University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Management(NREM)

Coastal and Wetland Ecology and Management– NREM 665

Catalog Description: The study of salt marshes, mangroves, sea grass beds, and coral reefs with an emphasis on the formation, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and community dynamics of these systems. Management, policy, and restoration strategies will also be discussed.

Instructor: Dr. Greg BrulandOffice:Sherman Lab, Room 226

Office Phone: (808) 956-8901Email:

Website:

Class Meetings: Tues. and Thurs. 9:00-10:15 PM, St. John 13 or TBD

Office Hours: Tues. 10:15-11:15 AM, Wed. 8:30-9:30 AM

Prerequisites: Advancedundergraduate coursework in hydrology, soils, and ecosystem ecology are recommended.

Required Texts:

Mitsch, W.J. and J.G. Gosselink. 2007. Wetlands, 4th Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY.

Mann, K.H. 2000. Ecology of Coastal Waters with Implications for Management, 2nd Ed. Blackwell Science, Malden, MA.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course you should:

  • Understandthe historical changesand current status of coastal and wetland ecosystems.
  • Be able to discuss verbally and in writing the functions and values of coastal and wetland ecosystems.
  • Gain an in-depth knowledge of wetland and coastal ecosystems and their formation, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and community dynamics.
  • Knowhow to classify wetlands and deepwater habitats according to the USFWS. classification system,calculate a water budget, balance redox reactions, assess the status of wetlands, sea grass beds and coral reefs.
  • Be familiar with current issues in coastal and wetland management such as sea level rise, invasive species, eutrophication, coral bleaching, ecological restoration, etc.
  • Be able to analyze resource problems for coastal and wetland ecosystems and suggest appropriate management strategies.

Expectations of Students: I expect that you will do the assigned readings prior to lectures. I expect that you will arrive to class activities on time, with the proper equipment, and that you will be respectful of your fellow students and me during all class activities. I expect you to be an active participant in class activities by taking notes, asking questions, and working with the other students in the course.

Expectations of the Instructor: My goal as an instructor is to make this course as enjoyable and useful to you as possible through a variety of methods such as lectures, readings, homework assignments, discussions, exams, field trip(s), and a final project. I will accomplish this by being punctual and prepared for course activities and enthusiastic about my duties as an instructor. I will communicate clearly about course objectives, policies, and assignments and listen carefully to your questions and concerns. I will grade assignments and exams fairly and return them in a timely manner. Finally I will be available during my office hours to provide additional assistance.

Course Activities: Include lectures by the instructor, guest lectures, in-class discussions of scientific literature,exams, readings from the textbook and scientific papers, videos,problem sets, a field trip, and a final project.

Classic and Current Literature Discussions: Throughout the semester we will take time to discuss classic and current papers from the field of coastal ecology and management as a class.

Problem Sets: You will be assigned 2-4 problem sets throughout the semester toapply knowledge from lectures, discussions, and readings to issues in coastal ecology and management.

Exams: An in-class midterm examination will be given in the middle of the semester. A final exam will be offered for those who do not wish to do a final project. The midterm and final will consist of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, short answer, quantitative calculation, and essay questions. See Course Schedule for dates.

Final Project: Instead of taking the final exam,you can chose to work individually on a final project. The project will consist of researching a current issue in coastal and wetland management of your choice. This could consist of a literature search, GIS analysis, field sampling, laboratory analysis, etc. You will present your findings to the class in an short oral presentation (5-8 minutes) at the end of the semester as well as write up a < 20 page final report in scientific journal or M.S./Ph.D. thesis type style; see graduate division website.

Grading:

Activity / Quantity / % of Grade
Participation / 10
Problem Sets / 2-4 / 25
Mid-Term Exam / 1 / 30
Final Exam/Project / 1 / 35

Participation: The participation grade will be determined throughout the semester based on attendance, punctuality, attitude, enthusiasm, and participation in course activities.

Letter grades will be assigned on the plus/minus system with grades assigned approximately as follows: > 90 % = A, 80-89 % = B, 70-79 % = C, etc.

Other Course Policies:

Late Assignments: Problem setand final project grades will decrease by one level (A to A- or C- to D+) each day following the due date. Assignments will not be accepted more than 5 days after the due date.

Excused Absences: In case of emergency extensions or absences, the instructor will need to be contacted prior to the due date of the assignment or exam. In such cases, extensions may be granted on an individual basis. Students will be expected to hand in assignments and take exams upon their return and will need to schedule a time to make this work up with the instructor. Students are responsible for acquiring course materials they missed as a result of absences.

Academic Integrity: Students in this course are expected to abide by the rules and regulations set forth in the UHM Student Conduct Code (SCC). On page 6 of the SCC cheating and plagiarism are defined as follows:

“1. Cheating includes but is not limited to giving or receiving unauthorized assistance during an examination; obtaining unauthorized information about an examination before it is given; submitting another’s work as one’s own; using prohibited sources of information during an examination; fabrication or falsifying data in experiments and other research; altering the record of any grade; altering answers after an examination has been submitted; falsifying any official University record; or misrepresenting of facts in order to obtain exemptions from course requirements.

2. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to submitting, in fulfillment of an academic requirement, any work that has been copied in whole or in part from another individual’s work without attributing that borrowed portion to the individual; neglecting to identify as a quotation another’s idea and particular phrasing that was not assimilated into the students’ language and style or paraphrasing a passage so that the reader is mislead as to the source; submitting the same written and oral or artistic material in more than one course without obtaining authorization from the instructors involved; or ‘drylabbing,’ which includes obtaining and using experimental data and laboratory write-ups from other sections of a course or from previous terms.”

Accommodations for Disabilities: Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability is invited to contact me privately. I would be happy to work with you, and the KOKUA Program (Office for Students with Disabilities) to ensure reasonable accommodations in my course. KOKUA can be reached at (808) 956-7511 or (808) 956-7612 (voice/text) in room 013 of the Queen Lili'uokalani Center for Student Services.

Final Caveat: All material on this syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor to suite the needs of the course.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE NREM 665Fall 2008

Week (Date) / Lecture/Discussion Topic / Reading Assignment(s)
to be completed prior to class sessions / Other
1 (8-26) / Introductions,Syllabus, Historical Background / M&G: Chap. 1 & Appendix B; Mann Chap. 1 / Take Quiz; Complete survey
1 (8-28) / Global Distribution, Abundance and Loss / M&G: Chaps. 2 & 3, Appendix A
2 (9-2) / Ecosystem Functions and Values;
Discussion / M&G: Ch. 11;Richardson 1994 or TBD1
2 (9-4) / Wetland Formation and Development / M&G Chap. 7; Mann Chap. 2
3 (9-9) / Wetland Classification / M&G: Chap. 8 / Assign PS1
3 (9-11) / Wetland Hydrology / M&G: Chap. 4
4 (9-16) / Redox Chemistry / M&G: Chap. 5
4 (9-18) / Redox Con’t. and Wetland Soils
5 (9-23) / Wetland Soils; Discussion / Bruland et al. 2006 or TBD
5 (9-25) / Biogeochemistry of C / PS 1 Due2
6 (9-30) / Biogeochemistry of N and P / Assign PS2
6 (10-2) / Salt Marshes / Mann Chap. 3 / Decide Exam or Project
7 (10-7) / Salt Marshes, Mangroves; Discussion: / Mann Chap. 4; Silliman et al. 2006
7 (10-9) / Mangroves Con’t.
8 (10-14) / Guest Lecture or Discussion: TBD / PS 2 Due
8 (10-16) / Catch-up and Review / 1 p. Proj Proposal Due
9 (10-21) / MIDTERM EXAM
9 (10-23) / Guest Lecture-Sea Grasses: Ms. Kim Peyton (UHM) / Mann Chap. 5
10 (10-28) / Sea Grass Hydrodynamics & Biogeochemistry
10 (10-30) / Coral Reef Formation, Development, Classification / Mann Chap. 16
11 (11-4) / NO CLASS - ELECTION DAY
11 (11-6) / Coral Reef Hydrodynamics, Biogeochemistry / Assign PS 3
12 (11-11) / NO CLASS – VETEREN’S DAY
12 (11-13) / Coral Reefs Continued; Discussion / Stat et al. 2008 or TBD
13 (11-18) / Coastal Ecosystem Management / M&G Chap. 9 & TBD
13 (11-20) / Coastal Policy / M&G Chap. 14 & TBD / PS 3 Due
14 (11-25) / Guest Lecture-Coastal Policy & Management: Dr. Diane Drigot (MCBH) / Mann Chap. 18
14 (11-27) / NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
15 (12-2) / Wetland, Sea Grass, & Coral Reef Restoration / M&G Chap. 12 & TBD
15 (12-4) / Restoration Con’t.; Discussion / Yeemin et al. 2006 or TBD
16 (12-9) / Guest Lecture-Coral Reefs of the Kona Coast, Dr. Janna Shackeroff (NOAA) / TBD
16 (12-11) / Final Project Presentations Course Evaluation
17 (12-18) / Final Exam 9:45 – 11:45 AM
Or Final Projects (paper not electronic copy) due at 10:00 AM.
1TBD = To Be Determined, based on interests and background of students, pacing of the course, etc. For some topics no readings may be assigned, for others, more than 1 reading may be assigned.
2These are tentative due dates for the Problem Sets. They may be changed if needed.

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