplinary understanding of the geomorphological, hydrological, and ecological principles that govern river hydroecosystem structure and function. Apply this knowledge to managing rivers to sustain riverine (aquatic and riparian) habitat and biota, in the face of increasing human demands, spread of non-native species and uncertainties posed by climate change.
One Health Approaches: Critical understanding and effective practices
Instructors: Benjamin Golas, Ryan Miller, Colleen Webb
Description: “One Health” is a label attached to efforts to address issues of human, animal, and environmental health simultaneously in an interdisciplinary collaboration. Despite its increasing popularity, the variables defining a One Health approach are nebulous, and consensus on the application and success of One Health approaches is lacking. To better understand the true value of One Health efforts, we will hold a weekly seminar to examine different aspects of One Health (zoonoses, biodiversity, sociology, ecology, land management, etc.) and the factors that can make this approach successful.
Landscape Genetics
Instructors: W. Chris Funk, Brenna Forester, Daryl Trumbo
Description: This online course provides interdisciplinary training in the field of landscape genetics. Discussions will be based on readings and online lectures in order to study how landscape modification and habitat fragmentation affect organism dispersal and gene flow across the landscape.
How much to mitigate? Calculating the social cost of carbon
Instructors: Rich Conant, Jess Burkhardt
Description: The EPA and other federal agencies use estimates of the social cost of carbon (SC-CO2) to value the climate impacts of rulemakings. The SC-CO2 is a measure, in dollars, of the long-term damage done by a ton of carbon dioxide emissions in a given year. This dollar figure also represents the value of damages avoided for a small emissions reduction. The SC-CO2 is meant to be a comprehensive estimate of climate change damages and includes changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, property damages from increased flood risk, and changes in energy system costs. We will discuss the application of those data to estimate the social cost of carbon and the associated uncertainties.
ECOL 592-002
CRN: 65075
Credits: 1
Grading: Pass/Fail
Enrollment Limit: 20
Start Date: 08/29/2023
Tuesday 12:00-12:50PM
Urban Ecology
Instructors: Mikko Jimenez, Kyle Ruszkowski, Dr. John Mola
Course description:
In this course, students will learn the history of urban ecology and how it has become the discipline it is today, build an understanding of urban ecosystems, consider human perceptions and interactions with urban ecosystems, identify management challenges within these systems, visit local green spaces that are managed by the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department, and discuss current literature on research conducted in an urban ecology setting.
Students will be evaluated on their participation in discussion and engagement with the material. There will be no assignments. However, the instructors will evaluate student performance based on participation in discussions and engagement with guest lecturers.