Dear friends, Earn three credit hours in two weeks! Tell your students, colleagues, departments, and friends it's not too late to register. There are still spaces available in several of the field biology courses at the Highlands Biological Station in western North Carolina, including the two detailed below. Visit www.highlandsbiological.org to view others, and to download the application packet.
Courses may be taken for 3 credit hours, and the fee is only $700 ($600 for students from member institutions) plus housing ($150 - $250 per two-week course, depending on the accommodations). Best, Michelle Ruigrok and Karen Kandl Principles of Conservation Biology June 17-29 - Peter White<http://highlandsbiological.org/instructor-biographies/>, UNC-Chapel Hill This course presents the major biological principles that are important in our efforts to conserve biological diversity. The setting of Highlands Biological Station will allow us to examine and illustrate those principles through field work in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Highlands area. Topics to be covered include: the history and philosophy of conservation goals, the definition and measurement of biological diversity, island biogeography and conservation, communities and ecosystems, natural disturbance and patch dynamics, the special problems of islands, exotic species, and ecological restoration. Students will explore computer simulations of ecosystem and population dynamics, population genetics, and island biogeography. Prerequisites: general biology, ecology, or permission of instructor. Syllabus<http://www.highlandsbiological.org/wp-admin/pdfs/2013syllabi/HBS2013_syllabus_white.pdf>. Forest Ecosystems of the Southern Appalachians July 1-13 - Alan Weakley<http://highlandsbiological.org/instructor-biographies/>, Julie Tuttle<http://highlandsbiological.org/instructor-biographies/>, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Stephanie Jeffries<http://highlandsbiological.org/instructor-biographies/>, NC State University The purpose of this course is to introduce students to patterns and processes in forested ecosystems of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The focus is on natural vegetation, with an emphasis on vascular plants. Through lectures, readings, and discussions, students will be introduced to a series of topics, including biogeography, paleo-ecology, classification of vegetation, regional environmental patterns, succession and community dynamics, vegetation/environmental relationships, and current threats to the integrity of these systems. Trips to a variety of natural areas will illustrate these topics in the field. Students will be expected to participate fully in all group activities and to maintain personal journals summarizing the information presented. Prerequisites: general biology, ecology, or permission of instructor. Syllabus<http://www.highlandsbiological.org/wp-admin/pdfs/2013syllabi/HBS2013_syllabus_jeffries_tuttle_weakley.pdf>. -- Michelle Ruigrok Program Assistant | Highlands Biological Station 265 N. 6th St. | Highlands, NC 28741 Tel: (828) 526-2602 | Fax: (828) 526-2797 www.highlandsbiological.org Mission: To foster research and education focused on the rich natural heritage of the Highlands Plateau.
