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Course Overview
EEB 585 Graduate Field Trip, Iowa State University, Fall 2008
Course Directors:
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Class Time and Location
- Time: 1:10 to 3 pm
- Location: Room 305 Bessey Hall
Course Overview
This 2 credit course is offered for students in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Graduate Program and will engage EEB students in research and cultural experiences in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Team-oriented research will include terrestrial and marine components and will encompass experimental design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation (visual and oral). EEB graduate students are required to take at least one EEB 585 course. Offered annually, this is the first time the course will be international in focus and experience.
Course Goals
- Expose ISU graduate students to diverse terrestrial and marine ecosystems in a developing country setting.
- Provide a high quality research, group learning, and cultural experience.
- Promote team and identity building among students in the EEB Program.
Research Locations
Field research will be conducted in a number of locations in Baja's Cape Region. These locations include:
- Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park. Located in the Sea of Cortez on Baja's East Cape, Cabo Pulmo is the northernmost coral reef on the Pacific coast of North America. It offers spectacular snorkeling and near-shore access to a diversity of marine invertebrates and vertebrates.
- The Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve. We will visit the dry forests on the eastern slopes of this 11,600 hectare reserve located on the eastern slopes of the Sierra La Laguna Mountains, the southernmost of Baja's Peninsular Ranges.
- Isla Espiritu Santo. This uninhabited island, located in the the Sea of Cortez, is an important eco-tourism destination that is protected under UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Ensenada Grande was voted the most beautiful beach in Mexico by The Travel Magazine [[1]], in February 2007, and one of the top 12 beaches in the world. The island is reached by a short boat trip originating from near La Paz, Baja California Sur's capital city.
Pacific coast fog desert located near La Aguja, northwest of La Paz. Annual rainfall here is very low resuling in a landscape of unusually stunted desert vegetation. Nighttime and early morning fog is heavy, however, supporting dense growth of epiphytic plants, especially lichen (most notably Ramalina reticulata) and ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata), that drape supporting woody plants and columnar cacti.
Course Qualifications
Students must be in the EEB Graduate program, having taken coursework in the biological sciences, including ecology and evolution, and plant or animal organismal biology. A course in statistics is also highly desirable. Students should demonstrate situational flexibility, capability in the field, and ability for both group interaction and independence.
Logistics
The course will meet for 1.5 hrs once per week during the Fall 2008 semester, and will spend Thanksgiving week in Mexico. The course is limited 13 ISU students, due to logistical issues associated with the field trip. Prior to Thanksgiving week, the course will focus on developing a working knowledge of Sonoran Desert flora and fauna, brainstorming research projects, and refreshing our sampling and statistical analysis skills. Travel during Thanksgiving week will be in and out of Los Cabos, Mexico, located close to the course's research locations in southern Baja's Region.
Expenses
The student fee for the course is $1000, which includes instruction, airfare, ground transportation, and hotel lodging. This course fee has been significantly subsidized by several ISU sources (see Acknowledgements below). This fee does not cover food and incidentals.
Additional Financial Support
Financial support to graduate students may available from various sources, including the major professors, home departments, and the Graduate College. Additional funding may be available for specifically for students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Course Enrollment
EEB graduate students will be accepted on a first come, first served basis until the course limit of 13 students is reached. If you have any questions contact instructors John Nason or Jeanne Serb.
Acknowledgement of Financial, Academic, and Institutional Support
- Significant financial support for this course comes from the following ISU sources:
- The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Graduate Program
- The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (EEOB)
- The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)
- The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
- Development of this course satisfies, in part, the Broader Outreach component of National Science Foundation (NSF) award DEB-0543582 to John Nason.
- The course instructors would like to especially acknowledge Shelley Taylor, Jodi Cornell, and Shen Difei in the ISU's Agriculture Study Abroad Program for their assistance with course logistics.
Additional Course Links
- Trip Photos - We are back and here is some of what we saw!
