575.713.81 - Field Methods in Habitat Analysis and Wetland Delineation

Expanded Course Description

Prerequisites 

575.415 Ecology 

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules which can be accessed by clicking Modules on the menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Modules run for a period of seven (7) days. You should regularly check the Announcements, Course Outline, and Calendar for assignment due dates. 

Course Topics

See Course Outline

Course Goals

Emphasis is shared between theoretical/ecological principles and applications to preservation, restoration, mitigation and delineation. Plant ecology and geography forms the primary biological focus because habitats are defined principally by their plant communities. Hydrology and soils along with some faunal indicators are also examined. Background site history and descriptions are incorporated. 

Ecological field methods used by ecologists, including quadrat analysis, belt transect and circular plots are adapted for use by engineers and environmental scientists. Visual recognition of important plant indicators of uplands and wetlands is emphasized. 

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Identify common indicator plants of wetlands and non-wetlands.
• Quantify wetland and upland vegetation (trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants) using ecological and engineering field methods.
• Undertake vegetation, hydrology and soil analyses required in conducting a wetland delineation.
• Develop a site history and site description as preparation for a restoration, mitigation or wetland delineation.

Textbooks

Required 

1. Tiner, Ralph. W. (2017). Wetland indicators: A guide to wetland formation, identification, delineation, classification and mapping. CRC Press. ISBN: 978-1-4398-5369-6

2. Brown, Lauren & Ted Elliman (2020) Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide. Yale University Press. ISBN: 978-0-300-23677-4

3. Newcomb, Lawrence (1989). Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316604420

Textbook information for this course is available online through the appropriate bookstore website: For online courses, search the MBS website at http://ep.jhu.edu/bookstore. 

Optional 

Additionally, any of the following texts and online sources may be useful for this course and your future work with plants in help with plant identification: 

1. Chamberlain, Sarah. (2018). Field Guide to Grasses of the Mid-Atlantic. Penn State University Press. ISBN:9780271078694
2. Petrides, G. and J. Wehr (1998). Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Trees. Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN: 0-395-90455-2
3. Gleason, H. (1952). The New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, New York Botanical Garden. This is a comprehensive flora reference for the northeastern US; more appropriate for the more serious botanist.
4. Weakley, Alan, Christopher Ludwig, & John Townsend (2012). Flora of Virginia. Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press. ISBN: 978-1-889878-38-6. This is the best up-to-date botanical reference for the Mid-Atlantic region. 1554 pages.
5. Uva, R., J. Neal and J. DiTomaso (1997). Weeds of the Northeast. Cornell University Press. ISBN:978-0-8014-8334-9
6. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/idit.htm
7. https://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
8. LEAFSNAP app 

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each module will take approximately 6–9 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: approximately 3-4 hours at a field site or with plant identification, 1-2 hours for module readings, 1-2 hours completing vegetation and delineation analyses assignments, and 1 hour conducting discussions in the Discussion forum. 

This course will consist of three basic student requirements: 

Assignments (includes field work) (50% of Final Grade Calculation)

Much of each assignment is time spent in the field gathering plant data. This time will vary widely between students, depending upon whether you know how to recognize plants or whether you are a beginner and have to figure out a way to record species you don’t know and will attempt to identify later. Since so much of this course will involve field work and follow-up work this forms the most important part of student requirements. 

In the old days of the face-to-face course I would have to include presence/absence on Saturday or Sunday field trips as an important grading requirement separate from the assignment. We would visit a number of different sites where we would conduct field work. In this online course, you pick the field site and schedule the field work whenever it’s convenient for you, so the field work is combined with written assignments into one basic grading piece of the course. 

Assignments will include a mix of qualitative assignments, such as information gathered about a restoration site, as well as quantitative assignments such as calculations of vegetation data gathered in the field between Modules 1 and 7. 

All assignments are due according to the dates in the Course Outline and Calendar. Late submissions will be reduced by one letter grade for each week late, unless there has been prior coordination with the instructor. It is realized that events, vacations, weddings, out-of-town work in the field during the summer may make it difficult to complete a particular weekly assignment. If you have a conflict or foresee a problem with completing a module assignment please notify me ahead of time and we can often work out an alternate assignment submission plan. 

If, after submitting a written assignment you are not satisfied with the grade received, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade. 

Each assignment is different and so grading criteria differs with each assignment. One week you are asked to determine relative density and relative basal area of trees and organize these calculations in a table; another week you are asked to list species found only within a circular plot; in still another you are being asked to gather a number of aerial photos and maps, etc. The Assignment section in each module spells out what to do, but I will update or include specific grading criteria in weekly Announcements, so always check Announcements first when you enter into Canvas homepage, by clicking on the menu.

Preparation and Participation (Module Discussions) (25% of Final Grade Calculation) 

Post your initial response to the discussion questions by midnight of the day listed in the module. Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for module discussions (i.e., Timeliness). Generally, you are asked to enter a discussion and address or answer another student’s entry. 

I will monitor module discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted. In some instances, I will summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the module. 

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on contribution to discussions and the number of thoughtful entries. 

Independent Project Field Analysis (25% of Final Grade Calculation) 

A course project will be due by the end of Module 11 and much of Module 12 (the last week) will be devoted to the project and summary of the course. You will be encouraged to begin the project by Module 7 although preliminary work can begin earlier. 

A full description of the goals and requirements for the project are described in the Independent Project Field Analysis link under Course Information (under Modules) in the menu. 

Grading for the independent project is evaluated by the following grading elements: 

1. Adherence to the format and requirements for the report paper outlined in the Independent Project Field Analysis description (60%) 
   
2. Presentation of the recorded slide presentation (20%) 
3. Student participation in the group discussion of slide presentations (20%) 

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Course Outline, Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. I will generally post grades one week after assignment due dates. 

I generally do not directly grade spelling and grammar. However, consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade. 

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week. 

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course. 

EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10). 

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.