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Workshops - 2008 Field Herpetology: ID of Wisconsin Amphibians and Reptiles 30 & 31 May (Friday & Saturday), 1 June (Sunday) is optional Vegetation of Wisconsin 9 - 14 June (Monday - Saturday) Sedges: Identification and Ecology 20 & 21 June (Friday & Saturday) Ecological Geology 7 - 11 July (Monday - Friday) Fishes of Wisconsin: Taxonomy, Ecology, and Identification 18 & 19 July (Friday & Saturday) Common and Nuisance Algae 25 & 26 July (Friday & Saturday) Wetland Delineation 12 & 13 September (Friday & Saturday) Coming in Winter 2009 Ecology and Physiology of Plants in Winter: Surviving the Big Chill January 9 & 10, 2009 Registration will begin in Fall 2008 A VERY HIGH QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION Our workshops offer a unique opportunity to explore focused topics in natural history under the guidance of noted authorities. Hands-on field and laboratory investigations teach ecology, evolution, use of taxonomic keys, and techniques. The workshops present college-level instruction and are designed to accommodate participants with a broad range of experience. The only prerequisite for any of the workshops is a keen interest in the topic. Enrollment in each session is limited to 20, providing an informal atmosphere and individualized instruction. REGISTRATION To register for one of the workshops download and print the online registration form in PDF format. To download the form Adobe's Acrobat Reader is required. A free copy of Acrobat Reader is available from Adobe's web site. If you prefer contact the Field Station directly and we will mail you a registration form. To register follow the instructions on the form and mail with your payment to the Field Station. Course fees are given on the registration form. Registrations received by 15 April will be selected randomly if we have received more than the course capacity. Those received after 15 April will be accepted on a first-received basis up to the capacity of 20 students. AVAILABLE FOR COLLEGE CREDIT Students may receive Undergraduate or Graduate credit for any of our workshops by enrolling in UWM, Biological Sciences, 562, Topics in Field Biology. The two day workshops carry one credit; the week-long workshops two credits. There is an additional tuition fee to receive credit. Contact the Field Station for information on how to enroll for credit and for the specific requirements for completion of individual "Topics" courses. Two day workshops schedule: Friday : 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday evening: discussion, individual study in the lab, or social Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. One week workshop schedule: (Ecological Geology) Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A list of recommended manuals or texts, useful materials, and special course instructions will be mailed upon registration. Personal collections are always welcome at identification courses. The workshop fee includes overnight accommodations (bring your own sleeping bag and towels). Tent space is also available. Four excellent meals (2 lunches, Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast) are provided at cost and are optional. All meals include plenty to satisfy vegetarians. FIELD HERPETOLOGY: IDENTIFICATION OF WISCONSIN AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES 30 & 31 May (Fri. & Sat.), 1 June (Sunday) is optional Instructor: Dr. Josh Kapfer received his Master's degree from UW-La Crosse in 2002 and his Ph.D. from UW-Milwaukee in 2007, where he studied the ecology of Bullsnakes in upper midwestern prairies. He has a decade of experience identifying Wisconsin's herpetofauna and conducting field-based herpetological research. He has taught or co-taught college level courses on amphibian and reptile identification numerous times over the past five years. The Course: This course will give students a sound background in identifying Wisconsin's amphibians and reptiles in both field and laboratory settings. Students will also receive information on the habitat, ecology, conservation, and status of these species within the state. Common techniques for field research in herpetology will be demonstrated, including handling, capturing and surveying techniques. The course can be completed Friday-Saturday, but students will have the option of returning on Sunday for further field surveys. [Back] VEGETATION OF WISCONSIN 9 - 14 June (Mon. - Sat.) Instructors: Dr. James Reinartz, Director, UWM Field Station is a plant ecologist and evolutionary biologist. Marc White is Director of Research, Stewardship and Adult Education at Riveredge Nature Center. The Course: Following "The Vegetation of Wisconsin" by John Curtis (1959), we will visit and study all of the major vegetation types in the state. In addition to study of the ecology, development, and dynamics of the original vegetation types of Wisconsin, we will explore plant communities which have developed as the result of disturbance, and the challenges associated with management of natural areas representing pre-settlement vegetation types. This will be a week of good old-fashioned ecology and botany. The course fee covers all transportation costs and lodging. Schedule: This course will be a week-long field trip throughout Wisconsin. We will meet at 9:00 am Monday, return to the Field Station Friday night, and finish by mid-afternoon Saturday. [Back] SEDGES: IDENTIFICATION AND ECOLOGY 20 & 21 June (Fri. & Sat.) Instructor: Dr. Anton Reznicek, Curator of Vascular Plants, University of Michigan Herbarium, has studied Cyperaceae, especially Carex throughout North America and in the tropics, and has a special interest in the Great Lakes region. The Course: Identification of sedges, especially Carex, will stress not only keying skills, but using ecological and vegetative characters to identify species and species groups. In addition to identification we will explore the importance of sedges in a variety of different communities, and gain an appreciation of the dynamics of some of the communities and the role of sedges in these dynamics. [Back] ECOLOGICAL GEOLOGY 7 - 11 July (Mon - Fri.) Instructor: Dr. Roger Kuhns is Senior Geologist/New Business at Black & Veatch. He has worked globally on geological, environmental, water and mineral resources assessment, and natural resource management. He currently is focused on Great Lakes region and continental coastal surface and groundwater issues, the use of ecological geology in land use and water use planning, renewable energy, and ecosystem restoration from mining projects. The Course: This class will introduce participants to the interrelationship between geologic features and the health and sustainability of surface and subsurface ecosystems. Geologic features will be examined, including bedrock types, compositions and structures, surfical glacial and outwash deposits, soils and local and regional variations in these. During the week we will take auger samples from the bog and surrounding areas and reconstruct the geologic and ecologic natural history of the area. The importance of bog geomorphology and chemistry will be discussed as part of the larger understanding of hydrology, geology and surface habitats. We will study how these features govern the flow rates, quality, and recharge ability of aquifers and how they define the geometry and surface-groundwater interactions in watersheds. The impact to ecosystems from human land and water use will also be presented. [Back] FISHES OF WISCONSIN: TAXONOMY, ECOLOGY AND IDENTIFICATION 18 & 19 July (Fri. & Sat.) Instructor: Dr. Michael J. Pauers received his Ph.D. from UW – Milwaukee in 2004. His major research interests are the evolution and behavior of fishes, especially the cichlids of Lake Malawi, Africa. Mike also has extensive experience with the fishes of Wisconsin, both in educational settings and as a field biologist. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Medical College of Wisconsin, investigating the role of color vision in circadian behavior in cichlids. The Course: Wisconsin is home to 147 native species of fishes, ranging from parasitic lampreys to colorful darters to majestic pikes and prehistoric sturgeons. This workshop will present the breadth of fish diversity in southeast Wisconsin, with an emphasis on the taxonomy and ecology of our native fishes, as well as how to identify them. Classroom and lab activities will cover the basics of fish taxonomy and anatomy, as well as some basic ecological aspects of fish biology. Field trips will offer opportunities to learn how to safely and effectively capture fishes in the wild; to learn "on-site" identification of fishes in the field; and opportunities for further discussions about the ecology and evolution of fishes. Students should come prepared to get wet and/or muddy! [Back] COMMON AND NUISANCE ALGAE 25 & 26 July (Fri. & Sat.) Instructor: Dr. Craig Sandgren , Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, UWM, is a specialist in algae and aquatic community ecology. He teaches courses in plant diversity, ecology of seaweeds, and biology of microscopic algae. The Course: This course will introduce students to the diversity and ecology of freshwater algae with an emphasis on summer "nuisance" forms in lakes and streams. Students will be introduced to characteristics used to identify algae using material obtained from field collections of living material. We will compare algal assemblages from different types of habitats as a basis for discussing algal "survival strategies". We will also discuss the interactions between nutrient pollution, algal nuisance blooms and the fish communities of lakes. The course will involve field collecting and video microscope observations in the lab. [Back] WETLAND DELINEATION 12 & 13 September (Sat. & Sun.) Instructor: Dr. Donald Reed is Chief Biologist with the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and provides consultant services concerning wetlands. His work includes wetland delineation, wetland function and quality assessments, and wetland mitigation and restoration planning. Among other studies and reports, he is the co-author of "Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota and Wisconsin". The Course: Designed to provide participants with an overview of Wisconsin wetland plant communities and the methods used to determine their boundaries. The use of federal and state recommended vegetation, soil, and hydrology criteria for boundary location and delineation will be emphasized. [Back] 3095 Blue Goose Road Saukville, WI 53080 Telephone (262) 675-6844 Fax (262) 675-0337 Email: fieldstn@uwm.edu Website: www.uwm.edu/Dept/fieldstation/ |
