T, Th Fall 2000

1:00 - 4:55 Rm B208

Instructor: Chuck Yohn, B 211 Phone: 3572 E-mail: YOHN

Lab Assistants: Brian Olsen, Dana Piccone

Course Goals : To provide you with skills to systematically collect and identify vertebrate species of the northeastern United States. Lab work will focus on the identification, natural history and ecology of common vertebrates as well as specimen preservation, captive rearing, and field research techniques. The laboratory experience will consist of lectures, laboratory exercises, and field trips. The extensive field aspect of this course requires your active participation and cooperation. I hope that from this course you will gain an appreciation of the diversity and remarkable adaptive strategies of common vertebrate species.

Texts: Required - Peterson Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians

Fishes of Pennsylvania

Peterson Guide to the Birds - Eastern Peterson Guide to the Mammals

Recommended - How to Know the Fresh Water Fishes

S. Eddy and J. Underhill, 1969

Pennsylvania Amphibians & Reptiles

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission

Keys to the Vertebrates of the Eastern United States

Illustrated Key to the Skulls of Genera of North American Land Mammals

Grading: Your grade will be based on 5 Exams, 5 Quizzes, 4 lab projects and a lab journal.

Exams 50% (250 pts)

Quizzes 20% (100 pts)

Journal 10% ( 50 pts)

Projects 20% (100 pts)
 
 
 
 

Exams will mainly focus on species identification and natural history, and be specific to a given taxon (not comprehensive). Quizzes will also be taxon specific and focus on important identification characteristics for that taxon. I reserve the right to alter the grading scale if deemed necessary.

Journal - Each student will be required to keep a field journal to chronicle species observations and collections. Journals will be turned in at the end of the semester and evaluated based upon the volume, detail, and thoroughness of journal entries. Details on appropriate field note formats will be provided during the first lab period.

Field Trips: Much of the laboratory experience requires field work. Field Trips are often weather dependent and your flexibility with scheduling will be necessary. I will keep you informed of field trip schedules through e-mail and phone mail, as well as during lecture. The course includes a Sunday morning trip and an overnight trip to the field station. The 6 day camping trip to the Okefenokee Swamp during fall break requires an additional lab fee. We will strive to keep trip costs minimal.  I reserve the right to adjust the schedule and syllabus of the course as need.

Our ability to provide extensive field experiences is based upon students acting responsibly and in a spirit of cooperation. Irresponsible behavior and / or blatant disregard for safety is grounds for dismissal from the course.

Students may not

Bring alcohol, drugs or weapons on field trips

Purchase alcohol, drugs or weapons on field trips

Equipment - For this lab course, you will need the following equipment:

1. Field Notebook with bond or ledger paper (paper will be provided)

1. Waterproof pen of pencil
2. Good pair of scissors

An Important Note About Museum Specimens Many of the specimens that you will be using for species identification exercises in the lab are fragile, difficult and expensive to replace (if replaceable at all) and are, consequently, quite valuable. It is extremely important that you treat museum specimens with care and respect to ensure that the specimens will be available to future classes. Please be advised that I have very strong feelings about proper care of museum specimens.

Lab Hours and Guests: The lab will be open during the day and evenings to vertebrate zoology students only. Because we will have live animals, hazardous chemicals and valuable specimens in the lab, all guests must be escorted. The lab should not be considered as a general study area for students not enrolled in the course.

Lab Behavior – It is expected that you will keep lab stations clean, tidy and safe for fellow students.

Do not;

Leave out liquid preserved specimens to desiccate

Leave any unlabeled chemicals or specimens

Leave chemical spills and broken glass

Leave malodorous rotting corpses or body parts

Leave volatile chemicals exposed to the atmosphere such as acrylic and formalin

Leave personal items unrelated to lab on the lab benches.

Bring food into the lab

Do

Report damaged or missing specimens and materials ASAP

Report any violation mentioned above

Obey lab safety procedures

Clean up your lab station at the end of each lab

You will be penalized 10 points for each incident of "bad behavior" as mentioned above
 
 

Each students must complete three of laboratory projects to receive full credit. Appropriate projects include, but are not necessarily limited to the following;

Specimen Project (max of three projects)

1 study skin or 3 preserved specimens or 1 painted latex casting or 1 acrylic embedded specimen or 1 cleared and stained specimen or 1 cleaned skull. Specimens must be in good condition and properly preserved and labeled according the lab notes. Please get prior approval on any specimen.

Public Service (max of one)

One day of project service with Game commission bear check or deer check station (or other with instructors approval). A journal entry is required for full credit.

Education (max of one)

Deliver any public education program, including elementary school programs, seminars etc., about any species of vertebrate or vertebrate issue. A copy of the curriculum that you presented is required for full credit.

Maintain Live Specimen in Lab (max of one)

Keep any non-human species of vertebrate alive in the lab for display. The specimen must be completely cared for (fed / watered / cage cleaned) and survive at least three weeks. Arrangement must be made for care or return of the specimen at the end of the semester. You must record your specimen maintenance activities and behavioral observations in your journal. Finally, the specimen must have an accompanying interpretive card, similar to that found in a field guide or museum, which identifies the species and briefly discusses its natural history. The card must be typed, professional looking, an in place within five days of bringing the specimen into the lab. If you bring a live animal into the lab and do not care for it, you will be penalized 30 points.

Biodiversity Field Survey (Worth 2 units)

Conduct a population census of any vertebrate species. You are required to turn in a written report that describes the census technique and the results.