300

Designed as a field immersion experience followed by a open-ended project work, students will practice basic field techniques, collect original data and complete at least one analytical project. Examples of field courses include: Winter Ecology in Yellowstone, Alaska Field Studies, Tropical Ecology, Desert Ecology or Natural History of Montana. Offered on rotational basis and/or upon student and faculty interest.

Designed as a field immersion experience followed by an open-ended project experience, students will practice basic field techniques, collect original data and complete at least one analytical project. Examples of field experiences include: Winter Ecology in Yellowstone, Alaska Landscape Dynamics, Tropical Ecology, and Natural History of Montana. Global Diversity may apply when it is offered as a study abroad.

An introduction to the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soils; the origin, classification and distribution of soils and their influence on people and food production; the management and conservation of soils; and the environmental impact of soil use. Units on soil geomorphology, sediments, slopes, engineering soils. Intensive labs and at least one weekend field trip will provide students a broad understanding and exposure to the various ways to investigate, describe, and classify soils, as well as how to apply knowledge of soils in a range of disciplines.

A project and field-based introduction to the identification and interpretation of landforms, investigation of landscape forming processes (streams, glaciers, weathering, slopes) and the interpretation of climate / environmental history from sediments and stratigraphy. Field projects include: bedrock and surficial geologic mapping, glacier reconstruction, slope analysis, and description and interpretation of sediments. The fall semester emphasizes field studies, data collection and the development of course-based research projects that are continued into following spring semester.

This course is a continuation of the project-based field studies initiated during fall semester (ES 381 Landscape Processes). Research questions and project ideas developed in the fall will be continued in spring where laboratory, statistical, and geospatial analysis are emphasized. Students complete final written reports connecting their work the existing literature, and give oral presentations of their results.

Special Topics courses include ad-hoc courses on various selected topics that are not part of the regular curriculum, however they may still fulfill certain curricular requirements. Special topics courses are offered at the discretion of each department and will be published as part of the semester course schedule - view available sections for more information. Questions about special topics classes can be directed to the instructor or department chair.