Class Webpage for Fall 2007

Biology 515: Landscape Ecology and Management

Lecture/Discussion: Wed 3:10-5:00 pm, Leon Johnson 319

Lab: Thurs 10:00 - noon, AJM 221

 

Instructor: Dr. Andrew J. Hansen, 305A Lewis Hall, Telephone 994-6046,

email hansen@montana.edu, Office Hours Tues 2:00-3:00 pm, Wed 2:00 pm, or by appt.

 

Laboratory Assistant: Linda Phillips, 305B Lewis Hall, Telephone 994-1614, email lphillips@montana.edu, Office hours – Monday 11-12 or email questions anytime. 

 

Web Address: http://www.homepage.montana.edu/~hansen.  Then go to course offerings.

 

Course Description: The goal of this course is to explore the principles of landscape ecology and the application of these principles to the conservation and management of ecological systems. We will review the roots of landscape ecology, consider the important implications of spatial and temporal patterning in ecology, and evaluate attempts by the U.S. Forest Service and others to apply these principles in the real world. Lab provide an introduction to the quantitative tools used in landscape ecology and reinforce key concepts presented in Lecture/Discussion.

 

Readings:

Required Text: Turner, M.G., R.H. Gardner, R.V. O’Neill.  2001. Landscape Ecology in Theory and Practice: Pattern and Process.  Springer Verlag, New York. 

Primary literature: Additional assigned readings.

 

Lecture/Discussion Format: Our goal here is to identify the main ideas of the assigned material, critically evaluate the contribution of these ideas to landscape ecology, and evaluate potential for solving applied problems with these ideas. The instructor will open each class with a lecture and then lead a discussion of the assigned readings. Students are expected to carefully read assignments and sketch out thoughts on the discussion q questions before class and join in discussion during class.

Discussion Questions: A list of discussion questions for each lecture is available by clicking on the title.

 

Lab Format: The objectives of lab are:

1. Gain experience in using computerized tools such as GIS to understand and manage landscapes.

2. Become familiar with various types and scales of landscapes

3.  Reinforce concepts in landscape ecology.

Each week we will complete computer-based lab exercise. The labs are designed to be straight forward applications of some of the ideas covered in Lecture/Discussion and of key tools in landscape ecology, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and computer simulation models. No skills in these areas beyond computer literacy will be assumed of students at the start of the semester. A lab handout and occasional assigned readings will help introduce students to the lab exercises. 

 

Grading: Criteria for grading are:

1. Scores on mid-term and final take-home tests covering lecture, discussion, and lab (200 pts);

2. Lab assignments (150 pts);

3. Class attendance and participation in discussions (50 pts).

 

CLASS SCHEDULE           

Class Discussion Reading

29-Aug

What is landscape ecology and how is it relevant to management?

 Lecture 1

Graphics,  Notes, Discussion points

Text, Chapter 1, pgs 1-24.

 

Turner, M.G. 2005. Landscape ecology in North America: Past, present, and future. Ecology 86(8):1967-1974.
Landscape Pattern and Change

5-Sep

Concept of scale in landscape ecology

 Graphics, Notes, Discussion Questions

Text, Chapter 2, pgs 25-46.

     

Wiens, J.A. 1989. Spatial Scaling in Ecology. Functional Ecology 3(4):385-397.

12-Sep

 Natural disturbance, succession, patch dynamics, stability Graphics, Notes, Discussion Questions Text, Chapter 7, pgs 157-200.
  Spies, T.A., and M.G. Turner.  1999. Dynamic forest mosaics.  Pgs 95-132 in M. Hunter.  Maintaining Biodiversity in Forest Ecosystems. (copies available in LJ 319.  Assigned reading is pg 95-132.

19-Sep

Environmental gradients and landscape pattern

 Graphics, Notes, Discussion Questions Text, Chapter 4, pgs 71-83.
 

Hansen, A.J. and J.J. Rotella. 1999. Abiotic factors. Pages 161-209. In: M.L Hunter, Jr. (ed.). Maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Great Britain.

 

26-Sep

 Land Use and landscape pattern Graphics, Notes

Mustard, J.F., R.S. DeFries, T. Fisher, E. Moran.  2004.  Land-use and land-cover change pathways and impacts.  Pgs 411-429 in G. Gutman et al. eds.  Land Change Science.  Kluwer Academic Publishers, the Netherlands.

Luck, M., and J. Wu.  2002.  A gradient analysis of urban landscape pattern: a case study from the Phoenix metropolitan region, Arizona, USA.  Landscape Ecology 17(4):327-339.

Mann, C.C.  2002.  1491. The Atlantic Monthly 289(3):41-53.

 Liu, J., et al. 2007.  Complexity of coupled human and natural systems.  Science 317: 1513-15-16. (optional)

Landscape Function

3-Oct

Habitat fragmentation, edge effects

 Graphics, Notes Text Ch. 8, pgs. 229-240

Hansen, A.J., L. Baril, J. Watts, F. Kasmer, T. Ipolyi, R. Winton.  In Review.  Ecosystem Biomass as a Framework for Predicting Habitat Fragmentation Effects.  Conservation Biology.

Brooks, T.M., Pimm, S.L., J.O. Oyugi.  1999.  Time lag between deforestation and bird extinction in tropical forest fragments.  Conservation Biology 13(5):1140-1150.

10-Oct

Flows of energy, nutrients, organisms

 Graphics, Notes,

Berger, J.  2004.  The last mile: How to sustain long-distance migration in mammals.  Conservation Biology.  18(2):320-331.

Beier, P., and R.F. Noss.  1998. Do habitat corridors provide connectivity.  Conservation Biology 12(6):1241-1235

Text, ch 6, pgs 135-147, ch 9, pgs 251-288.

 

17-Oct

Mid-term

    
       

24-Oct

Spatially-explicit organism population dynamics

 Notes Text, pg 201-221

Hansen, A.J., and J.J. Rotella.  2002.  Biophysical factors, land use, and species viability in and around nature reserves.  Conservation Biology 16(4):1-12.
       

31-Oct

Human social and economic responses to landscape

 Graphics, Notes

DeFries, R.S., J.A Foley, and G.P Asner.  2004. Land-use choices: balancing human needs and ecosystem function.  Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 2(5): 249–257.

Rasker, R. and A.J. Hansen. 2000. Natural amenities and population growth in the Greater Yellowstone region. Human Ecology Review 7(2):30-40.

 
       

7-Nov

Land use effects: exurban development, backcountry recreation

 Graphics, Notes,

Hansen, A.J., R. Knight, J. Marzluff, S. Powell, K. Brown, P. Hernandez, and K. Jones. 2005. Effects of exurban development on biodiversity: Patterns, Mechanisms, Research Needs. Ecological Applications 15(6): 1893-1905.

Nassauer, J.I., J.D. Allan, T. Johengen, S.E. Kosek, D. Infante.  2004.  Exurban residential subdivision development: Effects on water quality and public perception.  Urban Ecosystems 7(3):1573-1642.

A.R. Taylor and R.L. Knight.  2003.  Wildlife responses to recreation and associated visitor perceptions.  13(4):951-963.

 
       
Landscape Management

14-Nov

Systematic conservation planning

 Graphics, Notes

Margules, C. R., and R. L. Pressey. 2000. Systematic conservation planning. Nature 405:243–253.

 
   

21-Nov

Thanksgiving Holiday

    
       

28-Nov

Protected areas

 Graphics, Notes

Hansen, A.J. and R. DeFries. 2007.  Ecological mechanisms linking protected areas to surrounding lands.  Ecological Applications 17(4), 974-988.

Vester, H.F.M.D.Lawrence, J.R. Eastman, B. L. Turner II, S. Calmé, R. Dickson, C. Pozo, and F. Sangermano.   2007.  Land change in the southern Yucatan and Calakmul Biosphere Reserve: Effects on habitat and biodiversity.  Ecological Applications 17(4):989–1003.

Viña, A, S. Bearer, X. Chen, G.He, M. Linderman, L. An, H. Zhang, Z. Ouyang, and J. Liu. 2007.  Temporal changes in giant panda habitat connectivity across boundaries of Wolong Nature Reserve, China.  Ecological Applications 17(4):1019–1030.

 
       

5-Dec

Climate Change

 Graphics, Notes

Field, C.B., L.D. Mortsch,, M. Brklacich, D.L. Forbes, P. Kovacs, J.A. Patz, S.W. Running and M.J. Scott, 2007: North America. ClimateChange 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 617-652.

 
       

10-Dec

Final

 10:00-12:00 am  

 

LAB SCHEDULE

Task

Concept

Tool

Landscape

Lab Date

Lab Instructions

Data visualization

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems: Viewing and Analyzing Spatial Data

ArcGIS 9.2, ArcMap

Maasailand, East Africa

Sep 4

Lab1instructions

Introduction to GIS: Vector manipulation

 ArcGIS 9.2, ArcCatalog and ArcToolbox, Geoprocessing

Sep 10

 Lab2instructions

Landscape analysis

Quantifying spatial Pattern I

FRAGSTATS

 

 

Targhee National Forest and Yellowstone National Park

Sept 17

 

 Lab3instructions

Quantifying spatial Pattern I

Sept 24

 

 Lab5instructions

Reading: Li and Wu 2004.  Landscape Ecology 19:389-399.

Quantifying spatial Pattern I - Scale

Oct 1

 Lab6instructions
Landscape exploration Spatial Analysis: Biophysical Factors and Biodiversity I; Vector based analysis GeoDa, Google Earth Pro, SAS, ArcGIS9.2 Pacific and Inland Northwest Oct 8 Lab7instructions

Lab exam

 

 

 

Oct 15

 

Landscape exploration

Spatial Analysis: Biophysical Factors and Biodiversity II: Staatistical analysis

GeoDa, Google Earth Pro, SAS, ArcGIS9.2

 

Pacific and Inland Northwest

Oct 22

 

 

 Lab8instructions

Oct 29

 

 

 Lab9instructions
Spatial Analysis: Biophysical Factors and Biodiversity III: Extrapolation
Landscape analysis Habitat function and connectivity FUNCON TBA Nov 5

 Lab9instructions

 

Landscape simulation

Mapping and modifying landscape change: I

Sas, ArcGIS 9.2, Model Builder 

Greater Yellowstone

Nov 12

 

 

 Lab11instructions

 

Landscape simulation

Mapping and modifying landscape change: II

 

Sas, ArcGIS 9.2, Model Builder 

Greater Yellowstone

 

 Nov 19 Lab12instructions
Assigned Project       Nov 26  
Assigned Project       Dec 3  

Go to Department of Ecology Homepage

Last modified 12/3/2007