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2006-07 Undergraduate Catalog

Course Descriptions


College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

FAS 4305C Introduction to Fishery Science
Credits: 3; Prereq: refer to the department.
Principles of fish management in freshwater and marine systems. Includes field and laboratory techniques for aquatic habitat and fishery resource assessment, aquaculture practices and consideration of contemporary issues pertinent to sport and commercial uses of renewable fisheries resources.

FNR 3131C Dendrology/Forest Plants
Credits: 4; Prereq: refer to the department.
Provides students with a basic understanding of the classification, nomenclature, morphology, ecological relationships, associations and uses of the major forest tree and shrub species of North America.

FNR 3410C Natural Resource Sampling
Credits: 4; Prereq: STA 2023.
Basic concepts of sampling. Design of cost-effective sample surveys. Sampling methodology applicable to natural resources: simple random, stratified, systematic, multi-phase and multi-stage. Cluster sampling, ratio, regression and difference estimation. Line transects. Computer simulation of sampling methods. Intro to remote sensing, geographic information and global positioning systems.

FNR 4623C Integrated Natural Resource Management
Credits: 3; Prereq: refer to the department.
An integrative approach to the study of forest resource management for the production of multiple products, such as timber, recreation, wildlife, rangeland, etc., utilizing the case study approach.

FNR 4660C Natural Resource Policy and Administration
Credits: 3; Prereq: junior or senior standing.
Factors in evolution of forest, range, wildlife and related natural resources administration and policies in the United States; policy components; policy formation in implementation, administration and change processes; introduction to criteria for evaluating effectiveness of policies and administration.

WIS 2040 Wildlife Issues in a Changing World
Credits: 3.
Emphasis given to current wildlife conservation issues in Florida and the Southeast. (B).

WIS 2040L Wildlife Issues in a Changing World Laboratory
Credits: 1; Coreq: BSC 2006, WIS 2040 or WIS 2552.
This laboratory will include exercises designed to complement lecture material in WIS 2040 and will provide students with an opportunity to gain experience in identification of wildlife species in the SE US. This course will also satisfy graduation requirements for students needing a lab. (B)

WIS 2552 Biodiversity Conservation: Global Perspectives
Credits: 3.
Introduction to the relationship between humans and the global biotic environment that supports them. This course explores human patterns of resource use and population biology determining the status of the earth's biodiversity resources. The goal of this course is to help students understand how today's human society affects global life support systems, and how individuals can make lifetime contributions to environmental solutions. (B, I)

WIS 3030 Survey of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Credits: 1. Prereq: junior standing with WIE or RCN classification.
Overview of the history and culture of the profession; careers in wildlife or natural resource conservation; Department structure, policy, and programs; use of campus research, academic and career resources; methods of networking, management and teamwork; critical thinking and the scientific method; preparing for graduate school; leadership and volunteer opportunities; and other practical experience.

WIS 3401 Wildlife Ecology and Management
Credits: 3; Prereq: BSC 2011 and BSC 2011L.
Wildlife as natural resource with emphasis on principles of conservation, ecology and management.

WIS 3401L Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab
Credits: 2; Prereq: WIS 3401.
A laboratory designed to familiarize students with the characteristics, life history traits and identification of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians of Florida.

WIS 3402 Wildlife of Florida
Credits: 3.
Introduction to diversity of wildlife species in Florida with emphasis on amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds.

WIS 3402L Wildlife of Florida Laboratory
Credits: 1.
Introduces diversity of wildlife in Florida's ecosystems with emphasis on field identification, natural history and ecology of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

WIS 3403C Perspectives in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Credits: 3; Prereq: WIE major.
Introduction to key concepts and contemporary issues in wildlife ecology and conservation, with an emphasis on critical reasoning skills.

WIS 3434 Tropical Wildlife
Credits: 3; Prereq: WIE major, junior standing, BSC 2011 and BSC 2011L.
Tropical Wildlife is an interdisciplinary course that teaches students about both the ecology of animals and the socio-economics of wildlife use. The first part of the course deals with the biology of tropical wildlife and the second with the historical, economic and political aspects of the use and management of tropical wildlife.

WIS 4203C Introduction to Landscape Ecology
Credits: 3; Prereq: STA 3024 and PCB 3034C, PCB 3601C, PCB 4044C or FOR 3153C.
Central constructs and methods of landscape ecology are applied to wildlife ecology and conservation.

WIS 4427C Wildlife Habitat Management
Credits: 3; Prereq: WIS 3401.
Application of land management practices and their effects on wildlife habitats in Florida.

WIS 4443C Wetland Wildlife Ecology
Credits: 4; Prereq: WIS 3401.
Ecological principles of conservation and management of wildlife in wetland environments, including a survey of the structure and function of major wetland types.

WIS 4474 Biogeography: An Ecological and Evolutionary Approach
Credits: 3; Prereq: FOR 3153C, GEO 2200, PCB 3034C, PCB 3601C, PCB 4044C or WIS 3401.
Patterns and processes of distribution of biota on the earth across a wide range of spatial and time scales. Includes ecological processes and environmental gradients, biodiversity, biomes, sources of novelty, islands and oceans, plate tectonics, ice ages, mass species extinctions, natural colonizations, impact of human cultures and climate change. Global perspectives and Florida.

WIS 4501 Introduction to Wildlife Population Ecology
Credits: 3; Prereq: WIS 3401 and PCB 3034C, PCB 3601C or PCB 4044C or FOR 3153C.
Introduction to the dynamics and regulation of biological populations and life-history theory.

WIS 4523 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation
Credits: 3; Prereq: WIS 3401 or WIS 4554.
Local and international models are used to provide an interdisciplinary overview of the theory and practice of conservation education, environmental communication and integrated resource management and conservation.

WIS 4541 Terrestrial Wildlife Resources
Credits: 3; Prereq: WIS 3401.
Principles and problems associated with the conservation and management of wildlife in terrestrial environments, from urban areas to wilderness, with emphasis on the ecological relationships underlying management strategies.

WIS 4542L Wildlife Population Analysis
Credits: 2; Prereq: WIS 3401.
To expose students to some of the common methods used to estimate animal abundance/density in the wild; to analyze wildlife population data; and to measure the use of space and resources by animals.

WIS 4547C Avian Field Techniques
Credits: 2; Prereq: 1 course each in ecology and vertebrate ecology.
Intensive advanced field experience in scientific study design and ecology of wild bird populations and communities.

WIS 4554 Conservation Biology
Credits: 3; Prereq: AGR 3303 or PCB 3063, PCB 3034C, PCB 3601C, PCB 4044C or FOR 3153C, and WIS 3401.
This course is an overview of the major problems in conservation and of the biological principles and theories to preserve this diversity.

WIS 4601C Quantitative Wildlife Ecology
Credits: 3; Prereq: STA 2023 and WIS 4501.
Concepts and applications of quantitative techniques in ecology and wildlife management.

WIS 4904 Undergraduate Research Proseminar
Credits: 1; Prereq: WEC major, junior standing.
Lectures and discussions in class explore the nature and processes of designing and conducting original research in ecology and conservation biology. This course is required for all students seeking graduation with high or highest honors in the Honors Program. Students seeking admission into the Department's Honors Program must take this course in the spring semester of their junior year. This course is open to all majors and can be taken at any point by students not seeking admission to the Honors Program.

WIS 4905 Individual Problems
Credits: 1 to 4; can be repeated with change in content up to 8 credits. Prereq: permission of instructor.
Individual study of a selected topic related to wildlife ecology and conservation as contracted with the instructor at the start of the term.

WIS 4906 Honors Project
Credits: 1 to 6; can be repeated up to 6 credits. Prereq: permission of instructor.
Independent honors research project. This course is open only to students in the CALS Upper-division Honors program.

WIS 4934 Topics in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Credits: 1 to 4; can be repeated with change in content up to 8 credits.
Selected topics in wildlife, forestry, range, recreation and fisheries. Topics include special current issues and in-depth study of topics not covered in other courses.

WIS 4941 Practical Work Experience in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Credits: 1 to 4; can be repeated with change of experience up to 8 credits. (S-U)

WIS 4945C Wildlife Techniques
Credits: 2; Prereq: WIS 3402.
Practical training in wildlife research techniques including radiotelemetry, methods of trapping, immobilization and marking of birds, mammals and herps.

WIS 4949 Cooperative Education in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Credits: 1 to 3; can be repeated with change of work program up to 3 credits.
Practical co-op work experience related to wildlife ecology and conservation under approval of industrial, business, institutional or government agency supervisor. (S-U)



General Education Categories
Consult Schedule of Courses for specific information.

  • Composition (C)
  • Mathematical Sciences (M)
  • Humanities (H)
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (S)
  • Physical (P) and Biological (B) Sciences
  • International (I) and Diversity (D) focus


Symbols Used in Course Descriptions
Consult Schedule of Courses for specific information.

  • (WR) indicates the course satisfies the writing requirement.
  • (MR) indicates the course satisfies the math requirement.
  • (S-U) indicates the course must be taken on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis.