BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ASSIGNMENTS, Fall 2017

RESEARCH PROPOSAL (this has multiple steps, with products due at various dates through the term; this link will give you the frame-work and due-dates for each step -- but stay tuned for modifications).
       - First step of Research Proposal (5 questions) is due MONDAY 18 SEPT

 PROBLEMS/PROBLEM SETS:

       First Problem Set (DUE WED. 20 SEPT)
            Some examples and comments re first problem set
       Second Problem Set (DUE WED 4 OCT)
            examples and comments
       Third Problem Set (DUE WED 25 OCT)
            examples and comments
       Fourth Problem Set (DUE MON 20 NOV)
            examples and comments
       Final Problem Set

LABS (AND OTHER STUFF):

1. Species-Area Lab Writeup:  DUE MON. 25 SEPT

2. 'Field log' for last two field trips with notes on species identification: DUE 18 OCT
    This should include a) notes on 4-5 tree species for each week's field trip focusing on properties that, in your own observations of the species, emerge as most useful in identification/recognition (these might be properties from the ID keys -- but those are often not the most useful in direct field identification, and b) a couple of paragraphs to a page of observational notes focused on ecological observations in the field for each field-trip -- things that struck you as distinctive about habitats, that suggested interesting questions/research ideas, or that were interesting in terms of insights about ecological processes in general...

3. BEAN LAB/Natural Selection Simulation Writeup: DUE MON. 13 NOV (see separate email for data and instructions)

4.  Forest carbon sequestration lab: Hand in answers to following questions by Thursday AFTER THANKSGIVING (30 Nov):
    a. You can get the data by either:
        - downloading an excel spreadsheet here, or
        - if you want to work in google sheets,  download the excel file, then: 1) in your google drive click 'new' and 'upload', 2) choose the excel file to upload or drag the file to the upload window (depending on interface you find)  
    b. We will review/talk about spreadsheet functions in lab.  Building on this, use the formulas provided in the spreadsheet to estimate total aboveground biomass for the two permanent forest study plots ('maple' and 'pine'; each is on a separate tab in the spreadsheet).  Convert these values into some sort of useful "biomass density" unit (kg/ha is a good one; estimates are in kg; plots are 500 square m; ha = 10,000 square m) for each plot. (NOTE that these are 'dry biomass' estimates -- organic matter without water).
    c. Convert the CHANGE in biomass to an estimate of RATE of NET CARBON UPTAKE by aboveground biomass (this is a component of the ecosystem's net primary production, or NPP).  Put this in terms of a rate of change in biomass density (e.g. kg/ha/yr) for each plot for each of the study intervals between measurement dates and overall (for the full 13 years).
    d. To answer questions below, you will need to convert biomass or NPP values to values for CARBON contained; dry biomass is about 40% carbon.
NOW WRITE IT UP: Format is up to you, but write-up should be clearly structured and should include
    A. A summary of results (estimates of biomass densities and NPP, and how they've changed over time) in a reasonable format (graphs are always appropriate).  If you get ambitious you might do this by species as well as total
    B. Answers to the following questions:
        1. Are these forests CARBON SINKS (accumulating biomass and so extracting C from the atmosphere on average) or SOURCES (decreasing in biomass and so adding C to atmosphere)?  
        2. Are there differences between the stands? If so, offer one hypothesis for why they might differ in this way (you may consider what you know or think likely about the history and nature of the two stands -- the pine stand is a plantation that is around 50 years old, with some other species now growing among the pines; the maple stand is much older, as we talked about in the field).
        3. For one of these stands, estimate the total amount of C being taken from or added to the atmosphere for an area of similar forest the size of campus (approximately 450 acres; look up conversion from ha to acre on google; a hectare is larger than an acre; make sure your conversion goes in the right direction!).  Find information about how much C is added to the atmosphere for each gallon of gasoline burned, and calculate the 'gasoline equivalent' of the change in standing biomass per year (either per ha, or for an area the size of campus)?
        4. Note that we are considering only LIVING, ABOVEGROUND biomass of trees here.  What are some other potentially significant reservoirs of carbon in these forests that you'd want to look at if you wanted a full estimate of the carbon dynamics of these forests?