BIOLOGY 300 IN COLORADO
	Bear Lake

If you would like more information or permission to register, contact Dr. Gehring by e-mail, by phone (677-3017), or in person (Olin 123)

Class structure

My goals for this class are to 1) teach the basic concepts of ecology and environmental science,  2) solidify and deepen understanding of these concepts by having sutdents apply them in the field, and 3) inspire appreciation of the natural world.  Therefore, we meet for two weeks in a student-active classroom at Bradley and then travel to Colorado for one week of study in Rocky Mountain National Park.

For the first two weeks of Summer Session I, we  meet 9-11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.  Exams (mostly short-answer questions) are on Fridays.  On Saturday of the second week, we drive to Loveland, Colorado.  Staying overnight in Loveland allows a night of acclimation at moderately high altitude and may help to prevent altitude sickness.  Sunday we drive through beautiful Big Thompson Canyon and arrive in Estes Park at mid-day.  We check in to the cabins, stock up at the grocery store and again take time to acclimate to the altitude.  We take field trips on Monday through Thursday, starting early in the morning to avoid afternoon thunderstorms and also the crowds that develop later in the day.  Students are required to keep a journal while in Colorado.  The final exam is Friday morning at the cabin in Colorado.  Most of Friday (after the final exam) is free time.  We leave for Peoria early on Saturday of the third week.

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What do you want to know?
 

• Why spend extra money to go to Rocky Mountain National Park for my general science credit?
• What will it cost?
• When do I pay for the additional expenses associated with going to Colorado?
• Can I arrange short-term lodging on campus for the first two weeks of class?
• If I register for this class, is there anything special I need take to Colorado?
• How much luggage can I bring?
• Will I get altitude sickness?
• What is expected of me while the class is in Colorado?

Why spend extra money to go to Rocky Mountain National Park for my general science credit?

• It’s fun
• It’s beautiful
• The humidity is low
• Rocky Mountain National Park is a remarkable illustration of how climate and geography have shaped living organisms and their habitats.
• The park is an excellent lesson on how people unwittingly impact living organisms and their environments, even in a national park.
• Hopefully, learning to admire and respect nature in a national park will increase your respect and enjoyment of nature in your own local neighborhood.  The long-term viability of the Earth and the future of human life depend on people’s appreciation of the land (which includes the landscape, air, soil, waterways, living organisms).
• National parks are ecological preserves that belong to all of us.  It’s important for citizens to understand the issues facing national parks so they can encourage their elected officials to make good choices about the parks.
• Terrific opportunity to apply classroom learning to the 'real world.'.
• Did I mention it’s beautiful?

What will it cost?

• The cost of traveling to Colorado is as low as I can arrange it.  We drive rather than fly.  In addition, students share a simple cabin and can do their own cooking if they wish.

When do I pay for the additional expenses associated with going to Colorado?

• You pay for the travel costs when you pay your tuition bill.

Can I arrange short-term lodging on campus for the first two weeks of class?

• Yes!  Call the Housing Office at 677-3221.  The cost in 2002 was $70.00 per week.

What do I need to bring to Colorado?

• Daypack
• Composition book (the kind without spiral binding)
• Water bottles
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses or a hat with a brim
• Raingear (a poncho is a cheap option)
• Good walking shoes or lightweight boots
• Thick socks
• Long pants
• Warm clothing you can layer and fit into your daypack.  PLAN to dress in layers!
• Gloves and stocking hat (better safe than sorry)
• Small garden trowel for burying human waste (just in case)

How much luggage can I bring?

• We travel in a rented minivan, so space is limited.  Aim for one medium-size suitcase or duffel and a daypack.

Will I get altitude sickness?

• Maybe.  Some people are more susceptible to altitude sickness than others, so it’s not possible to predict who will experience symptoms.  Symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping.  It is particularly important to avoid dehydration and alcohol.  If you have experienced these symptoms at altitude in the past, ask your physician about medicines that can prevent altitude sickness.

What is expected of me while the class is in Colorado?

• Actively participate
• Be enthusiastic
• Be able to walk 2-3 miles
• Keep a journal
• Complete reading and writing homework
• Take the final exam
• Follow the Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct

The following rules are necessary to provide an optimum learning environment for the serious student.  The goal is to learn first, have fun second.

• Field trips are conducted each day we are in Colorado.  Attendance is required for all field trips.  I will deduct 10% of total class points for each missed field trip (except in cases of major illness).
• You are expected to actively participate and take notes during all field trips.
• Lateness will not be tolerated, no excuses!  While in Colorado, we depart at the announced time (usually 8 a.m.) and if you are late, I will leave without you.  If you miss the day’s field trip, you may perform poorly on the final exam plus you will lose 10% of the total class points.
• Time when we are not in the field is largely yours, including most afternoons and evenings (usually after 2-3 p.m.).  Enjoy the Rockies and Estes Park but conduct yourself in a mature and responsible manner.
• The use of alcohol (even if you are 21) or illegal substances is absolutely forbidden in the van, cabin, or on the grounds of the cabins.  I will deduct 20% of total class points for each violation of this rule.  In addition, I recommend against the use of alcohol because it can worsen the symptoms of altitude sickness.
• At all times, you are expected to treat people (e.g., National Park personnel, fellow hikers, waitpersons, etc.) with courtesy and respect.  Please remember that you are representing Bradley University.  The impressions people have of Bradley will be formed largely by their interaction with you.

Topics covered in Colorado

Day 1

•  Montane life zone: dominant species and environmental characteristics
•  Adaptations of plants to arid environments
•  Microclimate variation within the montane:  a little water makes a big difference
•  Problems of urbanization on the borders of national parks
•  Adaptations and habitat needs of bighorn sheep
•  Impact of highway through Horseshoe Park on bighorn sheep
•  Lawn Lake Flood

•  North- versus south-facing slopes
•  Comparisons of the morphology and habitat of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine
•  Why are there no trees in montane meadows?
•  Hypothesis testing with grazing exclosures
•  Population growth of elk
•  Elk management issues: overgrazing of aspen and willow, beavers, predators and public relations
•  Glaciers and their effects on mountain topography
•  Lichens: symbiosis, mutualism and primary succession
•  Moraine Park:  golf course with a view
•  Pros and cons of the “taking” of private property

•  Environmental characteristics and dominant species of the subalpine life zone
•  Contrasting the morphology of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce
•  Krummholz: on the ‘edge’ of tree growth
•  Plant characteristics and adaptation in the alpine tundra
•  Some practical quidelines on identifying wildflowers
•  Grand Ditch and the insatiable human appetite for water
•  Effects of global warming on mountain communities and national parks
•  Finding the elusive moose

•  Parasitism out where you can see it: dwarf mistletoe and witch’s broom
•  Lake zones in Bear Lake
•  North and south-facing slopes in the subalpine zone
•  Secondary succession following 1900 Big Bear Lake fire
•  Pros and cons of forest fires, prescribed burns and thinning
•  Lake zones in shallow Nymph Lake
•  Adaptations of water lilies for the ‘floating life’
•  What are the biggest problems facing RMNP in the short- and long-term?

If you would like more information or permission to register, contact Dr. Gehring by e-mail, by phone (677-3017), or in person (Olin 123)