BI553

Paul W. Nelson. The Terrestrial Communities of Missouri [Second Edition; Revised 2005].

You will be able to judge from the title of the book why the course is so named.

This book is a revised version of the text by the same name and same author published in 1985 by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The early publication very quickly became "The Bible" for terrestrial field ecologists working in Missouri in terms of defining the characteristics of Missouri's natural divisions and the terrestrial communities that occupy them. The new version, like the old, was produced via the Missouri Natural Areas Committee - a group or consortium representing the following state and non-governmental agencies:
Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy. Author Paul Nelson is currently a fire ecologist and planner with the U.S ' Forest Service - Mark Twain National Forest but previously served as Director of Natural History Division of Missouri's Department of Natural Resources. As you can imagine, therefore, he has a considerable familiarity with Missouri's natural environment. Paul was also - and remains - one of the prime proponents of the use opf managed prescribed fires as a means of promoting and restoring many of Missouri's natural communities (glades, savannas, prairies) that have suffered as a result of agricultural and forestry management of European settlers.

After a day of 'classroom' presentations / discussions of the principles of ecological classification, the course will be primarily a field trip based course, involving trips (during the third and fourth weeks these will involve several days of camping) to explore examples of as many of the eighty or more community types listed in the book among the nine categories:

While BI332 General Ecology or its equivalent is not a pre-requisite, it would be very useful for students to have completed something like this. If you are interested, please contact me at ajournet@semo.edu

List of the Terrestrial Communities and Locations identified in Nelson - an Excel File:
This list identifies the 'type' locations for the communities, and incorporates the developing plan of where we will be going. So far, there are way too many sites so by the time we start, I will have narrowed these down to a manageable number. Click Here

Tuesday May 15^th	Introduction to Course, Ecological Classification, Missouri’s Natural Divisions. Some assignments. Meeting Time: 9:00 - 3:00 with an hour for lunch 12:30 - 1:30.
	Course Introduction PowerPoint (Day 1 hand-out)
	Ecological Classification PowerPoint (Day 1 hand-out)
	Nelson's System Introduction PowerPoint (Huge Day 1 hand-out)
	Vegetation - Community Matrix Excel (Don't print this - it's huge)
	Please check against Nelson for errors as you use it
	Scheduled Site Visits and Communities Excel (Day 1 hand-out)
	Week I Community Type Summary Excel Spreadsheet
Wednesday May 16^th	Practice at tree and plant identifications Los Inocentes del Norte; critical plant identification skills. Allan Bornstein will guide us in developing some grass/sedge/herb skills. Meet at 8:00 and van to the site - spend the day there; I'll provide Pizza for lunch; finish 3:30 - 4:00.
Thursday May 17^th	Field trip to Trail of Tears – Vancil Hollow Natural Area An initial data collection exercise. Also Sheppard Point Trail Appalachian Forest example: Bob Gillespie, Regional Biologist with Missouri Department of Conservation will join us.
Friday May 18^th	Cahokia Mounds excursion - confirmed. An all-day trip 8:00 to 5:30/6:00 p.m. including lunch on the road and programs at Cahokia at 1:00 p.m. (video) and 2:00 p.m. Presentation by: Bill Iseminger, Archeologist at Cahokia. RULES: If you plan to take notes in the gallery, they will issue "writing permits" so park volunteers know you have permission to do so. You will need to keep all notebooks in your hands and not set them down on anything to write, which can cause damage to our displays and exhibit furniture. Also, you can take photos, but no flash photography.
WEEKEND
Tuesday May 22^nd	Home Base: Big Oak Tree State Park, Mississippi County Wetland Forests. Resource Steward Allison Vaughn will join us. Depart from campus at 8:00 a.m. Bring packed lunch and dress for field work.
Wednesday May 23^rd	Home Base: Stoddard and Scott Counties: Sand Forest, Savanna & Prairie. Depart from campus at 8:00 a.m. Bring packed lunch and dress for field work.
Thursday May 24^th	Hickory Canyon / Pickle Spring / Creek N.A. / Hawn State Park - Sandstone Forest, Woodland, Cliff communities Depart from campus at 8:00 a.m. Bring packed lunch and dress for field work.
Friday May 25th	Mudlick Mountain N.A, Sam A. Baker S.P. Igneous Forest, Woodland, Cliff & Talus D.N.R. Naturalist Michelle Soenksen will join us. Depart from campus at 8:00 a.m. Bring packed lunch and dress for field work.
WEEKEND
Tuesday May 29th	Travel to camp at Lake of the Ozarks S.P. for visit to Ha Ha Tonka S. P. Limestone / Dolomite and Chert Forest , Woodland, Savanna, Talus. Paul Nelson, Forest Ecologist with Mark Twain Natural Forest will join us at Ha Ha Tonka. Depart from campus at 8:00 a.m. Bring packed lunch and camping gear/supplies for the week.
Wednesday May 30th	Continue at Lake of the Ozarks and Ha Ha Tonka.
Thursday May 31^st	Travel through Shannon & Reynolds County to camp at Sam A. Baker S. P. Visits to Pioneer Forest Virgin Pine stand and Fens.
Friday June 1^st	Complete above and return home
WEEKEND
Tuesday June 5^th	Travel to camp at Long Branch S. P. Chariton County - camping facilities good. Targets: Loess/Glacial Till Savanna, Prairie, Woodland Communities. Ken McCarty, Chief, Natural Resources Management Section, Operations and Resource Management, Department of Natural Resources will join us. Depart from campus at 8:00 a.m. Bring packed lunch and camping gear/supplies for the week.
Wednesday June 6^th	Pershing S.P. with Ken McCarty: Bottomland Forest, and wetland prairie and marsh. Travel to Prairie S.P. in Barton Co (west) - explore prairie natural areas. Camp at Prairie (sorry - it's primitive camping - all they have).
Thursday June 7^th	Explore Sandstone and Shale prairies in Natural Areas with Brian Miller, Resource Steward, Prairie S.P. assisted by Naturalist Cindy Coghill. Return home possibly via some mid-Missouri sites.
Friday June 8^th	Day to complete final projects.

CLASS MEETING TIMES:
When we are taking trips, I will insist that participants join us in the van unless specific clear alternate arrangements are made. This is because, on occasions, class activities will occur en route in the van.

WEEK ONE:
Since this is a primarily a lab / field course involving considerable travel time, we spend more than the lecture format of 45 hours for three credits on activities.

Tuesday May 15th: On the first day, we'll meet 9:00 - 3:00 approximately, with an hour for lunch around 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. The on-campus class meeting location is the A&P Lab, Rhodes 316.

Wednesday May 16th - For this day of field work, we'll meet at 8:00 van to the field site (Los Inocentes del Norte) - where we'll spend the day honing identification skills - I'll provide a Pizza lunch. If you wish, you an meet us at the site by 8:45 a.m. (I'll provide maps).

Thursday May 17th - Ditto for Vancil Hollow Natural Area in Trail of Tears State Park -but bring your own packed lunch.

Friday May 18th - Meet in parking lot (Henderson side, west of Rhodes Hall) to van to Cahokia Mounds. Can plan picnic or sac lunch or have lunch on the road - 2:30 trip to Cahokia Mounds. Returning probably around 5:00 - 5:30. Can meet us en route if more convenient.

Meet each day at 8:00 a.m. in Rhodes Parking Lot (upper) for day trips; bring packed lunch and appropriate clothing for the weather.

Tuesday through Friday camping. Meet at 8:00 a.m. as above to load van and depart.