Forest Ecology FOR 341 Spring 2004

2004 Forest Ecology Grade Basis

Updated on 2 April & 20 May. 

1. "C" grade. Student knows basic facts, concepts and other course content as demonstrated by performance on examinations and written assignments, and submits all written assignments on time, in the requested format and with a minimum of spelling, grammatical and syntax errors. This will be considered average performance expected in this university course. Every student at OSU should easily be able to achieve this performance.   A corollary of this is that students who decide to submit papers late and/or request an incomplete grade in order to complete papers should expect a grade lower than "C". Another corollary is that students who choose not to ensure that written assignments are in appropriate, university-level (i.e. not casual, colloquial) English and format should not expect a grade of C or higher.

2. "B" grade. In addition to meeting criteria above, a student consistently demonstrates that she or he can integrate basic facts and concepts; demonstration of above-average knowledge and understanding. Above-average scholarship. 

3. "A" grade. In addition to meeting criteria for grades of B and C, a student consistently demonstrates ability to apply integrated facts and concepts to new situations; demonstrates knowledge, understanding and integrative abilities. Consistent demonstration of having thoughtfully considered and integrated facts and concepts in relation to 'real world' issues and to as-yet-unencountered situations. Consistently superior scholarship. 

Based on thirty-four years of university teaching experience I estimate that most students are intellectually capable of B-level work and that many are capable of A work, based on the above criteria. My experience also indicates that many students do not strive to reach their maximum academic potentials, in part, at least, because they choose to spend time and energies on other than academic matters, at the expense of developing thorough knowledge, understanding and reasoning abilities and capacities for integrative thinking. Extra-curricular activities and superior scholarship are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are often mutually supportive. However, many students choose to allocate time and energies in ways that preclude them from developing their full scholastic potentials.  Your achievement is largely up to you. I will try to provide you with the atmosphere and opportunity to learn and demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of forest ecology as we consider it in this course.

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The College of Forestry Code of Professional Conduct (Honor Code) applies, of course: http://www.cof.orst.edu/cof/teach/honorsys.php.

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Grading for FOR 341 for 2004 will be based on each student's demonstration of knowledge and understanding as documented in written assignments and in class participation.  Following are the elements of my basis for assigning grades in view of the above-stated policy.

• Scientific paper reading critiques, due at beginning of class time on Fridays of weeks 3, 6, 9.
  Criteria for critiques are documented at the linked webpage.
• Copies of  notes taken on Tuesday forest outings.  Due at class time the Wednesday following each trip.
• Integrative essays to evaluate knowledge of classroom discussions, text materials and information from Tuesday and Central Oregon forest outings. (These replace take-home exams of previous years.)
• Forest ecosystem description for group project stand.  Outline and criteria will be provided and discussed..
• Class participation, including demonstrated knowledge of each "Tree of the Week", and or knowledge of other assigned readings; for 2004 this may include some in-class "quizzes" and other writing assignments.
• Final grades for the course will be assigned as A, B, or C based approximately on achievement of 90%, 80%, or 70% of total potential points, and consistent with the grading policy stated above.

                      Example exams from previous years represent the types of essay problems to expect.

... organized and specific .. help me completely understand- can't give you any credit for something you did not write

Recall the 60 - 80 year old hemlock forest (our second stop inside the gate on Woods Creek Road) that had been thinned some years ago; assume 10 years ago for this exam. Use that forest and site as a framework for responding to the following.

1. (20). Assume that the trees thinned and removed were all Douglas-fir trees, i.e. the original stand was a mixed hemlock - Douglas-fir forest. How would the major attributes of ecosystems, as discussed by Kimmins in our text, be changed if the mixed forest had been clear cut harvested (rather than thinned) followed by a "cool" broadcast burn that burned mostly slash and shrubs and not much forest floor?
   Kimmins's ecosystem attributes (p.28)
   Structure, biotic and abiotic components
   Green plants
   Forest floor
   Soil
   Micro/meso climate
   Animals
   Microbes
   
   Function(s): exchanges/flows of matter (C, H20, nutrients) & energy
   Energy flows
   Carbon flows
   Water dynamics
   Nutrient element dynamics
   Soil - vegetation - soil "exchanges"
   Plant-animal interchanges
   Microbes/Decomposers processing organic matter and nutrients
   
   Complexity
   "Multiple statistical determination" of
   functions: water, energy, nutrients, …
   Veg growth: complexity/simplicity after cut and burn
   Animals: habitats
   Microbes
   
   Interactions and Interdependencies
   Atmosphere - plants
   Soils - plants
   Plants - plants
   Plants - microbes
   Plants  - animals (micro, meso, macro)
   
   Temporal changes
   Structure
   Components: new/different dominant plants, animals, microbes
   Functions
   Energy
   Water
   Nutrients
   Interactions
   

   ... Recall the 60 - 80 year old hemlock forest (our second stop inside the gate on Woods Creek Road) that had been thinned some years ago; assume 10 years ago for this exam. Use that forest and site as a framework for responding to the following.

2. (20). For the thinned stand as we saw it, and assuming an original mixed hemlock - Douglas-fir forest, discuss likely ways in which energy flows in the forest were changed by the thinning and for the 10 years after that.

   Primary production: sources;

   Primary production: allocations to tops; foliage; stems; roots

   Consumption: herbivory by big animals; insects, …

   Decomposition

3. (20). Assume the same scenario as in #2. Discuss likely changes during the 10 years after thinning in dynamics of nitrogen and one other essential macronutrient element (other than C, H or O).

   	N inputs
   	N transformations: N gas; organic forms; ammonium; nitrate; uptake; decomposition
   	N uptake by plants
   	N in litterfall
   	N outputs
   	Ion x:___ inputs (rock weathering, …)
   	Ion x :___ transformations:; organic forms; forms in soil;  uptake; decomposition
   	Ion x: ___ uptake by plants
   	Ion x: ___ in litterfall
   	Ion x :___ outputs
   

4. (20). Assume the same scenario. Describe details of the dynamics ("cycle") of the millions of atoms of nitrogen that might "cycle" through the site during a very hot, stand replacement fire and for 60 years thereafter. Assume that only the stand we looked at burned; that the hotshot and smokejumper crews kept the fire out of all adjacent forests stands.

   N losses in "smoke" (volatile forms)
   
   N losses in leaching and or erosion
   
   N "releases" in soils from decomposition
   
   N inputs from: rain; fixation; by alder; ? other
   
   N uptake by plants
   
   N allocation / storage within plants
   
   N in litterfall: foliage/tops; root decomposition
   

   Recall the 60 - 80 year old hemlock forest...

5. (20). For foresters who might be considering replacing our "scenario" stand with fast-growing eucalyptus trees to be harvested on a 7 year rotation what lessons could be learned from hill farmers in west Java as described in the text? What differences in ecosystem attributes would be important in this consideration?

   Applications to hemlock site "analogues" of the Java system:

   Steep slopes; shifting ag': cut-burn-food crops-forest fallow on "long/reasonable" cycle.
   Lessons:

   Fallow / recovery time: (Kimmins's "ecological rotation")
   Time required for renewal of nutrient reserves after burning; cropping; ?erosion?..

   Ecological characteristics of plant species invading degraded sites
   (clump bamboo, roots: ?Oregon analogues)

   Management of invading species: (bamboo: 4-5 yr growth yields erosion-protecting roots and litter; cut; burn w/ ash for fert';)

   Control of foraging animals

   Kill competition providing organic "fertilizer";

   Weed control of sprouting competition

   Intermediate vegetation (food crops)
   Including N-fixing legumes

   Intermediate benefits of food and firewood before return to forest "fallow"

   Natural succession after "abandonment" rejuvenates soils

   Ecosystem differences:

   		Soils
   		Climate
   		Plant species
   		Potential for intermediate values from forest
   		

Remember the College of Forestry Honor Code. If you have studied the class materials and discussed them with your classmates before this exam, you will have had ample opportunity to develop your abilities to effectively respond to the exam.