Forest Ecology

Catalog description

FOR 308 FOR 308 Forest Ecology (3)This class will provide the basic concepts of forest ecology and silvics. The class will emphasize (a) community concepts such as sampling, succession, productivity, disturbance, and animal factors, (b) ecosystem concepts such as nutrient and energy cycles and plant-soil relationships, and (c) environmental factors such as light, temperature, moisture, and pollution, and their effects on individual tree species and community structure and function. Other special topics of interest (allelopathy, seed behavior, tropical forests, etc.) will be included as time permits. The class will also include a field component that allows students to observe the effects of various conditions or treatments on forest community structure and growth, and to practice field methods commonly used to measure site factors and environmental processes in forest communities.