ENSC 176: Acquisition and Analysis of Environmental Data (Summer)

This is an intensive three-week field class that is taught at the UC Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory near Mammoth Lakes, CA. The emphasis of the course is on sampling methods for air, water and soil for various environmental analyses. We also cover basic cartography, quality assurance/quality control protocols, and make extensive use of computers for statistical treatment and graphical presentation of data. We capitalize on a number of unique and interesting environmental issues in the eastern Sierra, and conduct hands-on sampling exercises at notable locations such as Hot Creek, Mono Lake, and the Devil’s Postpile National Monument. Registration is through the UCR Summer Session (2nd session), although instruction actually occurs in September, just prior to the start of Fall quarter.

Instructors: David Parker, Michael Anderson plus guest lecturers.

Please visit our 2003 Home Page

Registration:

Is through UCR Summer Sessions (2^nd session). Tuition must be prepaid no later than July 1, 2005. Enrollment is limited to 16 students.

Cost:

$680 for UCR/UC undergraduates; $750 for other undergraduates; $960 for graduate students. Includes tuition, transportation, and lodging, but not food or incidental expenses.

Dates:

Tuesday, Sept. 6 to Friday, Sept. 23, 2005.

Catalog Description:

ENSC 176. Acquisition and Analysis of Environmental Data. (5) Summer

Lecture, two hours; discussion, one hour; laboratory, three hours; field, three hours. Prerequisite(s): ENSC 100, ENSC 101, ENSC 102, either STAT 100A and STAT 100B or STAT 120A-STAT 120B; or consent of instructor. Explores general principles of environmental sampling. Field exercises cover sampling and analysis of air water, and soil; hydrologic and limnological measurements; and biological characterization of soils and surface waters. Topics also include principles and use of geographic positioning systems (GPS); basic surveying and cartographic techniques for site characterization; and interpretation and presentation of field and laboratory data using computer software. Cross-listed with SWSC 176. Parker, Anderson

More Information:

Dr. Parker: david.parker@ucr.edu or (951) 827-5126

Dr. Anderson: michael.anderson@ucr.edu or (951) 827-3757

Tentative Outline & List of Sampling Projects

Week 1:	Study of the vertical gradient in ozone (O₃) and nitric acid (HNO₃) deposition arising from the Central Valley. Monitoring of particulates (PM-10) in the Mammoth Lakes Area.
Week 2:	Limnological characterization of Convict, Crowley, Grant, and Mono lakes. Physical, chemical and biological transect along Hot and Mammoth creeks, including an electrofishing survey.
Week 3:	Riparian soils and vegetation in a moist alpine meadow. Soil CO₂ measurements at the Horseshoe Lake tree-kill area.

Student Responsibilities and Grading:

Each project will require a typed write-up ranging from a few to perhaps 10 pages. Included will be a number of graphs, charts, maps, and tables.
All projects will be done in teams of two to four students. It will be your shared responsibility to see that the workload is distributed evenly and fairly.
In addition to the six projects, there will be three homework assignments. These are to be done individually.
Grading will be on a letter-grade basis unless you petition for S/NC grading.