Aquatic Plants and the Environment
SWES 474/574, ECOL 474/574, WFSc 474-574
Due Dates:
Select the links for descriptions.
8/21: First Class
Lab Report Format
9/20: Quiz
9/27: First Paper Due
10/9: Mid-Term
11/15: Second Mid Term
11/21: Undergrad Second Paper Due
11/29: Grad student Experimental Reports Due
12/10 2:00 - 4:00: Final Exam
Fall 2007 - TR 1:00 to 3:50
Room 410 Koffler Building
Course description: Aquatic plants are generally defined as those higher (vascular) plants completing their life cycles wholly or partly in a submerged state or in saturated soil. The course will cover aspects of the biology and ecology of aquatic vascular plants from freshwater (marsh and riparian) and estuarine environments. We will also examine environmental issues affecting wetlands, constructed wetlands, wetland management and legal issues surrounding wetlands. The course will include short field trips to constructed wetlands and local riparian zones during the class period and one Saturday field trip to a wetland in Arizona.
Instructors: Dr. Fitzsimmons, ph. 626-3324 and Dr. Glenn, ph. 626-2664
Instructors e-mail: kevfitz@ag.arizona.edu and eglenn@ag.arizona.edu
Office Hours: T & Th 12:00 in Koffler 410, or by appointment at Environmental Research Lab
Text: Wetlands 3rd Ed., Mitsch and Gosselink (required)
Other readings will come from a variety of journals as well as from media sources. These sources will be posted to the website, with hard copies available at the SWES office, Shantz room 429.
Course Goals:
1. To understand physical, ecological and biological dynamics of wetland systems.
2. To understand the environmental issues affecting wetlands, including mitigation and implementation of restoration projects, constructed wetlands.
3. To identify common aquatic plants of Arizona, understand basic taxonomy and use of taxonomic keys.
4. To identify aquatic nuisance plant species, their environmental impacts and control efforts.
5. To identify and characterize wetlands of the world and associated aquatic plants.
6. To improve scientific writing skills through review and synthesis of primary literature.
7. To investigate wetlands research and restoration projects in Arizona and the southwest.
