Columbia College
Dendrology (FORES 10)
Instructor: Dr. Tom Hofstra
Fall 2007
Meeting/Credit information
Lecture:
Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 PM - 2:05 PM (Toyon 2)
Lab:
Thursday 2:15 PM - 5:30 PM (Toyon 2)
Field
trips as announced
3
units
Office hours (Toyon 2): I welcome and encourage students to discuss course-related
issues with me outside of lecture and lab time.
Please make an appointment with me in a timely manner, either in person
or by email.
Phone: 588-5155
E-mail:
hofstrat@yosemite.cc.ca.us
Web Page: http://columbia.yosemite.cc.ca.us/hofstrat/Default.htm
Textbook and
other materials:
Required Hardin Harlow & Harrar's
Textbook of Dendrology 9th ed 2001 isbn
9780073661711. McGraw Hill
Required Watts Pacific Coast Tree Finder
2nd ed 2005 isbn 9780912550275. Nature Study Guild
585-482-6090
Optional Arno Discovering Sierra Trees
1 2000 isbn 9780939666041. Yosemite Association
209-379-2646
Optional Little Audobon Society Field Guide
to N. American Trees isbn 9780394507613. Random House
800-733-3000
Supply Botany
paper for sample collection. Clear Contact paper
Course Description: Silvicultural and
botanical characteristics, identification, classification, range, and uses of
native forest species of the United States; emphasis on plants of economic
importance to forest practices in California and the western United
States. Field trips may be required.
Course Objectives:
After
completing this course each student should be able to:
1)
Demonstrate
a general knowledge of the science of Dendrology and understand its relevance
to professions in forestry and natural resources,
2)
Demonstrate
general knowledge of all genera of the major forest trees in the United States,
3)
Demonstrate
specific knowledge of major softwood (gymnosperms) forest species in the
Western United States,
4)
Demonstrate
specific knowledge of major hardwood (angiosperm) tree and shrub species in
California, Oregon, and Washington,
5)
Demonstrate
an understanding of the concepts of dichotomous plant key design and use,
6)
Demonstrate
an understanding of the interrelationships existing between soil, geology,
climate, humankind and plant cover,
7)
Understand
and appreciate the diversity and complexity of the California flora in relation
to other western states,
8)
Recognize
introduced ornamental or exotic trees in relation to native forest species,
9)
Understand
the techniques of collecting, processing, and mounting plant specimens.
Rules:
1.
Cheating will not be tolerated and will result in immediate
failure (F) for the course.
2.
Turn
off your cell phone during lecture and lab.
No text messaging during lecture and lab. Don't even look at your cell phone during
class time.
3.
If
you come in late (which is frowned upon) be quiet, don't let the door slam, and
sit in the closest seat to the door you came in.
4.
Wear
or bring shoes and clothes that you can walk in the woods in if you have too.
|
Source |
Date |
Points |
|
Midterm
Exam 1 |
Tues
Oct 16th |
100 |
|
Final
Exam |
Thurs
Dec 13 |
100 |
|
Laboratory
Reports/ Assignments |
Weekly |
100 |
|
White
Mountains Field Trip |
October
5-7 |
50 |
|
General
Participation/attitude |
Always |
100 |
|
Plant
Collection |
15th
week but accepted earlier |
100 |
|
Quizzes
(3) |
Sept
11, Oct 9, Dec 6 |
75
(3 x 25) |
|
Total |
|
725 |
Participation in lecture
and lab is mandatory and will be monitored (attendance will be taken on random
days when I remember to) and figured into your final grade.
Exams will be in
two parts. A take home portion
consisting of a choice of questions (you pick 3 of 5) will be distributed the
period before the scheduled day of the exam.
This portion is worth 45 pts, is open book, and you are encouraged to
use a variety of resources, but you must work alone. You may use the take home exam during the in
class portion of the exam. The take home
portion of the exam will be due the day of the exam before lab starts at 2:40
PM. Late take-home exams are marked down
1pt/minute late. The in class portion of
the exam is worth 55 pts, and consists of short answer, multiple choice, and matching
questions. Spelling of scientific terms
is very important and will be counted when your tests are graded. Tests will cover the material discussed in
lecture, activities, and corresponding text readings. The three lecture exams
will not be cumulative.
White
Mountains Field Trip: This is a required three-day field trip to the
White Mountains to observe the ancient bristle cone pine in the high desert
mountains of eastern California. The
dates of the field trip are October 5th through the 7th. More details on the field trip will be given
early in the semester. This field trip
substitutes for the regularly scheduled laboratories during the 1st,
10th, 12th, and 15th weeks. The White Mountains field trip is worth 50
points.
Plant
Collection: Each student will be responsible for submitting a collection
consisting of a minimum of 25 plant species indigenous to this locale. All specimens must be carefully mounted and
correctly identified. Instructions for
preparing the collection must be followed carefully in order to receive full
credit. Collections must be submitted by
the 15th week and will be accepted earlier if convenient to the
student. Worth 100
points.
If you have an
emergency, contact me prior to an exam.
Make-up exams will be given under extenuating circumstances only and
will require written documentation validating the reason for missing the exam
(e.g. Doctors note).
Field trips:
When
we go on field trips you have to provide your own transportation. We meet at the site of the field trip. Carpool.
Field trips
may take either lecture or lab time or both.
Longer field trips on the weekends may require not having class some
week.
Tentative Schedule
|
Week |
Topic |
Chapters |
Event |
|
1 |
Lecture: Introduction to
dendrology, term definition, scientific nomenclature, taxonomic
classification of flora, common name usage, field dendrology techniques Lab: No lab (White Mountains
field trip substitutes) |
1,
2, 3 |
No
lab |
|
2 |
Lecture: Introduction to the
white pines; scientific names, ranges, habitat, field features, uses and
uniqueness Lab: Field walk, Columbia
College campus flora (3 hrs) |
4,
5, 6, 7 |
Campus
walk |
|
3 |
Lecture: White pine species
(continued): scientific names, ranges, habitat, field features, uses and
uniqueness Lab: Field walk, Columbia
College campus flora (3 hrs) |
8 |
Campus
walk |
|
4 |
Lecture: White pine species
(continued): scientific names, ranges, habitat, field features, uses and
uniqueness Lab: Streamside riparian
plant field trip, Columbia area (3 hrs) |
8 |
Quiz
#1 (Tues) Campus
walk |
|
5 |
Lecture: Introduction to the
yellow pines: scientific names, ranges, habitat, field features, uses and
uniqueness Lab: Mid-elevation flora
field trip, Twain Harte area (4 hrs) |
8 |
Twain
Harte |
|
6 |
Lecture: Yellow pine species
(continued) Lab: White Mountains field
trip (Friday-Sunday) |
8 |
White
Mountains Field Trip |
|
7 |
Lecture: Yellow pine species
(continued) Lab: Bennett Juniper - Eagle
Meadow Road |
8 |
Quiz
#2 (Tues) Bennett
Juniper |
|
8 |
Lecture: Introduction to the
hemlocks, false hemlocks, and redwoods; scientific names, ranges, habitats,
field features, uses and uniqueness Lab: Mid elevation flora
field trip, Pinecrest Lake |
8 |
Midterm
exam (Tues) Pinecrest
Lake |
|
Week |
Topic |
Chapters |
Event |
|
9 |
Lecture: Hemlocks, false
hemlocks, and redwoods (continued); scientific names, ranges, habitats, field
features, uses and uniqueness Lab: Big Trees State Park
field trip |
8 |
Big
Trees |
|
10 |
Lecture: Introduction to the
firs; scientific names, ranges, habitats, field features, uses and uniqueness Lab: No lab (White Mountains
trip substitutes) |
8 |
No
lab |
|
11 |
Lecture: Fir species (continued);
scientific names, ranges, habitats, field features, uses and uniqueness Lab: Local
ornamentals/exotics field trip, Sonora area |
8 |
Street
trees |
|
12 |
Lecture: Introduction to the
larches and spruces; scientific
names, ranges, habitats, field features, uses and uniqueness Lab: No lab (White Mountains
trip substitutes) |
8 |
No
lab |
|
13 |
Lecture: Introduction to cedars,
cypresses, junipers; scientific names, ranges, habitats, field features, uses
and uniqueness Lab: Indoor lab: cone
identification using keys |
8 |
|
|
14 |
Lecture: Introduction to yew,
nutmeg and selected species; scientific names, ranges, habitats, field
features, uses and uniqueness Lab: Indoor lab: winter twig
and bud keys |
8 |
|
|
15 |
Lecture: Introduction to local
hardwood trees and shrubs and Eastern U.S. species Lab: No lab (White Mountains
trip substitutes) |
9 |
Quiz
3 (Tues) No
lab |
|
16 |
|
|
Final
Exam |