Module 16

University of Windsor
Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology

Course Title :

Great Lakes Field Biology 

Instructor(s) :

Dr. Ken Drouillard
Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research,                             
University of Windsor, Windsor, ON                                                        
ph. (519) 253-3000 ext. 4744            Fax (519) 971-3616                          

Date(s) : Sunday June 27 through Saturday July 10, 2010
Location : Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER)
University of Windsor
2990 Riverside Dr., Windsor, ON, Canada.
Cost :

Course expense fee ($350) to cover field transportation/sampling costs, and  
consumables for laboratory analysis. Note the OUFB deposit ($250) is applied to the      
course fee. Thus students will need to bring an additional $100 on the first day of the course.
- Tuition is payable to the home institution.  The Course fee is on top of tuition.
- Housing accommodations if needed [~$375 for 2 weeks – residence building; fee does not include food].
Prerequisites : Students should have completed courses in introductory ecology and statistics or consent of instructor.
Description :

Students will assess pollution and trophic interactions in the lower Great Lakes using nutrient, diet, contaminant and/or stable isotope analyses of samples collected from the field. Students will perform field collections to gain experience in sampling and laboratory analysis of water, sediments, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish along transects of the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and western Lake Erie. Field work/laboratory analysis will be conducted in the morning and afternoons and lectures on aquatic ecology and Great Lakes water quality issues will be presented in the evenings. Each student will present a short 15 minute seminar and lead a discussion during week 2 that critiques a current research article in areas of aquatic ecology, fisheries or pollution ecology. A final laboratory report that interprets the field data and synthesizes lecture material will be required one month following the last day of class.

Enrollment : 16 students
Evaluation :

Seminar and Lecture Discussion Participation                               20%
Participation (field work, laboratory analysis)                                 30%
Final lab report                                                                           50%
Assignment(s) :

Seminars Week 2 (July 5- 8).
Final report due Friday, Aug  15, 2010.

Additional Information:

Transportation/Clothing/Equipment Needs:
Transportation to and from field sites will be provided. Students will perform field work using GLIER’s research boats. Students must bring warm weather clothing, rain gear (jacket and pants) and work/hiking boots.  Safety equipment (life jackets), gloves and hip-waders (for field sampling) will be provided. Students may wish to bring their own hip-waders or wet suit if they have one.  Registered students will receive an additional information sheet, course syllabus and tentative schedule of activities in May 2010.