UF/IFAS – Plant City

UF/IFAS – Plant City

NRC Course List

FNR 3131C Dendrology/Forest Plants (core)
- 4 credits
- 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 (core)
- 4 credits
- 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. Introduction to remote sensing, geographic information and global positioning systems.

FNR 4040C Natural Resource Communication (core)
- 3 credits
- Study of the principles of effective communications in natural resources including audience, message, media, information sources and formats; provides for practical experiences with the development and applications of communication plans, including proven natural resource programs.

FNR 4623C Integrated Natural Resource Management (core)
- 3 credits
- Requires senior (4) classification
- 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 (core)
- 3 credits
- Factors in evolution of forest, range, wildlife and related natural resources administration and policies in the United States; policy components; policy formation implementation, administration and change processes; introduction to criteria for evaluating effectiveness of policies and administration.

FOR 4905 Individual Study in Natural Resources
- offered every fall, spring, and summer
- 1 to 4 credits
- Requires FY classification
- Individual study of a selected topic related to forest resources and conservation as contracted with the instructor at the start of the term.

FOR 4934 Topics in Natural Resources
- special offerings available at instructor's discretion
- 1 to 4 credits
- Requirements depend on course material
- Topics in forestry, wood science, range, recreation, wildlife and fisheries. Topics include special issues and in-depth study of topics not in other courses.

FOR 4934 Wetland Delineation from an Ecological Perspective

- 3 credits

- Wetland plants, soils, and hydrology as applied to wetland delineation and wetland permitting. This course will emphasize field skills including wetland plant identification, hydric soils, and identification of hydrological indicators and apply them to wetland delineation and permitting.

FOR 4934 Forest Ecosystems of the South: Field Tour

- 2 credits

- In this class students will get a chance to observe and study some of the most interesting and diverse forest communities found in the South, especially those that are not well represented in Florida. The trip will be a week-long field tour and stops will include “old growth” bottomland hardwoods, piedmont forests, upland hardwoods and higher elevation conifers in the Appalachians. Students will have a chance to meet professionals and scientists working in some of these areas to learn first hand about the issues impacting these forests.

FOR 4934 Critical Thinking : Challenging Your Ecological Perspective

- 1 credit

- This is a seminar style course that will explore new and different ways of thinking about science and ecological issues. We will investigate how our perspectives can be limited by our personal experiences. We will explore through reading and discussion the importance of scale (time, spatial) to formulating our ecological perspectives. We will learn how to change our existing paradigms and new ways of approaching some of the pressing ecological problem facing society. This course is intended for students that recognize that the problems facing ecologists, conservationist, and natural resource professionals are complex and require new scientific approaches and critical thinking. We will be developing and exercising those skills throughout the semester.

FOR 4934 Global Energy Issues

- 2 credits

Michael – Please insert a course description here; I do not have one – thanks!

FOR 4941 Internship in Natural Resources
- offered every fall, spring, and summer
- 1 to 4 credits
- Requires FY classification
- Permission of the undergraduate coordinator required. Supervision by a faculty member and a post-internship report are required. S/U.

FOR 4943C Senior Practicum in Natural Resources
- offered every fall, spring, and summer
- 1 credit
- Requires 4FY classification
- Senior level forest management project including information gathering and analyses, plan development and oral presentation.

WIS 3401 Wildlife Ecology and Management

- 3 credits

- Wildlife as natural resource with emphasis on principles of conservation, ecology and management.

WIS 3401L Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab

- 2 credits: 2

- Co-req: 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

- 3 credits

- Introduction to diversity of wildlife species in Florida with emphasis on amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds.

WIS 3402L Wildlife of Florida Laboratory

- 1 Credits

- Introduces diversity of wildlife in Florida's ecosystems with emphasis on field identification, natural history and ecology of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

WIS 4443C Wetland Wildlife Ecology

- 4 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 4905 Individual Problems

- 1 to 4 credits; 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 4934 Conservation of Amphibians & Reptiles

- 2 Credits

- This course is designed to familiarize students with some of the issues affecting conservation of amphibians and reptiles on local, regional, and global scales. It is not a course to learn how to identify amphibians and reptiles, although students will be exposed to a variety of species via lectures and field experiences. Students will also learn about general ecology, global diversity, and distribution of amphibians and reptiles. By the end of the class students will understand many of the issues that impact herpetofuana in Florida, the Southeast, and the world. Students will also build their critical thinking skills via literature research and oral presentation skills

Additional Courses:

NRC majors will take a variety of courses from other departments and disciplines to complete the 28 credits of the “planned courses” portion of the curriculum; a sample of these courses is below. Students should discuss other options with their faculty advisor.

AEB 4274 Natural Resource & Environmental Policy

- 3 credits

- A study of the role of government in natural resource and environmental management. Discussion of the role of government. Includes historical perspective on the evolution of natural resource and environmental policies and programs. Surveys current public policies and programs at the state and federal government levels, and identifies institutions which address international and global and environmental issues. Considers the role of economist as policy analyst, providing information on likely consequences of policy options.

AOM 4643 Environmental Hydrology: Principles & Issues

- 3 credits

- This is a basic course in Environmental Hydrology intended for Agricultural and Natural Resource Managers. The first half of the course covers scientific principles of the hydrologic cycle while, the second half investigates case studies of current water quality and water management issues.

SOS 3022 Introduction to Soils in the Environment

- 3 credits

- Fundamentals of soil science emphasizing the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils in relation to growth of native and agricultural plants and environmental uses.

SOS 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment Lab

- 1 credit

- Hands-on exposure to soils-related properties and processes.

SOS 4244 Wetlands

- 3 credits

- Introduction to wetland ecosystems with emphasis on principles and problems associated with their functions and values as related to water quality. Students will become familiar with basic and applied concepts in hydrology, soils and vegetation of both constructed and natural wetlands.

FOR 3153C Forest Ecology
- 3 credits
- Ecological principles and their application to the management of forests; major sections include tree population and forest community dynamics, and ecosystem processes. (B)

FOR 3622C Fire in Natural Resource Management
- 2 or 4 credits – see instructor for details
- Requires FOR3153C (or equivalent)
- A detailed study of the role, occurrence, and function of wildland fires in natural ecosystems and the use of prescribed burning to simulate those functions. Key topics include factors that influence natural fires, effects of fires on the environment, management and control of wildfires, and the use of prescribed burning. Students will plan and conduct several prescribed burns.

FOR 3855 Agroforestry for the Southeastern United States
- offered every spring
- 3 credits
- Designed for undergraduate students having a natural resource background and interest. Cap of 20 students per semester. Agroforestry history and concepts, characteristics of the southeast of interest to agroforestry, biophysical interactions, economics, policy, marketing, agroforestry trees, silvopasture, alley cropping, windbreaks, riparian buffers, forest farming, on-line resources.