SOE 304: Ecosystem Field Measurements

Course Description

This course involves the following: measurement and analysis of forests, wildlife habitat, and rangelands using field equipment and spatial sampling techniques; development of employment skills in forestry, forest restoration, and wildlife management. By learning about various measurement techniques from the tree to the landscape, students will develop the quantitative reasoning and critical thinking skills necessary to address complex issues in ecology and the management of terrestrial ecosystems.

Prerequisites: SOE 204; SOE 300 or BIOLOGY 372 (or concurrent enrollment in either); SOE 301 (or concurrent enrollment)

Materials

• Forest Mensuration Textbook (5th Edition) by Kershaw, J. A. K., M. J. Ducey, T. W. Beers, and B. Husch. 2016. Wiley Blackwell. Electronic version available for free through WSU’s library.
• Spencer combination loggers and diameter tape (linear distance on one side and diameter on the other). I recommend: Model 590DC (English – 72′ for linear distance and 120″ for diameter)
• Compass (Silva Ranger compass)

Software

• Office 360 (for Microsoft Excel); this is available for free to WSU students
  • Installation tips

Course Syllabus

For more information regarding this course, see the syllabus.