I mentioned in my previous post that we are happily increasing the field courses associated with our new Urban Ecology program. We have BA & BS, MA & MS, and combined BA-MA and BS-MS programs in UE. We have no problems working with local mammals, which are abundant. Of course they include feral cats and house mice, but also red fox, skunks, and otter here on Long Island. There's no doubt these species are adapting to suburban environments here as they have elsewhere. And there's clear evidence that coyotes are coming, invading from both the east and west ends of Long Island. We don't have to travel far to get to environments with a pretty nice assortment of mammals, some of these are on our suburban campus.
Dr. Russell Burke Professor, Chair Donald E. Axinn Distinguished Professor in Ecology and Conservation Department of Biology Hofstra University 516.463.7272 -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of David L. McNeely Sent: Monday, May 19, 2014 10:35 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Loss of field courses, continued Excellent, Ryan. However, I will point out that though urban environments may have limited access to field sites for study, that does not mean that there are no field sites for study in urban environments. Urban environments have substantial populations of wild mammals, some feral, some natives that have adapted to the urban environment. Perhaps a look at these populations might be in order in college vertebrate biology courses. Surely interested faculty members could find a way to use their own campus as a field site, and with cooperation from public agencies, other urban settings could be studied. Most cities have parks, public buildings, rivers and creeks, residential developments. Studying in such locales may be more difficult than in rural locations, but it could not only be educationally profitable, but could generate new information about poorly understood populations and communities. David McNeely ---- "Ryan wrote: > This discussion reminded me of the 2007 paper by Mark Hafner (a fellow > mammalogist/ecologist) titled “Field research in mammalogy: An enterprise in > peril (Journal of Mammalogy, 88:1119-1128). In that paper he describes the > decline of college-level field experiences for future mammalogists. Partly in > response to that paper, I wrote a field manual for vertebrates that has 56 > field-based exercises for college students. I say field-based, because about > 30% of the exercises can be done in the lab without actually collecting field > data. These use real world field datasets (available on my website) in place > of the students actually collecting the data themselves. The main reason for > that is the recognition that many institutions are in urban environments and > have limited access to field sites. Nevertheless, students can see how the > data was collected and then work with that data to analyze patterns and test > hypotheses. For example, there is a data set of GPS tracking data for grizzly > bears in Montana and southern Canada. Students can make predictions about > bear behavior and elevation/habitat in June versus October and plot that data > on Google Earth, etc. > > If any one is interested here is the link to the field manual: > http://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ryan/field-and-laboratory-techniques-in > -vertebrate-biology/paperback/product-18944438.html > > This may seem like shameless self promotion, but I don’t really make any > money off the manual. Rather my main goal is to provide people with some > ideas for field and/or lab exercises that could be used to train future > vertebrate biologists. I’m planning on revising the manual again this summer > so if any one has ideas for me to include, let me know. > > Find a detailed Table of Contents here: > http://www.wildmammal.com/page15/ > and a link to the datasets here: > http://www.wildmammal.com/downloads.html > > > -- > Dr. Jim Ryan > Biology Department > Hobart & William Smith Colleges > Geneva, NY 14456 > Www.wildmammal.com > > > On 5/18/14, 10:54 AM, "David L. McNeely" > <mcnee...@cox.net<mailto:mcnee...@cox.net>> wrote: > > Jordan mentions another aspect, the decline of courses on particular > taxonomic groups of organisms. Those of us old enough to have used (or even > taught) the Odum ecology text well remember his "layer cake" graphic of the > organization of biological science. He represented biology as a layer cake, > with taxonomic groups making up the cake's layers, while "functional studies" > such as ecology, evolution, and physiology he treated as slices through the > whole cake. Using that metaphor, the layers of the cake are missing from > the modern biologist's education. How many institutions still offer courses > in mammalogy, ichthyology, plant systematics, phycology and so on? Some do, > yes, but these courses may be disappearing even more than courses with a > field focus, much to the detriment of those who need or want to learn about a > particular group of organisms. I realize that some of the organisms formerly > grouped into some recognized taxa have been recognized to be members of > disparate evolutionary lineages, but there is still reason for a prospective > marine biologist to know the "algae," or a fish and wildlife scientist to > know the "fish." We have the odd situation now where people investigate the > evolution of a group of organisms, without having ever formally studied the > group. Interesting, at any rate. > > David McNeely > > ---- Jordan Mayor <jma...@ufl.edu<mailto:jma...@ufl.edu>> wrote: > Hi Ling, > I think the onset of this discussion began with it being pointed out that > many Biology Dept.’s have gone “molecular” or even “nano” and this financial > refocusing, perhaps combined with increasing enrollment straining class > sizes, has resulted in a reduced number of field courses being offered. > I have experienced this while a T.A. at a major R1 US university. The > field-trip-oriented General Ecology course was under constant pressure to > eradicate field trips so more than 14 students (the maximum # of students > that could fit on the dept.’s buses) could enroll in a lab section (thus > removing a T.A.-ship for one ill-fated grad student). This was thankfully > avoided — much to the benefit of the students, many of whom have never > experienced an ecological perspective on the many unique ecosystems FL has to > offer (hint: it’s not just mangrove and slash pine). > When I was an undergrad I also had direct experience in hitting a “pay wall” > while trying to increase my field biology experience. OTS and The School for > Field Studies both offered excellent programs that very much piqued my > interest but were quashed by my financial reality (loans and part-time jobs). > In the end I very much enjoyed field trips and eventually found paid summer > field experience chasing birds around on an undergraduate professor’s > research grant. > I think another big issue, besides the reduction in field trips in > Ecology courses, is the general loss of taxonomist positions at universities. > Taxonomy courses (plant tax, mycology, entomology, etc.) often require > direct observation or even personal collection of organisms in their > environment. Such taxonomy courses may offer the sort of field experience > that will energize young field biologists — not to mention make them better > ecologists ;) So please. If you are in a position to either fight to retain > field courses or offer one yourself please do. And make it one to remember. > -- > Jordan Mayor, PhD > Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU Forest Ecology & > Management jordanmayor.com On May 17, 2014, at 3:00 PM, ling huang > <ling.hu...@prodigy.net<mailto:ling.hu...@prodigy.net>> wrote: > > Some thoughts and questions: > > > > I'm not sure if it has clearl > > Hi all > > > > Some thoughts and questions: > > > > I'm not sure if it has clearly been mentioned but what are the reasons for > > the loss of field courses? > > Is it a recent phenomenon? Is it area / state/country specific? Are there > > reasons given? Has there been a large reduction in the numbers of field > > courses offered? or is it part of a reduction due to shortage of interest, > > shortage of student enrollment, insurance, financial etc. ? (I'm grabbing > > at straws)? > > > > In my previous email I did list some courses, programs offered that looked > > very interesting and thorough in their field component (incl. at my own > > school). > > > > All interesting stuff. > > > > Ling > > Ling Huang > > Sacramento City College > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Malcolm McCallum > > <malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com<mailto:malcolm.mccallum.tamut@GMAI > > L.COM>> > > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU<mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> > > Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2014 11:11 AM > > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Loss of field courses, continued > > > > > > For perspective...This is what financially disadvantaged students deal > > with.. > > > > Every single decision made is based on whether or not you will have > > to pay for it above and beyond the cost of attendance. The class > > has an optional field trip to a place 10 mi away? I don't have a > > car, how will I get there? Sometimes you can go with other > > students, but often you can't because the seats are taken. there is > > an optional class to be taken on the other side of the > > city/county/state/planet...its not happening. > > > > I came into undergrad broke. > > The dorms fed you M-F, then Sat you got two meals, and Sunday you got one. > > That is what I ate my first year in college because all of my money > > went to school. The rules were all freshman and sophomores that > > lived outside of a certain distance form ISU had to live in the > > dorms (unless married). > > > > Each summer, I would work multiple jobs so I had enough to pay for > > books and possibly some other expenses. The summer after my > > freshman year I worked night shift at the truck stop as a janitor > > 40+ hrs a week, then turned around and worked in the kitchen washing > > dishes and cleaning vats at the hospital. Between these two I made > > enough at $4.00/hr to pay for most of my expenses. This gave me > > just enough money I could afford to go to the movies once a week and > > eat on the weekends after also working 20-30 hours a week at school. > > The end of Sophomore year I was an undergrad research assistant for > > 5 hrs a week and worked at burger king for $3.35/hr. Most of that > > went into school. > > > > Junior year I started working in the night manager program (night > > shift) 30 hr/wk. I did this through my senior year. It paid > > substantially more and financial aid benefits had grown a lot by > > that time. However, my father lost his job after 22 years and so I > > was sending money home. Even though I was now making more. That > > continued on midway through my MS. > > > > Then, when you graduate with a PHD, you don't have the option of > > declining a bad job, because you have a student loan heap on your > > head that must be paid, forget feeding yourself or your children. > > > > It sounds like no big deal to go off campus to take necessary > > courses the school doesn't offer. But if you are financially > > disadvantaged, its not an option. And, that financial disadvantage > > continues to haunt you all the way through until after you graduate > > with a PHD because you have to take care of all those student loans, > > and deal with the missed opportunities that result because you could > > not afford to take advantage of them. > > > > It actually angers me quite a bit when people use the old, "well you > > can just..." No you can't if you are living from dime to dime, day > > to day. > > > > Malcolm > > > > > > On Sat, May 17, 2014 at 12:23 PM, > > <mcnee...@cox.net<mailto:mcnee...@cox.net>> wrote: > >> Absolutely true, Malcolm and others. Sure, OTS is an important > >> organization that provides access to tropical field locations for those > >> students who can afford it. But when I was an undergrad, I had to work at > >> a job year round, and go to school near home. I did not have money for > >> travel to foreign countries, I had to spend my money to eat, have a roof > >> over my head, have clothing to wear, and pay school expenses. > >> > >> I have been a faculty member in institutions that served primarily poor > >> and mostly first generation students. Though they generally had more > >> financial support than was typical 50 years ago, they still struggled > >> financially. Some were single parents, trying to get a leg up in school. > >> Try telling the OTS adviser that you'll be bringing your three year old > >> with you. > >> > >> No field courses at the institution? Then for them, no field courses. > >> Even making the field trips in country can be a struggle for some poor > >> students, when the institution specifies that students pay their own > >> travel expenses. Getting their head, and their wallet, around travel to > >> Brazil may just be beyond them. > >> > >> But I made it a point to provide meaningful field biology experiences > >> within my department, and close to home. And a major reason that is going > >> away in so many institutions is that field biology is going away. It > >> needn't. > >> > >> David McNeely > >> > >> ---- Malcolm McCallum > >> <malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com<mailto:malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com>> > >> wrote: > >>> When students must travel half-way around the world to get this > >>> kind of experience, you can be assured that their will be a > >>> significant disadvantage for those who are financially > >>> disadvantaged. My attitude as an undergraduate would have been > >>> (and was) if this was really important, the school would have it on > >>> campus for everyone to take. > >>> > >>> Boy, I've learned how wrong I was about how schools often select > >>> what they offer. > >>> > >>> On Fri, May 16, 2014 at 10:41 PM, Kimberly G. Smith > >>> <kgsm...@uark.edu<mailto:kgsm...@uark.edu>> wrote: > >>>> I am following this thread with some amusement... I am in Belize with 20 > >>>> undergraduates on a natural history course... next week, 45 students > >>>> from University of Arkansas will travel to Dangriga Belize for your 7th > >>>> summer of service/learning for 3 weeks.... > >>>> > >>>> As others have mentioned, if you feel seriously about field experiences, > >>>> it is up to you to provide those experiences for your students... I > >>>> find it is very rewarding and a life changing experience for many > >>>> students.... > >>>> > >>>> Saludos, Kim > >>>> **************************************** > >>>> Kimberly G. Smith > >>>> University Professor of Biology > >>>> Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas > >>>> Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA phone 479-575-6359 fax 479-575-4010 > >>>> email kgsm...@uark.edu<mailto:kgsm...@uark.edu> > >>>> **************************************** > >>>> > >>>> ________________________________________ > >>>> From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > >>>> [ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU<mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU>] on > >>>> behalf of Andrés Santana > >>>> [andres.sant...@ots.ac.cr<mailto:andres.sant...@ots.ac.cr>] > >>>> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2014 5:20 PM > >>>> To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU<mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> > >>>> Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Loss of field courses, continued > >>>> > >>>> We at OTS share this concern. We truly believe that field courses and > >>>> field research present students with some of the best opportunities to > >>>> do research and understand nature. I know firsthand that spending a > >>>> semester out in field stations taking courses and doing research is a > >>>> life changing experience. I was fortunate enough to be chosen to > >>>> participate in a field semester with and OTS program. > >>>> OTS specializes in field courses and we welcome any faculty member that > >>>> wants to teach a course at any one of our field stations. We are > >>>> constantly working on and thinking of new field course topics in > >>>> ecology and evolution that will prove beneficial to students (undergrad > >>>> and grad) in their professional and academic careers. We would be glad > >>>> to hear your input and work with any of you setting up courses to teach > >>>> your students or students from any university. > >>>> > >>>> Best, > >>>> > >>>> Andrés Santana > >>>> Graduate Education Department > >>>> Organization for Tropical Studies San Pedro, Costa Rica. 676-2050 > >>>> (506) 2524-0607 ext. 1511 > >>>> Skype: andres.santana_otscro > >>>> www.ots.ac.cr > >>>> twitter: @ots_tropicaledu > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> -----Original Message----- > >>>> From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > >>>> [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Malcolm McCallum > >>>> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2014 01:08 PM > >>>> To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU<mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> > >>>> Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Loss of field courses, continued > >>>> > >>>> Bruce Bury's article... > >>>> Bury, B. 2006. Natural history, field ecology, conservation biology, and > >>>> wildlife management: Time to connect the dots. Herpetological > >>>> Conservation and Biology 1:56-61. > >>>> http://www.herpconbio.org/volume_1/issue_1/Bury_2006.pdf > >>>> > >>>> On Fri, May 16, 2014 at 10:19 AM, David Inouye > >>>> <ino...@umd.edu<mailto:ino...@umd.edu>> wrote: > >>>>> Paul Dayton asked me to post this: > >>>>> > >>>>> Dear Colleagues, I have enjoyed reading your laments about the loss of > >>>>> field courses and of course have strong opinions about this because it > >>>>> really is also the loss of respect for nature herself. We can't > >>>>> really understand nature without experiencing it and students can't > >>>>> experience it hiding behind computers in cloistered ivory towers. > >>>>> Harry Greene and I have written about this: > >>>>> > >>>>> The importance of Natural Sciences to Conservation, 2003. American > >>>>> Naturalist (162) and Organisms in Nature as a central focus in biology > >>>>> 2005, TREE (20) > >>>>> > >>>>> and Ian Billick and Mary Price have a wonderful book: The Ecology of > >>>>> Place I urge you to buy and read it. > >>>>> > >>>>> But the most important challenge I offer those of you who care enough > >>>>> to comment is to offer a field course yourself. Try it; it takes a > >>>>> little time but even if you don't know that much, your students will > >>>>> help teach it for you and soon you will be considered a legendary > >>>>> naturalist. Don't just complain, offer a field course yourself. It > >>>>> will evolve and you will learn a lot and have a lot of fun as well. > >>>>> Finally, ESA has a Natural History Section in need of your support and > >>>>> enthusiasm as it I think Nature is disappearing within ESA just as it > >>>>> did in the Amer. Soc. of Naturalists. > >>>>> Once students lose track of nature and become professors with no > >>>>> understanding or experience themselves, it is hard to recover the > >>>>> sense of wonder nature can induce in our science. > >>>>> > >>>>> Paul Dayton <pday...@ucsd.edu<mailto:pday...@ucsd.edu>> > >>>> > > -- > David McNeely > -- David McNeely
