BIO 215 - Restoration Ecology

3 credit hours - Three hours weekly; one term.
This course meets the Biological and Physical Sciences General Education Requirement.

Learn basic techniques used to repair, restore and create ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on the diverse ecosystems of Maryland. Investigate how water quality is improved through established forest and meadow habitats, tidal and non-tidal wetlands, underwater grass meadows, and dune systems as well as through the construction of rain gardens and vegetated storm water treatment systems. This course does not satisfy a lab science requirement.

Prerequisite(s): Eligibility for ENG 101 /ENG 101A and either eligibility for any general education math or a score of 27 or better on the Arithmetic Placement Test or a B or better in MAT 005 .

Crosslisted: Also offered as BIO 215H ; credit is not given for both BIO 215 and BIO 215H .

Note: Typically offered at MC; spring term.

Course Outcomes:

Identify the abiotic factors that govern ecosystem attributes.
1. Identify all parts of the water cycle.
2. Distinguish between the effects of weather and the effects of climate on ecosystem composition.
3. Describe the influence of temperature on the sources of primary productivity.
4. Analyze the effects of soil type on the water cycle.
5. Evaluate nutrient cycling for the elements carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
6. Determine the difference between tidal and non-tidal wetlands with respect to hydrology.
7. Categorize the dominate ecosystems found in Maryland.
Describe the trophic levels observed in the major U.S. ecosystems.
1. Identify the trophic common in mountain areas.
2. Distinguish between the trophic levels of emergent wetlands and underwater grass meadows.
3. Describe the trophic levels in tidal and non-tidal wetlands.
4. Analyze the trophic composition of coastal plain regions.
5. Evaluate the differences between natural primary productivity and that associated with humans.
6. Determine how anthropogenic alterations to a regions hydrology influence natural trophic composition.
7. Categorize the food webs associated with the dominant ecosystems found in Maryland.
Analyze the structural and functions roles of the major plant structures.
1. Identify the structure and function of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds.
2. Distinguish between roots and underground modified stems.
3. Describe the roles of seeds in plant distribution.
4. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and vegetative reproduction in plants.
5. Evaluate the factors affecting primary productivity in plants.
6. Determine how various plants are modified to play different roles in succession.
7. Categorize the major plant groups.
Describe the different ways plants can reproduce and be propagated.
1. Identify the various requirements of a seed propagation system.
2. Distinguish between vegetative reproduction and propagation.
3. Describe the requirements of micropropagation systems.
4. Analyze the roles of symbionts in plant establishment.
5. Evaluate the cost-benefit ratio of plant size and establishment success.
6. Determine the role of succession in selecting propagation strategies for different ecosystems.
7. Categorize the reproductive pathways common to the dominant ecosystems of Maryland.
Evaluate the propagation strategies applicable to the different plant groups.
1. Identify the propagation strategy for sexual propagation of tidal wetland plants.
2. Distinguish between the sexual propagation of tidal wetland plants and vegetative propagation methods.
3. Describe the plant structures that might be used to clone herbaceous perennial plants.
4. Analyze the costs of sexual, vegetative and micropropagation plant production protocols.
5. Evaluate the relative effectiveness of sexual, vegetative and micropropagation plant production protocols for producing herbaceous and woody plants.
6. Determine the method for devising propagation protocols for a new species to be used in restoration.
7. Categorize the different methods of producing plants in all successional stages.
Describe the role of site hydrology for devising restoration strategies.
1. Identify the techniques used to modify site hydrology.
2. Distinguish between the hydrology of tidal and non-tidal wetlands.
3. Describe the hydrology of wetlands found in mountain areas.
4. Analyze the influence of sea-level rise and land subsidence on wetland hydrology.
5. Evaluate the effects of removing trees on site hydrology.
6. Determine the anthropogenic causes and effects of stormwater on local hydrology.
7. Categorize the ways the different components of the water cycle change water quality.
Identify the factors that contribute to successful forest restoration protocols.
1. Identify the different methods used to restore forests.
2. Distinguish between forest restoration for fiber and forest restoration for habitat and mixed use.
3. Describe the ways seeds are harvested for forest restoration.
4. Analyze the metrics used to evaluate restoration success.
5. Evaluate the advantages of fungal inoculations in seedling development.
6. Determine the costs associated with restoration methods.
7. Categorize the ecological benefits of forests 1, 5, 10, 30 and 50 years after restoration completion.
Explain the reasons for meadow restoration in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states.
1. Identify the types of meadows found in uplands.
2. Distinguish between techniques used to preserve meadows and those used to create meadows.
3. Describe the site preparation required for 3 different meadow management protocols.
4. Analyze the ecological benefits of meadows compared with forests.
5. Evaluate the anthropogenic effects on the persistence of natural meadows.
6. Determine the parameters needed to evaluate successful meadow restoration.
7. Categorize the types of maintenance needed to maintain wetlands and discuss whether these techniques are consistent with natural succession.
Explain the techniques used to restore non-tidal wetlands.
1. Identify the characteristics of 3 kinds of non-tidal wetlands.
2. Distinguish between seasonal and persistent non-tidal wetlands.
3. Describe the techniques used to restore non-tidal wetlands.
4. Analyze the seasonal changes in the water table that govern non-tidal wetland designs.
5. Evaluate the differences between non-tidal wetlands for habitat and those used to treat stormwater.
6. Determine the success criteria for non-tidal wetlands creation.
7. Categorize the changes that occur in created non-tidal wetlands over time.
Explain the techniques used to restore tidal wetlands.
1. Identify the characteristics of 3 kinds of tidal wetlands.
2. Distinguish between oligohaline and mesohaline tidal wetlands.
3. Describe the techniques used to restore tidal wetlands.
4. Analyze the changes that occur in the soils of created tidal wetlands over time.
5. Evaluate the effects of site energetics on tidal wetlands creation.
6. Determine the success criteria used for tidal wetland creation.
7. Categorize the changes that occur in created tidal wetlands over time.
Explain the techniques used to restore underwater grass meadows.
1. Identify the characteristics of underwater grass meadows.
2. Distinguish between oligohaline and mesohaline underwater grass meadows.
3. Describe the techniques used to restore underwater grass meadows.
4. Analyze the changes that occur in the soils of created underwater grass meadows over time.
5. Evaluate the effects of site energetics on underwater grass meadows creation.
6. Determine the success criteria used for underwater grass meadows creation.
7. Categorize the changes that occur in created underwater grass meadows over time.
Explain the techniques used to restore dunes.
1. Identify the characteristics of dunes.
2. Describe the techniques used to restore dunes.
3. Analyze the changes that occur in the soils of created dunes over time.
4. Evaluate the effects of site energetics on dune creation.
5. Determine the success criteria used for dune creation.
6. Categorize the changes that occur in created dunes over time.