NR506 Forest Entomology
Course Syllabus

Paul C. Johnson

Forest Entomology serves as a basic introduction to the insects, their structure, and identification, with an emphasis on their role in the forest landscape. It is required for students enrolled in the forestry major in Natural Resources, but provides an excellent inrtoduction to insects and the forest landscape for students in related disciplines. The broad areas covered in the course include:

  • Systematics - The evolution, classification and identification of the insects.
  • Biology - The form and function of the typical insect and the specializations that contribute to their success.
  • Ecology - The role played by insects in the forest ecosystem; emphasis is on population ecology and its importance to insect pest management.
  • Management - Application of integrated pest management in the forest landscape, including case histories for some significant insect pests.

Some pertinent information concerning the structure and requirements for the course is provided below.

Grading

The final course grade will be the percentage of total points that each student earns, based on the following point schedule:

 
 
 
 
 
 

 EVALUATION INSTRUMENT

 POINTS

 Exam I

 100

 Exam II

 100

 Lab Quizzes & Reports

 100

 Fact Sheet/Presentation

 100

 Collection

 100

 TOTAL

 500

 
                    

Exams

Two 1-hour exams testing your knowledge of insect sysetmatics, biology and ecology are scheduled during regular class meetings; there is no final exam. Exams will consist of vocabulary review and short discussion questions. Spelling counts. Discussion questions are designed to allow you to integrate facts into a meaningful presentation of a topic. Your discussion should be concise but thorough, and should consist of several well conceived paragraphs. Illustrations are encouraged where appropriate, but they should not be substituted for text.

 

Lab Quizzes & Reports

Assessment of performance in lab will be through lab quizzes and reports. Quizzes will generally be taken at the end of the lab period during which the material is completed, while reports will be due the week following completion of the lab.

 

Management Fact Sheet/Presentation

Students will work singly or together in teams of two (depending on enrollment) to prepare a management fact sheet for a forest pest assigned by the instructor. A ten minute presentation on the assigned pest will be prepared in PowerPoint and presented to the class.

 

Collection

You are required to prepare and submit a collection of 50 insect specimens representing 10 orders, 35 families and 50 species. Details concerning the collection will be covered in the lab. Your insect collection represents an integral part of the course and constitutes one fifth of your total grade.

 

Office Hours

I will maintain formal office hours from (TBA), but feel free to "drop in" for informal discussion or questions any time, or call for an appointment. While I will make every effort to be available during office hours, meetings and emergencies do occasionally intervene. If I'm not in my office, check my lab across the hall. Communication via e-mail is also encouraged.

 

Paul C. Johnson

Room 258 (Lab 265)

Spaulding Life Sciences Building

Phone: 862-1717

e-Mail: pcj@cisunix.unh.edu

 

 

 

Equipment

During the lab portion of the course, you will be issued several items of equipment. Your insect collection will not be accepted until your equipment is returned. Late submission of your collection will cost you points and could lead to an "incomplete" for the course.

 

Text

Castner, James L. 2000. Photographic Atlas of Entomology and Guide to Insect Identification. Feline Press: Gainesville, FL. (Required)

Johnson, P. C. 2003. FOR506 Forest Entomology Notes. MUB Printing Services. (Required)

Johnson, P. C. (Compiler) 2003. FOR506 Forest Entomology Readings. MUB Printing Services. (Required)

Borror, D.J. and R.E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the Insects. Houghton Mifflin: Boston. (Recommended - Available in Paperback)

For information
Paul C. Johnson
Department of Natural Resources
258 Spaulding Life Sciences Building
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (603) 862-1717
FAX: (603) 862-1713
e-Mail: pcj@cisunix.unh.edu

Last modified on November 26, 2003