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FOREST 351 Forest Resources Measurements
Spring 2000
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Charles M. Ruffner phone 453-7469
Email ruffner@siu.edu
OFFICE HOURS: 1000-1300, Monday & Wednesday
COURSE LOCATION/TIME:
Lecture: AG 225/ 0800-0850, Monday & Wednesday
Lab: AG 195/ 1500-1650, Wednesday, Section 1
AG 195/ 1300-1450, Wednesday, Section 2
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this course is to train students in basic forest measurement, inventory, and monitoring skills. Emphasis is placed upon attaining proficiency in field forest measurement skills, upon which, much of your natural resources career will be based, in one way or another. Developing sound measurement skills in this class will prepare you for later courses taken here at SIU and/or further work in other natural resource fields including agency or private forestry, forest ecology and management, or similar research initiatives. I hope you take this course seriously, apply yourself, and learn as much as you can. I assure you, you will be asked to practice mensurational tasks for the rest of your natural resource career.
PREREQUISITE: Mathematics 140 & 283, or ABE 318
REQUIRED TEXT:
T.E. Avery and H.E. Burkhart (A&B). 1994. Forest Measurements (Fourth Edition). McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:
Cruz-al or 10 factor prism, Carbondale USGS 1:24,000 (7.5 min) quadrangle map, Engineers Scale (with 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, & 60 scales), Weatherproof (rite-in-the-rain) Field NoteBook, hand calculator with basic statistical functions (must be regression capable; i.e. two variable). (You may purchase all of these in the Campus Center Bookstore.)
Also recommended: rain gear, sturdy field boots, taxonomic field guides, pencils (2H), graph paper, ruler, clipboard, etc.
GRADING:
1. Quizzes and Tests (Scheduled according to the Syllabus)
Note: point assignment below is approximate.
Field Proficiency Test: 40 points
Homework/Discussion/Quizzes: 120 points
Lab Reports: 160 points
Field NoteBook: 30 points
2 Mid-termExams: 200 points
Final Exam (Cumulative): 100 points
650 total points
Note: All above requirements are due as listed below in Course Syllabus or assigned by instructor, except in-class quizzes which are designed to ensure active student involvement in learning. In the event an exam must be missed due to illness or other emergency, students must notify the instructor prior to the test period (within reason) so that other arrangements may be made. No make up exams will be administered without prior approval of instructor.
2. Lab Exercises: There will be 8 graded lab reports, each worth 20 points for a total of 160 points. These will be short (2-3 typed pages), but should usually follow standard technical report format (see text pp. 7-8). All sections of reports will be typed unless noted by instructor with no exceptions. Lab reports will be due one week after completion of the necessary field work unless indicated by instructor. Reports will be graded on QUALITY of content, data analysis and presentation, and compliance with the standard report format mentioned above.
3. Grading Scale: Final grades will be based upon a calculated percentage of the total points available with A > 92.0%, 91.99% > B > 84.0%, 83.99% > C > 70.0%, 69.99% > D > 60.0%, and F < 60%.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Although attendance in lecture is not mandatory it will be difficult for you to do well in this course without regular attendance. In addition, in-class quizzes will be administered every other week throughout the semester (see schedule below). Attendance at labs, however, is mandatory. I will maintain a lab attendance sheet and if you miss a lab, unexcused, that lab report will not be accepted. As a courtesy to me and your lab partner, it would be most helpful if you notified me, in advance, if you are going to be unable to attend a lab (due to illness or family emergency).
POLICY ON ACADEMIC HONESTY: You are expected to do your own work on all tests and assignments. Evidence that you have not done so will result in your failing the assignment and if egregious, the course.
FOREST 351: FOREST MEASUREMENT LABS
Lab 1: Compass and Map Work: Survey boundaries of a forest woodlot and draft a map.
Lab 2: Basic Descriptive Measurements: DBH, Height; Basic summary statistics including confidence intervals.
Lab 3: Estimating Plant Biomass: Measure standing timber and develop local volume tables
Lab 4: Plant Biomass with Regression: Develop allometric equations to predict plant weight using regression analysis.
Lab 5: Cruise Layout: Introduction to plot placement and sampling
Lab 6: Fixed Radius Plot Sampling: Estimate tree stem density and basal area on plots of fixed area
Lab 7: Plotless Sampling Methods: Variable radius (basal area) plots; Volume estimates
Lab 8: Site Index/Tree Age-height Relations: Increment boring; Stem analysis; Field Trip w/ estimated cost per student $4.
Lab 9: Field Proficiency Test
FOREST 351: COURSE SYLLABUS
Week Topic
1 Course Introduction [A&B, Ch. 1]. Intro to Compass and Map Work
Lab 1a: Begin Compass Work
2 Measuring the Land [A&B, Ch. 3]
Map Analysis, Quiz 1
Lab 1b : Tract Survey (continued)
3 Survey Computations
Maps and Area Determinations
Lab 1b: Finish Survey
4 Measuring Trees: Vital Statistics [A&B, Ch. 6]
Measuring Trees: Diameter and Heights, Volume [A&B, Ch. 4], Quiz 2
Lab 2: Basic Descriptive Measurements
5 Statistical Concepts [A&B, Ch.2]
Lab 3: Local Volume Table
6 Statistics: Confidence Intervals and Sample Size Determination [A&B, Ch.2],
Quiz 3
Lab 4: Estimating Plant Biomass with Regression
7 Exam 1 on 28 February, 2000
Sampling Design [A&B, Ch. 8 & 10]
Lab 5: Cruise Layout
8 Fixed Radius plot sampling [A&B, Ch. 9]
Vegetation Measurements - Importance Values, Quiz 4
Lab 6: Fixed Radius Plot Sampling
9 Spring Break
10 Variable Radius Plot Sampling [A&B, Ch. 11]
Lab 6: Fixed Radius Plot Sampling
11 Stand Table Projections [A&B, Ch. 9-10]
Stocking, Quiz 5
Lab 7: Variable Radius Plot Sampling
12 Exam 2 on 3 April 2000
Site Index [A&B, Ch. 14]
Lab 7: Variable Radius Plot Sampling
13 Growth Projections [A&B, Ch. 15], Quiz 6
Lab 8a: Site Index, dual lab, Field Trip to Cobden
14 Growth and Yield (A&B, Ch. 15 & 16)
Site Index [A&B, Ch. 14]
Lab 8b: Tree Age-height Relations
15 Stock Table Projections
Lab 9: Field Proficiency Test
16 3P Sampling, Timber Valuation
Final Exam: Mon., May 08, 1250-1450, room AG 225
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