| Natural Resources |
NR 400 - Professionals Perspectives in Natural Resources
Credits:
1.00
Lectures by departmental faculty provide an informal look at
the various natural resource disciplines and professions
represented by the Department of Natural Resources. These
presentations serve to acquaint students with our faculty
as well as to inform them of some of the exciting research
being undertaken in the department. Students will also learn
of opportunities for professional involvement. Required for
all first-semester Natural Resources majors. CR/F.
NR 401 - Natural Resources Perspectives
Credits:
4.00
Introduction to conservation and management of living and
nonliving natural resources. The economics, ethics, history,
politics, and science of resource use and misuse; an
overview of resource career preparation and opportunities.
Selected lab/field/discussions/problem solving of forest,
marine, soil, water, waste, and wildlife issues. Restricted
to Department of Natural Resources freshmen. Lab.
Special fee.
NR 410 - Insects and Society
Credits:
4.00
Insects and their relations to humans, their environments,
and their activities. Special fee. Lab. Writing Intensive.
NR 415 - Global Biological Change
Credits:
4.00
An introduction to the biological aspects of global change.
Includes historical and physical setting and emphasizes
current global biological issues including: population
growth, land use and deforestation, biodiversity loss,
introduced species, industrial N fixation, changes to the
carbon cycle, and important interactions between the
biosphere hydrosphere and atmosphere.
NR 602 - Natural Resources and Environmental Policy
Credits:
4.00
Contemporary natural resource and environmental policy
problems/issues addressed from a policy sciences
perspective with emphasis on domestic policy initiatives
and their implementation toward sustainable resource use and
a healthy environment. Public policies analyzed to determine
the extent to which their implementation strategies have
succeeded, and to assess their adequacy within a bioregional
or ecosystem approach and/or capacity to integrate economic
and environmental decisions. Cases include national and
local policies in their global context. Students apply
public policy analysis and decision tools in laboratory
sessions. Restricted to Department of Natural Resources
juniors and seniors. Special fee. Writing
Intensive.
NR 650 - Principles of Conservation Biology
Credits:
4.00
Overview of the major issues in conservation biology. Course
lectures and discussions address three major themes: the
importance of biological diversity, factors that determine
levels of biological diversity, and the ways that expanding
human populations can accommodate the requirements of
wild plants and animals. Develops an appreciation for
challenges encountered while maintaining or restoring local,
regional, and global biological diversity. Prereq: one
semester of biology, botany, or zoology.
NR 660 - Evolution, Biodiversity, and Community Ecology in Geographically Isolated New Zealand
Credits:
5.00
From a bioregional perspective, students will investigate
the geographical, biological and human ecological processes
that have shaped the distribution of species and biotic
communities in present day New Zealand. The biogeography and
evolutionary history, including the impacts of human
settlement of these unique islands will serve as a basis for
field studies designed to develop student's conceptual
knowledge and field skills (classification, mapping, habitat
assessment, field identification, sampling) as they study
community ecology of representative ecosystems and land/sea
regimes and the effect of human influences on these systems.
Integrated modules of lectures and field exercises.
Prereq: junior/senior; permission. Fulfills UNH's GN5,
Foreign Culture. Special fee.
Co-requisites:
NR 661, NR 662, NR 663
NR 661 - Ecosystem Management and Restoration Ecology in New Zealand
Credits:
4.00
Course will focus on ecological opportunities and
constraints to be considered to ensure sustainable use of
natural resources in Hauraki Gulf and the Hauraki/Hunua
catchment basin. Student investigations will compare
resource planning and management in this ecosystem with
those of native forests and the sub-alpine and West Coast
ecosystems of South Island. Impacts of resource management
on natural and human communities, conflicts among user
groups and approaches for their resolution will be examined
for forests, agricultural lands, near-shore marine areas,
coastal zone and special wildlife management areas.
Representatives of all key resource management agencies and
interest groups will be engaged in the course. Students will
develop field resource assessment skills and learn to set
yield levels for specific resources. Prereq: junior/senior;
permission.
Co-requisites:
NR 660, NR 662, NR 663
NR 662 - Environmental Policy, Planning and Economics in New Zealand's Political Context
Credits:
3.00
Seminar. Students will assess impacts of the N.Z. Resource
Management Act of 1991 on the ecology, economy and
socio-political environment in New Zealand with emphasis on
examination of historical exploitation of N.Z. resources,
indigenous use issues and conflicts, and options for
attaining a more sustainable equilibrium between people and
nature. Students will be exposed to diverse perspectives of
Maori, businesses, the N.Z. Department of Conservation, and
Metropolitan Regional Councils regarding custodianship of
the natural heritage and the relative acceptability of
proposed conflicts resolutions. Students will examine cases
involving the Resource Consents Processes at district,
regional, national levels and evaluation of various N.Z.
institutions for their effectiveness in dealing with
resource management issues. Prereq: junior/senior;
permission.
Co-requisites:
NR 660, NR 661, NR 663
NR 663 - Applied Directed Research on Sustainable Resource Use in the Hauraki Basin, New Zealand
Credits:
4.00
Working closely with faculty mentors, students will use the
scientific method to develop and test hypotheses regarding
selected resource issues in the Hauraki Basin. Experimental
design, standardized data collection methods, and basic
statistical and policy analytic methods will be used to
investigate and develop a report on a resource issue of
concern. Data analysis and communication (including writing)
skill development will be stressed. Students will present
findings at a scientific meeting which includes resource
management and research collaborators, community groups and
clients, including government agencies. Prereq:
junior/senior; permission. Writing Intensive.
Co-requisites:
NR 660, NR 661, NR 662
NR 675 - CEOP (Community Environmental Outreach Program) Projects
Credits:
2.00 to 4.00
The Community Environmental Outreach Program matches
students with an interest in environmental issues with
community groups with environmental problems to be
addressed. Students form consulting teams of from two to
four students to work with the community during the
academic year. (May be repeated for a maximum of 4 credits.)
Prereq: permission. CR/F.
NR 692 - Endangered Species
Credits:
2.00
Wolf reintroduction into the North Woods of New England is
highly controversial and requires inclusion of the eastern
coyote to balance the discussion. Study the interaction of
these top predators at Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario
for one week during spring break. Wild canid ecology, park
administration and endangered species protection. Open to
all UNH students. Permission required. Special fee. CR/F.
NR 702 - Workshops
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
Short-term courses (generally a few days to two weeks)
offered off-campus by the A) Watershed Ecology and
B) Sustainable Schools, as well as C) Nature Study covering
a broad variety of environmental and natural resource
topics. E) Community Mapping. May be repeated. Special fee
required depending on topic. CR/F.
NR 702A - Workshop in Watershed Ecology
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
NR 702B - Workshop in Sustainable Schools
Credits:
2.00
NR 702C - Workshop in Nature Study
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
NR 702E - Workshop in Community Mapping
Credits:
2.00
NR 709 - Fire Ecology Seminar
Credits:
2.00 or 3.00
Lectures, guest lectures, and student presentations dealing
with the natural role of fires in wild land communities,
fire adaptations in plant and animal species. Human
responses to wild land fires and prescribed fire
applications. Optional set of one-half to one-day field
trips for an additional 1 credit. Prereq: basic ecology
course; junior, senior. Special fee. (Not offered every
year.)
NR #712 - Sampling Techniques
Credits:
2.00 to 4.00
Techniques of sampling finite populations in environmental
sciences; choice of sampling unit and frame, estimation of
sample size, confidence limits, and comparisons of sample
designs. Prereq: BIOL 528 or equivalent. (Not offered every
year.)
NR 713 - Quantitative Ecology
Credits:
4.00
Applied quantitative techniques: basic concepts in
probability and statistics applied to ecological systems;
population dynamics; spatial patterns; species abundance and
diversity; classification and ordination; production; and
energy and nutrient flow. Additional credit for in-depth
mathematical analysis of a particular topic. Prereq: intro.
courses in calculus, statistics, and ecology. (Not offered
every year.) Writing Intensive.
NR 714 - Ecosystems of Puerto Rico
Credits:
1.00
Field examination of a variety of tropical ecosystems in
Puerto Rico including cloud forest, montane rain forest,
tropical dry forest, mangroves and coral reefs. Field study
supplemented by appropriate readings from the scientific
literature and expert presentations. Students are
responsible for round-trip airfare and personal expenses.
Prereq: two of the following three: 1) FOR 527 or BIOL 541;
2) SOIL 501 or ESCI 401; 3) WARM 603; permission. Credit/
Fail.
NR 730 - Terrestrial Ecosystems
Credits:
3.00
Processes controlling the energy, water, and nutrient
dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems; concepts of study at the
ecosystem level, controls on primary production,
transpiration, decomposition, herbivory; links to earth
system science, acid deposition, agriculture. Prereq: FOR
527; PBIO 412 or BIOL 411;/or permission. Lab. (Also offered
as EOS 730.)
NR 753 - Decision Sciences in Natural Resource Management
Credits:
4.00
Application of decision science methods (optimization,
simulation, input-output, and statistics) to natural
resouces problems. Emphasis on practical work in evaluating
projects, dealing with risk and uncertainty, analyzing
regional impacts, valuing nonmarket resources, and exploring
sustainability of managed forests. Prereq: FOR 643 or
intermediate microeconomics. Special fee. Lab. Writing
Intensive.
NR 757 - Photo Interpretation and Photogrammetry
Credits:
4.00
Practical and conceptual presentation of techniques for
using remote, sensing, specifically aerial photographs, in
natural resources. Includes photo measures of scale, area,
parallax and object heights; flight planning; photo
geometry; an introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum;
and photo interpretation and mapping. Concludes with an
introduction to digital remote sensing including
multi-spectral scanners, radar, and thermal imagery and a
brief discussion of geographic information systems (GIS).
Applications to forestry, wildlife, land-use planning, earth
sciences, soils, hydrology, and engineering. Prereq:
algebra. Special fee. Lab. (Also offered as GEOG 757.)
NR 759 - Digital Image Processing for Natural Resources
Credits:
4.00
Introduction to digital remote sensing including
multi-spectral scanners (Landsat and SPOT) radar and
thermal imagery. Hands-on image processing including
filtering, image display, ratios, classification,
registration, and accuracy assessment. GIS as it applies to
image processing. Discussion of practical application. Use
of ERDAS image processing software. Knowledge of PCs and
DOS required. Prereq: NR 757 or equivalent and permission.
(Also offered as GEOG 759.)
NR 760 - Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources
Credits:
4.00
Introduction to the use of geographic information systems
(GIS) for use with natural resources including data input,
manipulation, storage, analysis, and display. Accuracy of
spatial data and use of digital elevation models. Discussion
of practical applications. Use of PC Arc/Info software.
Prereq: permission. Lab. (Also offered as GEOG 760.)
NR 764 - Vegetation Sampling and Analysis
Credits:
4.00
Methods for sampling plant populations and communities,
especially estimation of abundance. Analysis of pattern,
measurement of species diversity, and relation of
abundance to environmental factors. Ordination and
classification of communities. Modeling of succession.
Prereq: statistics; BIOL 541 or equivalent. Special fee.
Lab.
NR 765 - Community Ecology
Credits:
4.00
Properties of biotic communities, especially biodiversity.
Effects of physical stress, disturbance, competition,
predation, positive interactions, and dispersal on community
properties. Community dynamics, including succession and
stability. Prereq: BIOL 528 and BIOL 541. Special fee. Lab.
NR 775 - Natural Resources Senior Project
Credits:
2.00
Multidisciplinary approach to land-use planning. Provides
experience with dynamics of working in a group to identify,
evaluate, and suggest management strategy to solve
environmental problems. Class will be divided into small
groups, each of which will choose or be assigned a real
problem. Each group will act as a consulting firm in
developing management strategies. Prereq: senior standing
in the Department of Natural Resources and permission.
Special fee. Writing Intensive.
NR 790 - Teaching Experience
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
A mechanism for student teaching assistants to sign up for
credit in teaching experience. Permission required.
Credit/Fail.
NR 795 - Investigations
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
Investigations in Natural Resources may include topics in
environmental conservation, forestry, soil science, water
resources, and wildlife management. Permission required.
NR 797 - Special Topics
Credits:
1.00 to 4.00
Course is designed as an "Experimental Course", for the
purpose of introducing a new course or teaching a special
topic for a semester in Environmental Conservation,
Forestry, Soil Science, Water Resources, and Wildlife
Management. Permission required. Special fee on some
sections.