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ESRM435

 

Course Description

ESRM 435 (2013)

 

Forest Entomology for Spring Quarter 2013

 

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.  Paper due at the time of the final exam.

 

(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 

 

02 Apr Tue    The Arthropods/Gen. Entomol.              Chap. 1 and Chap. 17

                                                                                              

04 Apr Th      General Entomology                                  Chap. 18 pp. 413 - 424                                                                                       

 

09 Apr Tue    Insect Ecology                                             Rest of Chap. 18

 

11 Apr Th      Insect Ecology                                             

 

16 Apr Tue    Mortality Factors                                         

 

18Apr Th       Mortality Factors                                         

 

23 Apr Tue    Mortality Factors

 

25 Apr Th      Host Defense Systems                                 Chapter 19                                                    

 

30 Apr Tue    Midterm

 

07 May Tue   Host Defense Systems, Intro. Defoliators             Chapter 20                       

 

09 May Th     Defoliators General, WSBW                      

 

14 May Tue   Other Defoliators and Defoliator Mgt.                                                    

 

16 May Th     Bark Beetles                                                              Chapter 21, 22

                                                           

21 May Tue   Bark Beetles                                                                                                 

 

23 May Th     Bark Beetles

 

28 May Tue   Wood Borers

 

30 May Th     Terminal Borers                                                      

                                                           

04 Jun Tue     Terminal Borers                                                       Chapter 23, 24

 

 

13 Jun Th       Final Examination 10:30-12:20 p.m.
                        Tuesday, Jun 11th

 

                       

 

Short Weekly Assignments

 

These mini-essay will not exceed 1 ˝ pages

 

Due 9 Apr       (1) Discuss a couple of arthropod features that have helped this phylum become           the most successful phylum of the entire living world.

 

Due 16 Apr     (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 23 Apr     (3) Diagram and label the mouthparts of a chewing insect; do the same for          an insect          with piercing-sucking mouthparts.

 

Due 07 May    (4) How do insects defend against enemies?

 

Due 14 May    (5) Why are defoliating insects so damaging to the forest and its watershed?

 

Due 21 May    (6) When (…think succession) and why does the western spruce budworm become       so damaging?

 

Due 28 May    (7) How do bark beetles disperse their populations in the spring?  Why is dispersal          of a population so important?

 

Due 04 Jun      (8) Describe the host selection flight for ambrosia beetles.

 

                       

 

 

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) Why is the mahogany shoot borer, Hypsipyla spp., such an important tropical pest? .

 

(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 (feel free to consider this a global warming question).

 

 

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 Last Updated:
01/05/2010