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Class Schedule

ESRM 435 (2012)

 

Forest Entomology for Winter Quarter 2012

 

Meets: Tue & Th, 0830-0950, W105

 

 

(1) Main reading from the textbook, “Forest Health and Protection” by Edmonds, Agee and Gara. 2010 Edition

 

(2) There will be a short weekly assignment that will ask you to write and/or diagram entomological information that wasn’t covered -- due Thursdays.  Every short assignment not turned in will result in a 0.3 reduction in the final grade.

 

(3) There is a term paper. The title will be selected from topics listed at end of this syllabus.  Please tell me which topic you choose and there will be no more than two students choosing the same topic.  This assignment is more than a term paper for the graduate students: each graduate student will present his/her topic to an audience at a mutually acceptable time.

 

(4) Course grading: (1) the mid term exams will be 40% of the final grade, and (2) the final exam will be 50%, and (3) the term paper will be 10% of the final grade.  Both midterms and the final will contain questions from the reading assignments as well as from the lectures.

 

DATE             TOPIC                                                           READINGS  

 

03 Jan Tue       The Arthropods/Gen. Entomol.                     Chap. 1 and Chap. 17

                                                                                              

05 Jan Th         General Entomology                                     Chap. 18 pp. 413 - 424           

 

10 Jan Tue       Insect Ecology                                               Rest of Chap. 18

 

12 Jan Th         Insect Ecology                                               

 

17 Jan Tue       Mortality Factors                                           

 

19 Jan Th         Mortality Factors                                           

 

24 Jan Tue       Forest Insect Management (IPM concepts) 

 

26 Jan Th         Host Defense Systems                                    Chapter 19                                                     

 

01 Feb Tue     Midterm

 

31 Feb Tue      Host Defense Systems, Intro. Defoliators      Chapter 20     

 

02 Feb Th        Defoliators General, WSBW                         

 

07 Feb Tue      Other Defoliators and Defoliator Mgt.                                                          

 

09 Feb Th        Bark Beetles                                                                Chapter 21, 22

                                                           

14 Feb Tue      Bark Beetles                                                                                       

 

16 Feb Th        Ambrosia Beetles       

 

21 Feb Tue      Wood Borers

 

23 Mar Th       Tropical Insects                                                          

                                                           

28 Mar Tue      Terminal Borers                                                           Chapter 23, 24

 

01 Mar Th       Terminal Borers

 

06 Mar Tue      Invasive Insects

 

 

13 Mar Th       Final Examination 10:30-12:20 p.m.
                        Tuesday, March 13, 2012

 

                       

 

Short Weekly Assignments

 

These mini-essay will not exceed 1 ˝ pages

 

Due 5 Jan        (1) Discuss a couple of arthropod features that have helped this phylum become     the most successful phylum of the entire living world.

 

Due 12 Jan      (2) Diagram and label a typical insect leg. What modifications are found in insect legs for jumping, swimming and grasping prey (you may draw examples)?

 

Due 19 Jan      (3) Diagram and label the mouthparts of a chewing insect; do the same for             an insect               with piercing-sucking mouthparts.

 

Due 26 Feb     (4) How do insects defend against enemies?

 

Due 02 Feb     (5) Why are defoliating insects so damaging to the forest and its watershed?

 

Due 09 Feb     (6) When (…think succession) and why does the western spruce budworm become                         so damaging?

 

Due 16 Feb     (7) How do bark beetles disperse their populations in the spring?  Why is dispersal                         of a population so important?

 

Due 23 Feb     (8) Describe the host selection flight for ambrosia beetles.

 

Due 01 Mar     (9) Describe the life cycles of typical Cerambycidae and Buprestidae.

 

 

                       

 

 

Suggested Term Paper Themes

 

Please choose one and let me know

 

The term papers will involve original research via published material and internet material.  The term paper will include properly done citations within the body of the paper that will match the alphabetized references within the bibliography section at the end.  I prefer that you don’t use footnote citations and use the style used in scientific papers. 

 

(1) Based on the biology, physiology and morphology of the order Coleoptera, why has this group been so overwhelmingly successful?

 

(2) How do insects sense their environment?

 

(3) Compare and contrast insect control by use of pesticides, biological control, and IPM systems.

 

(4) Discuss a pest management system for an important defoliator of your choice.

 

(5) Discuss a pest management system for an important bark beetle of your choice.

 

(6) Discuss the terrible dangers of introducing forest insect pests from other parts of the world and how would these threats be managed.

 

(7) Discuss the host selection behavior of the Scolytinae.

 

(8) Discuss the links between forest fires and forest insects.

 

(9) Discuss history and pest management strategies to manage either Ips spp. or species of Dendroctonus.

 

(10) Discuss an important forest pest problem in European forests and how is the problem managed.

 

(11) Discuss pest management of Hypsipyla grandella in the Latin American tropics.

 

(12) Discuss the history and future of products derived from the Neem tree.

 

(13) Discuss the role of genetic engineering in management of insect pests.

 

(14) Why are MPB outbreaks so huge in the West?

 

(15) What will be the influence of global warming on insect populations?

 

(16) Why have MPB populations grown exponentially and are wiping out vast areas of lodgepole pine in the inland West.

 

 

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 Last Updated:
01/05/2010