Forestry and Geology Courses

An environmental survey course which addresses the important features, processes, and issues of forested landscapes. Topics include major tree species, forest biology and ecology, tree structure and function, silviculture, forest management, forest products, and U.S. forest policy and laws. The focus on North American forests is set within a context of global forest issues. Lab exercises emphasize fieldwork, utilizing the diverse array of local forest types present on the Cumberland Plateau and nearby Appalachian Mountains. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips. (Credit, full course.) Staff

An overview of the contemporary use of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources on local, national, and international scales. This discussion-oriented class focuses on the controversial social and environmental issues that have shaped the formation of natural resource policy in the U.S. and the world. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith

This course focuses on how agricultural practices alter the chemical and physical properties of soil. Students examine the origins of a select group of major crops, how humans have used and altered the plant over time, and the soil and environmental conditions that these crops prefer. Approximately half of the class is conducted in the student-community garden. In the process of starting a winter garden and preparing it for spring planting, students take soil samples and measure variables such as nutrient and organic matter analysis, soil temperatures, and soil moisture contents. They also learn to identify relevant plant species. Prerequisite: Fors 121 or Biol 130 or Geol 121 or Chem 101. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith.

A survey and analysis of how vertebrate animals affect forest processes, with particular emphasis on forest regeneration on the Cumberland Plateau. This discussion-oriented class also addresses the history and current status of U.S. and international wildlife management, and the effects of forest management on game and non-game species. Students interact with wildlife management professionals in Tennessee and design and implement a field study to quantify the effects of vertebrate animals on forest growth and development. Fall of even-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Torreano, K. Smith

This course explores the identification, biology, and morphology of woody plants, with emphasis on the major forest species of North America. Primary focus is on the ecophysiological characteristics of species and their roles in forest succession, species distribution across the landscape, and responses to disturbance and environmental stress. Includes field identification of native trees and shrubs of the eastern U.S., with special emphasis on the Cumberland Plateau and the southeast. Lecture, laboratory, and weekend field trips. (Credit, full course.) Kuers

An introduction to the use and management of trees in the developing world. Social and technical aspects of forestry are considered. Topics include the role of forestry in development, land and tree tenure, the role of women in forestry projects, agroforestry, trees in traditional systems, the forest as habitat, and the role of western technology as applied to forestry in the developing world. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith

Study of the environmental stresses associated with urban landscapes and their impact on establishing and maintaining trees in urban environments. Topics include the theory and practice of individual tree care; biology of tree response to stress, disease, and nutrient assessment; impacts of trees on urban climate; and urban forest inventory and planning. Prerequisites: For 121 or Biol 106, or permission of instructor. Lecture and field trips. Spring of odd-numbered years. Prerequisite: Fors 121 or permission of instructor. (Credit, full course.) Kuers

A seminar on a topic related to forestry and natural resources. May be taken more than once for credit. (Credit, half or full course.) Staff

A field and analysis course in which students learn the techniques of stream and watershed evaluation through active participation in a watershed monitoring project. Activities will focus upon stream and watershed sampling procedures, analytical laboratory techniques, and the synthesis, analysis, and reporting of data. This half course does not serve in fulfillment of the general distribution requirement in natural science. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and Fors 121 or Geol 121. Non-laboratory course. (Credit, half course.) Kuers

A study of the principles and practices employed in forest and watershed restoration across North America. Emphasis placed on the scientific tenets of restoration (ecosystem function and process), field monitoring techniques, the concept of adaptive management, collaboration and conflict resolution, and the development of restoration policy. Prerequisites: Fors 121 or Geol 121 or Biol 130 or Biol 131. Laboratory course. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith

This case-studies-based course focuses on the protection and management of water resources and associated biodiversity. Students are introduced to the principal federal and state laws governing the rights and responsibilities of landowners, with emphasis on how such regulation affects management decisions and economic outcomes. The course promotes understanding of the legal/regulatory environment through study of common and statutory law, as well as critical analysis of the outcomes. Case studies involve both international and local problems. Students gain practical experience by applying science-based monitoring guidelines and methods, together with opportunities for community engagement work. (Credit, full course.) Torreano

A study of soils as they relate to land use, bedrock and geomorphology, site quality, and vegetation processes. Emphasizes field interpretation of soils as one component of terrestrial ecosystems. Prerequisites: Geol 121 and Chem 101; or permission of the instructor. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith, Torreano

Explores the interrelationships between structure and function of forested ecosystems, approaching the forest community from a physiological perspective. Emphasizes the influence of microclimate, nutrient cycling, and disturbance on community productivity and composition. Prerequisite: Fors 121 or 211, or permission of instructor. Spring of even-numbered years. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips.  (Credit, full course.) Kuers

Principles and methods employed in the estimation of forest and other natural resource parameters. Introduction to the uses of statistical models in drawing inferences about biological populations with an emphasis on sampling theory and field methods. Topics include: the scientific method, methods to assist students in the interpretation of both experimental and observational data, and elements of experimental design with an emphasis on biological applications. Prerequisites: Fors 121 and either Math 101 or Stat 204; or permission of instructor. Fall of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Torreano

Principles and practices of establishing, tending, and harvesting forest stands on a sustainable basis. Emphasis on ecologically sound techniques of managing forests to meet diverse landowner objectives such as watershed management, wildlife habitat enhancement, recreational use, insect and disease control, and/or timber production. Prerequisite: Fors 121 or permission of instructor. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips. Spring of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Kuers, Torreano

Occurrence, movement, quality, and behavior of water in the hydrologic cycle with emphasis on surface and underground water. Includes techniques and problems of measurement and utilization. Prerequisite: Geol 121. Lectures, three hours; laboratory and field trips, three hours. (Credit, full course.) Knoll

A detailed examination of important components and processes in tropical and boreal forest ecosystems, which collectively comprise over seventy-five percent of the earth's forests. Topics include: the climate, soils, and unique plant life that characterize these two biomes; carbon and nutrient dynamics in undisturbed forests; and the effects of land-use change on properties of these forested systems. Prerequisite: Fors 121, or Biol 130 with permission from instructor. Spring of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith

A survey of theory and methods used in natural resource management analysis and decision making with an emphasis on forests and some other renewable resources such as wildlife. Students use resource modeling and decision-making software to address problems in managing multiple resources. Emphasis is on (1) evaluation of the effects of land characteristics, tax policy, risk, and interest rates on management; (2) choice among policy alternatives proposed by competing groups; and (3) application of concepts of management, policy, economics, and spatial analysis to land management. Practicums involve analysis of resource data and presentation of preferred strategies. Prerequisite: Economics 101, Forestry 121, and Forestry 312, or written permission. Fall of even-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Torreano

Oral presentations of important topics and published data in forestry, geology, and other environmental sciences. Course goal is to train students through practice to give and critique oral presentations appropriate for scientific or other professional research. Each student gives several presentations and formally critiques other presentations as part of the course. Prerequisites: Junior status in forestry, geology, or natural resources. (Credit, half course.) Staff

An interdisciplinary field-based study of a selected portion of the University Domain or surrounding area. The primary focus of the study is to conduct a detailed analysis of interrelationships between the project area's geology, forest cover, hydrology, archeology, economics, history, and current use, and to use these parameters to critically evaluate the land-use issues of the area. Students produce a professional-quality written report of their analysis and also orally present their results to department faculty and seniors. Prerequisites: Senior status in Forestry, Geology, or Natural Resources. (Credit, full course.) Staff

An opportunity for student majors to explore a topic of interest in an independent or directed manner. (Credit, half to full course.) Staff

A study of the geological features and processes that shape the earth's surface and subsurface. Lectures detail major components of the earth and the dynamic processes that generate them (including rocks, minerals, fossils, mountain belts, ocean basins, tectonic activity, magma formation, and climate change). Environmental issues related to geology (earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, groundwater contamination, and coastal and stream erosion) are major topics of discussion. Field-oriented lab exercises utilize excellent geological exposures of the Cumberland Plateau and the nearby Appalachian Mountains. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips (including one weekend trip). (Credit, full course.) Staff

A study of economically valuable minerals and rocks (including metals, nonmetals, industrial minerals, and hydrocarbons) in terms of their origin, tectonic settings, extraction, and use. Topics include global distribution and genesis of deposits in relation to plate tectonic theory, prospecting techniques, mining methods, mining laws, economics of the mineral and petroleum industries, and environmental problems associated with exploration and development. Prerequisite: Geol 121 and Chem 101, 102, or 103. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips, (Credit, full course.) Shaver

A study of the occurrence, crystal structure, chemistry, and origin of minerals, with special emphasis on the geological environments where they form. Laboratory work includes hand-lens, microscopic, and X-ray diffraction analysis of minerals. Lecture, laboratory, and field work. Fall of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Shaver

A study of the history of the earth, including its physical environments, the history of life, and the tectonic development of the earth throughout geologic time as recorded in the rock record. Emphasis on North America and paleoenvironments of the Cumberland Plateau. Prerequisite: Geol 121. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips. Fall of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Potter

A study of sedimentary rocks and the processes that form them. Field and class studies stress the link between modern sedimentary environments and their ancient counterparts. Emphasis on rocks of the Cumberland Plateau and other nearby areas. Prerequisite: Geol 121. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips. Fall of even-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Potter

A study of individuals, populations, and communities of plants and animals of the geologic past: their taphonomic histories, interactions with changing environments, and relationships to the sedimentary rock record. One weekend field trip. Prerequisite: Geol 121. Fall of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Knoll

A study of climate change, its causes, and the impact of such change on sea level, glacial regimes, and the development of life through geologic time. Special emphasis on evidence for past and recent climate change. (Credit, full course.) Knoll

This interdisciplinary field course combines the study of geology, oceanography, marine biology, botany, and wildlife behavior in a single coastal island ecosystem. Taken in conjunction with Biol 240 and Psych 240. Prerequisite: completion of Biol 140 and acceptance into the Island Ecology Program. Offered each summer. (Credit, full course.) Zigler, K. Smith, Potter

A study of soils as they relate to land use, bedrock and geomorphology, site quality, and vegetation processes. Emphasizes field interpretation of soils as one component of terrestrial ecosystems. Prerequisites: Chem 101, or permission of the instructor. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips, three hours. (Credit, full course.) K. Smith, Torreano

Occurrence, movement, quality, and behavior of water in the hydrologic cycle with emphasis on surface and underground water. Includes techniques and problems of measurement and utilization. Prerequisite: Geol 121. Lectures, three hours; laboratory and field trips, three hours. (Credit, full course.) Knoll

This is a field and project-based course that investigates the movement of natural and man-made contaminants through the ground water and surface water systems of watershed. Prerequisite: Geol 314 and instructor’s permission. Non-laboratory course. (Credit, half course.) Knoll

Systematic study of the genesis, occurrence, composition, and classification of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Topics include origin and crystallization of different magma types, metamorphic processes, and tectonic environments specific to certain rock suites. Laboratory work includes hand specimen and microscopic examination of igneous and metamorphic rock suites. Prerequisite: Geol 221. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field trips. Spring of even-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Shaver

The course focuses on the geological evolution of the Colorado Plateau, the Rio Grande Rift, and the Rocky Mountains. Extensive use of geologic maps and periodicals. An additional half course may be earned with successful completion of a field trip to western United States. Prerequisite: Geol 121 and permission of the instructor (Credit, half or full course, depending upon the specific term in which the course is offered.) Potter

A detailed field notebook is kept by students on this three-week trip. Early summer of even-numbered years. (Credit, half course.) Potter

A study of deformed rocks and an introduction to tectonics. Preparation and interpretation of geologic maps; solution of basic structural problems. Field work emphasizes geologic mapping on the Cumberland Plateau and in more structurally deformed areas in eastern Tennessee. Prerequisite: Geol 121. Lecture, three hours; laboratory and field work. Spring of odd-numbered years. (Credit, full course.) Potter

Oral presentations of important topics and published data in forestry, geology, and other environmental sciences. Course goal is to train students through practice to give and critique oral presentations appropriate for scientific or other professional research. Each student gives several presentations and formally critiques other presentations as part of the course. Prerequisites: Junior status in forestry, geology, or natural resources. (Credit, half course.) Staff

An interdisciplinary field-based study of a selected portion of the University Domain or surrounding area. The primary focus of the study is to conduct a detailed analysis of interrelationships between the project area's geology, forest cover, hydrology, archeology, economics, history, and current use, and to use these parameters to evaluate critically the land-use issues of the area. Students produce a professional-quality written report of their analysis and also orally present their results to department faculty and seniors. Prerequisites: Senior status in forestry, geology, or natural resources. (Credit, full course.) Staff

An opportunity for students to explore a topic of interest in an independent or directed manner. (Credit, half to full course.) Staff