Disturbance Ecology Seminar
Environmental Science Policy and Management 290
Fall Semester, 2003

Course Control Number: 30940 Credits: 2 units
Grading: S/U (letter is also possible)
Room: 103 Mulford Hall Time: Tuesday 3:30-5:30 pm
Course Format: 2 hour period for presentations and discussion.
Prerequisites: instructor approval

Professors:
Scott Stephens, ESPM Department. Office 209 Mulford Hall, office hours: TTh 10-11:30
Wayne Sousa , Integrative Biology Department. Office 4182 VLSB, office hours: M 11-12
Mary Power, Integrative Biology Department. Office 4184 VLSB, office hours: M 1:30-3:30
John Battles, ESPM Department. Office151 Hilgard Hall, office hours: Th 10:15-11:15
Type of course: graduate seminar.

Class web page: http://www.CNR.Berkeley.EDU/stephens-lab/courses.htm (ESPM 290)
Hard copies of reading are available on the door of 360 Mulford Hall. Please return the original copy to the folder after making a photo copy for yourself.

The goal of the Disturbance Ecology Seminar is to focus on disturbance as an ecological process in diverse ecosystems. We will define what a disturbance is and critically evaluate the language used to describe disturbances. Students will give a group seminar on a topic related to the class. A group of four or five students will research the topic, develop an extended outline and annotated bibliography, and lead a discussion during one class. Each group seminar should be approximately 45 minutes long to allow time for discussion. Please have your topic approved by one of the instructors before beginning your research. Your goals are to 1) provide a historical perspective on your topic, 2) summarize and critically analyze past and current work in the area, and 3) discuss any links between your topic and previous material presented in the seminar. Readings will be assigned to augment class material.

Each week, a different pair of students will take detailed notes on our discussion, and prepare a written summary that will be distributed as a PDF to class members the following week. These summaries should be prepared in MS Word. It is important to do a good job on this, since it will be a valuable resource for all of us.

Schedule of Class
8/26 Class introduction
9/2 Language of disturbance ecology (leader, Wayne)
9/9 Disturbance ecology framework (leaders, John and Mary)
9/16 Faculty seminar (Mary)
9/23 Faculty seminar (Scott)
9/30 Faculty seminar (John)
10/7 Faculty seminar (Wayne)
10/14 Student group seminar
10/21 Student group seminar
10/28 Student group seminar
11/4 Student group seminar
11/18 Student group seminar
11/25 Student group seminar
12/2 Student group seminar

Course requirements: Attend all seminars. Participate in discussions. Write one summary of the material presented in class with another student. Contribute to your groups extended outline and annotated bibliography. One week before your group presentation, distribute a copy of one journal article to the class that will be read before your seminar (if you have a PDF, send it to Scott to post on the web).

Readings for September 2: Language of disturbance

Picket, S.T., and P.S. White. 1985. Natural disturbance and patch dynamics: an introduction. The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and Patch Dynamics. Academic Press. Pp. 3-13.

Sousa, W.P. Natural disturbance and the dynamics of marine benthic communities. 2001. In: Bertress, M.D., S.D. Gaines, and M.E. Hay (eds.). Marine Community Ecology. Sinaver pp. 85-130.

Reading for September 9: Framework

Frelich, L.E. and P.B. Reich. 1999. Neighborhood effects, disturbance, severity, and community stability in forests. Ecosystems (1999) 2: 151-166.