Renewable Resources
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Description: An introduction to forest trees, plants, insects, fungi, fire, biodiversity and ecology. Discusses the use of forests for wood products recreation, watersheds, wildlife, carbon, and overall management and policies in Alberta and elsewhere. Not available for credit to BSc Forestry or BSc Forest Business Management students. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 100 or FOR 100.
Description: A general overview of the practice of Forestry. This orientation includes an introduction to basic forest measurements, forest management practices, and will include tours of a number of major forest operations in Alberta. Course runs for six days just prior to Fall registration. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 101 or FOR 101.
Description: Designed to introduce students to the principles and practices of measuring timber, water, range, wildlife, biodiversity and recreation.
Description: Introduction to the classification, identification, distribution, habitat, and ecology of common trees, shrubs and herbaceous species typically found in Alberta and beyond. Lecture and labs emphasize the recognition of identifying characteristics and the use of dichotomous keys to identify about 250 plant species including higher taxa. A self-directed plant collection is mandatory and registered students are encouraged to contact the instructor during the summer months for instructions. Field exercises may take place off campus. This course requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar.
Description: Methods and applications of geographic information systems (GIS), including global positioning systems (GPS), photogrammetry, air photo interpretation and LIDAR, as they relate to natural resource management. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 201 and EAS 221.
Description: Introduction to animals in the context of conservation, interactions with people, and roles in natural ecosystems. Labs provide a survey of North American animal life, both vertebrate and invertebrate, with emphasis on recognition of higher taxa and on hierarchical classification. Field trip. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 205 or ENCS 201. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar.
Description: Elementary aspects of soil formation, occurrence in natural landscapes, and classification, including basic morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics employed in the identification of soils. Introduction to soil minerology, water movement, reactivity, organic matter, and nutrient cycling for predicting soil performance in both managed and natural landscapes. Prerequisite: *30. CHEM 101 and (BIOL 208 or EAS 201) or equivalents recommended. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 210 or SOILS 210.
Description: Principles and practices of measuring and estimating present and future fibre production of forest communities, including applications of statistics, sampling techniques, regression analysis, and computer programming. Prerequisites: MATH 113 or 114, and *3 of statistics. Co-requisite: REN R 110. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 215 or FOR 210. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar.
Description: Global perspective of supply of and demand for water, basic hydrologic principles, concepts in water management, human intervention in the hydrologic cycle, and environmental issues related to this intervention. Prerequisite: *30 at the university level with at least *6 in the life or natural sciences.
Description: A philosophical and sociological exploration of historical and contemporary perspectives on human-environmental relationships and their implications. Explores these perspectives in a framework of critical thinking and through case studies. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 260 or ENCS 260.
Description: Students will gain a sociological understanding of contemporary Canadian politics in the food and natural resources sectors. Examination of the nature of political organizations and policymaking in Canada; the particular roles played by the state, the "public," and certain sectors of civil society, including social movements, industry organizations, labour unions, scientific organizations, and rural and aboriginal peoples. Contemporary case studies may include climate change and energy dependence, genetic engineering in agribusiness, the organic food products movement, mining in the circumpolar north, forestry expansion in the boreal region and cod management in the Atlantic fisheries. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 271 or ENCS 271.
Description: Combines the concepts, theories and practices of environmental, conservation and forest sciences in an off-campus field experience. Field skill proficiency in planning, measurement, analysis and reporting is emphasized for biophysical and socioeconomic components of the environment. Prerequisites: *45 university credit and REN R 110. (REN R 210 or SOILS 210) and a plant identification course are strongly recommended. Students must complete this course prior to completion of the final *30 of their program. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Consent of Instructor is required for students outside the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. Credit may not be obtained in this course if previous credit has been obtained for ENCS 207 or FOR 302/303/304.
Description: Directed study in the multiple aspects of renewable resources. Open to second year (or higher) students upon consent of instructor.
Description: Principles and elements of environmental assessment with an interdisciplinary focus. Topics include types of environmental assessments and when to use them, the Alberta and Canadian environmental assessment processes, the relevant legal framework, sampling and pathways of effects for different biophysical components, mitigation of environmental impacts and assessment of risk. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 307 or ENCS 307. Prerequisites: REN R 299 and *60. Recommended to have completed one course each in soils, plants, wildlife, and water.
Description: Chemical, physical, and biological properties and processes of soil in relation to site and the growth of forest vegetation; nutrient cycling; influences of surface soil erosion, fertilization, and fire upon forest soil productivity: forest land classification. Prerequisite: REN R 210 or SOILS 210. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 314 or FOR 314.
Description: Study of physiological processes in trees. Emphasis on primary and secondary metabolism, gas exchange, transport processes, growth, and environmental effects. *3 Chemistry and one of BIOL 107 or PL SC 221 are strongly recommended.
Description: Exploration of key concepts regarding the ecology of forest ecosystems at varying temporal and spatial scales. Emphasis will be on relationships between biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. Topics covered will include flows of energy and matter, ecosystem dynamics, forest landscapes and biodiversity, impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbance forest conservation and ecosystem management. Lab exercises during the first month are held outside. The course is taught using a blended learning approach. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Prerequisite: BIOL 208 or consent of instructor. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 322 or FOR 322.
Description: Forest regeneration principles and techniques; stand tending including fertilization, thinning, pruning and drainage; harvesting systems for reforestation; nursery practices; reforestation, the law and current practices. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Prerequisite: BIOL 208 or consent of instructor. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 323 or FOR 323.
Description: This is an introduction to identification and conservation of the mosses of Alberta, with a strong emphasis on field identification. Students are introduced to the morphological characters used to identify Alberta mosses, with supplementary information about individual species' habitat affinities and distribution within Alberta. Lecture topics include basic morphology, conservation and management of species diversity, and rare/endangered species found within Alberta. Students learn to identify more than 110 species from the province's six major natural regions. Prerequisite: *30. PLSC 221 or BIOL 208 or equivalent are recommended.
Description: The course includes an introduction to the hydrology, biogeochemistry and ecology of wetland ecosystems. Topics covered include wetland classifications, geomorphic settings, distributions, functions and ecosystem services. Human use, alteration and management of wetlands are examined. An emphasis is placed on wetlands and wetland management in Western Canada, including boreal peatlands and prairie marshes. A full day field trip on a Saturday is required. Prerequisite: BIOL 208 or EAS 201, or consent of instructor. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 333 and BIOL 333.
Description: Harvesting and transportation methods and technologies as applied to wood-harvesting operations. This is a general course for students who desire a basic knowledge of current technologies used to conduct forest operations. Offered in alternate years, commencing in 2015. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 335 or FOREN 335. Prerequisite: *60. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 335 or FOREN 335.
Description: Principles of forest fire science and management in Canadian forest ecosystems. Fire science fundamentals and their applications for addressing complex social, ecological and economic fire management challenges. Topics include fire as a natural disturbance process, mechanisms of fire ignition and spread, fire weather, fire behaviour, and fire occurrence prediction. Models, systems, analytical techniques and policies used to support fire management operations and decisions are explored in relation to contemporary fire management issues. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 340 or FOR 340.
Description: The anatomy and identification of woods; biological, chemical, and physical properties of wood and its components. Lumber, pulp and paper, and reconstituted wood products technologies. Concept of integrated utilization. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 345 or FOREN 355.
Description: Principles of physical and land-use hydrology. The interaction of vegetation, soils, and storage processes with physiography and climate in regulation of hydrologic processes and hydrologic response of watersheds including effects of disturbance on these functions. Prerequisite: REN R 210 or SOILS 210 or written consent of Instructor.
Description: Global soil and water resources and their current rates of degradation. The main processes of degradation (erosion, loss of organic matter, salinization, pollution) and their causes. Consequences of degradation and conservation of resources through improved land use practices. Prerequisites: REN R 210 or SOILS 210. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 360 or ENCS 360.
Description: Introduction to the theoretical foundation for conservation science. Elements of population, community and landscape ecology will be reviewed, and their application to real-world challenges discussed. Objective is to provide students with the scientific tools to evaluate and develop conservation strategies for maintaining diversity in human-altered systems. Ethical and philosophical aspects of the sociopolitical arena in which conservation decisions are made and implemented are also explored. Prerequisites: BIOL 208 or (BIOL 108 and REN R 110) and *60 of university-level coursework. Credit will only be given for both REN R 364 and (ENCS 364 or BIOL 367). This course has limited enrolment, with preference given to students in the Conservation Biology major of the ENCS Program.
Description: A study of landscape properties - pattern, process and scale - and their relationship to broad-scale ecological and environmental issues in northern systems. Prerequisite: REN R 364 or ENCS 364. Registration requires enrolment in the BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS) Northern Systems Major, or consent of Department.
Description: Principles and practices of restoring ecosystem structure, function and biodiversity after natural or anthropogenic disturbances. The course focuses on ecological theory and how to apply it to ecological restoration. Topics include landscape processes and connectivity, soil-plant processes, techniques, philosophy and ethics and societal aspects of ecological restoration. Prerequisite: BIOL 208.
Description: Basic principles in plant genetics and resource utilization including tree improvement and reclamation will be covered. Regular lectures will be supplemented with guest lectures and one lab exercise or field trip per month, an individual term report and a group project presentation/poster will be assigned. Prerequisite: *30 university credit.
Description: Principles of ecology as applied to the management of fisheries and wildlife communities. Topics include the growth and regulation of populations, interactions among species and their environments, tools and techniques used to assess and manage fisheries and wildlife. Special emphasis will be placed applying knowledge using case studies and class exercises to demonstrate key principles. Prerequisite: BIOL 208. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 376 or ENCS 376.
Description: Directed study in the multiple aspects of renewable resources. Open to third or fourth year students upon consent of instructor. Some sections require payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar.
Description: Directed research, with the intent of preparing the student for graduate studies. Generally undertaken in the fourth year of study, over the course of the fall and winter terms and results in an undergraduate "thesis". Students wishing to enrol must obtain permission from an instructor, as well as the Associate Chair, Undergraduate, Department of Renewable Resources. Prerequisite: *60 and consent of instructor.
Description: Directed research, with the intent of preparing the student for graduate studies. Generally undertaken in the fourth year of study, over the course of the fall and winter terms and results in an undergraduate "thesis". Students wishing to enrol must obtain permission from an instructor, as well as the Associate Chair, Undergraduate, Department of Renewable Resources. Prerequisite: *60 and consent of instructor.
Description: Individual study. Problems in specialized areas of forest science. Prerequisite: consent of Instructor.
Description: Principles, complexity, and diversity of agroforestry. Classification of agroforestry systems. Agroforestry systems in North America, specifically Canada. Plant and soil aspects of and interactions among the components in agroforestry systems. Use of agroforestry systems to enhance land productivity and sustainability. Socioeconomic aspects of agroforestry. Prerequisite: 60 units of university courses.
Description: Stress physiology of trees and tree seedlings; mechanisms of stress action and stress resistance; effects of silvicultural practices on growth and physiology; planting stress. Prerequisite: consent of Instructor.
Description: Readings, discussions and exercises on current topics in silviculture. Possible topics include: forest microsites, forest competition, plantation forestry, partial-cut systems, or intensive management. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: REN R 323 or FOR 323. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 423 or FOR 423.
Description: This course is a combination of lecture/lab and directed studies to develop advanced GIS skills. A focus of the course is an individual spatial analysis project. Prerequisites: EAS 221, FOREN 201 or REN R 201, or consent of instructor.
Description: The purpose of this course is to expose students to key themes in science policy in the Canadian North, and to prepare students for careers at the northern science-policy interface. Case studies from the Canadian North will be used to explore the main themes of the course. Offered at Yukon College only. Prerequisite: *60.
Description: Analytical techniques used by renewable resource managers for management of wildland areas for single or multiple outputs; problems of defining optimality when confronted with competing uses and multiple outputs. Prerequisite: *54 of University credit.
Description: Problem solving, decision making and planning in relation to the management of forest resources. Application of models and related tools. Public involvement and issues management will be addressed. Prerequisite: REN R 299 (or FOR 302, 303, 304) and (REN R 323 or FOR 323) and REN R 430. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 431 or FOR 431.
Description: This course will cover various aspects of disturbance ecology, including concepts of disturbance frequency, severity, intensity; ecological resilience and resistance and ecosystem responses to and recovery from disturbance. Students will define what a disturbance is and critically evaluate disturbance types and their characteristics in different ecosystems and their implications for conservation, sustainability of ecosystems, and application to reclamation / restoration. Prerequisites: *60 and BIOL 208.
Description: Soil formation, with emphasis on landscape processes as factors in soil development; pedogenic processes and their relation to environmental issues; soils; vegetation, and geological associations; kinds and distribution of soils in Canada; soil classification; field examination and computer-assisted learning of soils and their landscape. Field trips. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Prerequisite: REN R 210 or SOILS 210 or consent of instructor. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 441 or SOILS 420.
Description: Introduction to the main components of the soil biota; the metabolic and molecular diversity of microbial populations and their role in soil processes; the microbiology and biochemistry of decomposition of organic matter in soil; biogeochemical cycling of N, P, S, Si, base cations and metals; and the application of soil microbiology to selected environmental problems. Prerequisite: REN R 210 or SOILS 210, or consent of instructor. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 442 or SOILS 430.
Description: Quantitative characterization of soil physical properties. Description and measurement of soil physical properties and transport processes in soils. Examples from areas of land resource management, soil remediation, agriculture, and forestry will be used to illustrate the principles. Prerequisite: *60. REN R 210 or SOILS 210 or equivalent recommended. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 443 or SOILS 440.
Description: Chemical processes in soil and related terrestrial environments and the consequences of these processes as they relate to soil productivity, environmental quality and pollution of soil and water. The course describes fundamental chemical concepts such as soil solution and solid phase chemistry, sorption phenomena, ion exchange, oxidation-reduction reactions and speciation of metals. These concepts are used to predict the fate (distribution, transport, bioavailability and transformation) of inorganic and organic contaminants in soil. The chemical principles provide fundamental knowledge to develop soil reclamation strategies and nutrient management practices for enhanced crop production. Prerequisite: A chemistry course plus completion of (REN R 210 or SOILS 210) or consent of instructor. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 444 or SOILS 450.
Description: Essential plant nutrients; factors influencing nutrient availability; methods of evaluating soil fertility; correction of soil fertility problems; manufacture, composition, and use of fertilizers. Prerequisite: REN R 210 or SOILS 210. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 445 or SOILS 460.
Description: The basic principles by which the cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients through soils, plants, and the atmosphere are controlled in terrestrial ecosystems under different climates. Interrelationships among water, carbon and nutrient cycles in natural and managed ecosystems that have developed in different climatic zones. Environmental consequences of human intervention in the cycles for food and fibre production in different ecosystems. Prerequisite: REN R 210 or SOILS 210. Recommended courses: PL SC 221 or BOT 340. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 446 or ENCS 461.
Description: This course focuses on understanding and managing insects and diseases in natural and managed forest ecosystems and characterizes how they interact with the environment and each other to affect ecosystem functions and properties. Prerequisites: minimum of *54 university level credits and BIOL 208.
Description: Land-management issues that influence the sustainability of both agriculture and the land resource. Role of ecological processes in determining sustainability and the development and adoption of practices that facilitate long-term viability of both agriculture and biophysical resources. The concept of the agro-ecosystem and application of ecological principles to agricultural land management. Use of environmental indicators to measure and predict long-term sustainability of agricultural land management. Prerequisites: *60 at university level including (REN R 210 or SOILS 210), and (BIOL 208 or PL SC 221).
Description: Seminar discussions/presentations on issues and methods in forest management and the production, protection, and regulation of wildland water resources. Relationship between disturbance (natural/anthropogenic) and water yield, regime, water quality. Watershed management as a component of integrated wildland management (ECA procedures, hydrologic modeling, stream protection zones (SPZs), best management practices (BMPs) and cumulative effects assessment). Prerequisite: *60 at university level.
Description: An overview of the diversity of management practices among protected areas, including national and provincial parks, interpreted in the context of the ongoing development of ecological science and environmentalism. Prerequisite: REN R 260 or ENCS 260. REN R 364 or ENCS 364 recommended. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 462 or ENCS 462.
Description: An overview of evolutionary processes and their role in shaping animals and plants in northern environments; adaptations to extreme conditions and potential effects of climate change will be explored. Prerequisite: BIOL 208 or equivalent. Registration requires enrolment in the BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS) Northern Systems Major, or consent of Department.
Description: Theoretical and applied considerations for maintaining endangered, threatened and rare populations and species, including provincial, national and international strategies. Contributory factors to decline and extinction are discussed, as are various recovery programs. Prerequisite: REN R 364 or ENCS 364, or consent of Instructor. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 464 or ENCS 464.
Description: Field trip studies with a focus on environmental and conservation biology topics. Course content and offerings vary from year to year, and have included study trips on Northern Ecosystems, National Parks, and Protected Areas, Arctic Tundra, the Florida Everglades, and Galapagos Islands. Prerequisite: *9 in biological or ecological topics. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 465 or ENCS 465. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar.
Description: Current and projected impacts of climate change on the circumpolar north, including the land, its biota, northern communities, and drivers that shape these interactions. Prerequisite: enrolment in the BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS) Northern Systems Major, or consent of Department.
Description: An overview of theories and methods of communication, as applied to environmental topics and general audiences. Includes discussion of environmental interpretation, science communication, audio-visual communication, and media skills. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 467 or ENCS 467.
Description: Principles and issues in conserving and managing plant and animal genetic resources from the global perspective. Lectures will be supplemented with case studies. Students are assigned tasks, individually and in groups. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Description: Introduction to the theory and application of biodiversity with an emphasis on quantitative analysis of biodiversity. The course covers the concepts of biodiversity (genetic, species and ecosystem), diversity measurements, estimation of species richness, synthetic patterns and generating mechanisms of species diversity (species-abundance, species-area, distribution-abundance, local-regional, beta diversity, richness-productivity, body size-richness, etc.) and the implications of the patterns and theories to the conservation of biodiversity. Laboratory session involves using statistical software R for analyzing various diversity data. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Description: In-depth analysis of topical issues in northern resource management, including both ecological and socio-political dimensions, and emphasizing underlying scientific principles and adaptive management strategies. Prerequisite: enrolment in the BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS) Northern Systems Major, or consent of Department.
Description: Issues, principles and science surrounding sustainable use of wildlife resources. Hunting, angling and trapping for subsistence, recreational and commercial purposes. Sociopolitical dimensions of harvest regulation, wildlife administration, and human demographic changes. Field trips. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Prerequisite: minimum of *6 of Renewable Resources or Biological Sciences courses at the 300-level or higher. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 474 or ENCS 474.
Description: Fisheries and wildlife systems management. Approaches covered, include: age/growth analysis, demographics, systems analysis, and other computer and modelling applications in fisheries and wildlife management. Prerequisites: *60 at the university level with at least *6 in Biology or Ecology. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 476 or ENCS 476.
Description: Introduction to the scientific method; presentation of quantitative data in forestry, conservation and environmental sciences; common research approaches and experimental designs; fundamental concepts of statistics; classical hypothesis testing and Bayesian inference; parametric and nonparametric statistical tests; tests for binomial data; linear, non-linear, and multiple regression. Prerequisite: a minimum of *60 of university-level course; *3 introductory statistics recommended. [Renewable Resources]
Description: Principles and methods of biological, chemical, and physical remediation of soils contaminated by hazardous chemicals and other pollutants. Topics include soil-contaminant interactions, microbial processes used in remediation and process fundamentals of remediation technologies including bioremediation and phytoremediation. Other important environmental issues associated with growing industrial activities such as off-shore oil spills, and production of red mud sludge and oil sands tailings are included with potential remediation strategies to address those issues. This course describes approaches to managing contaminated sites incorporating Canadian guidelines and soil quality criteria for soil remediation. Prerequisites: *60. REN R 444 is recommended. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 482 or ENCS 455.
Description: Chemical, biological, and physical properties of anthropogenic wastes, their reactions in the soil environment, theory and practice for their chemical and biological immobilization and use in agriculture, forest, and urban lands. Prerequisites: consent of Instructor, must have completed at least *60 at the university-level. Credit may be obtained for only one of REN R 483 or ENCS 475.
Description: Contemporary approaches to land-use planning applied to northern systems in Canada, addressing the integration of social, environmental and economic values, and maintenance of ecosystem integrity through proactive measures. Prerequisites: enrolment and *81 credits at the university level in the BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS) Northern Systems Major, or consent of Department.
Description: Principles, practices, and philosophy of reclamation of degraded lands. Team based land reclamation project required. Should be taken in students' last year as the Capstone Course for the Land Reclamation Major. Prerequisites: *90 including introductory courses in soil science, hydrology, ecology, and vegetation science; and REN R 307 or ENCS 307 or equivalent; and *3 in vegetation science at the 300-or 400-level and *6 in soil science at the 300-or 400-level. Prerequisites or corequisites: *3 in vegetation science at the 300-or 400-level; and *3 in soil science at the 300- or 400-level; and REN R 482 or ENCS 455. ENCS 406 recommended. Note: This course is not open to anyone who has taken REN R 475 or 485.
Description: Conservation Planning is a quantitative, inter-disciplinary applied science that prioritizes conservation actions in a spatially-explicit manner. It seeks to understand trade-offs between biological, social and economic factors associated with land use activities. The course is a combination of computing labs that demonstrate key principles and software, lectures to discuss key issues, and a student-led final project to apply key concepts and quantitative techniques. Special emphasis is given to Alberta's land use planning challenges, although North American examples and exercises are also used. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor, or (REN R 364 or ENCS 364) and (REN R 201 or EAS 221) and (STATS 141 or SCI 151) and *81 university level credits.
Description: Directed study in the multiple aspects of renewable resources. Open to fourth year or graduate students upon consent of instructor.
Description: Mathematical programming, decision analysis and computer simulation applied to natural resource management problems. Prerequisites: AREC 214 or MATH 120 and at least *60 credit in university courses.
Description: This course offers more detailed understanding of chemical concepts such as soil solution and solid phase chemistry, sorption phenomena, ion exchange, oxidation-reduction reactions and speciation of metals. The course also includes the topics related to mineral solubility, carbonate system, and application of stable isotopes. The students are expected to attend and are responsible for the material presented in the lecture portion of REN 444 (Environmental Soil Chemistry). Additional bi-weekly sessions will be held for discussion. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Credit will only be given for one of REN R 550 or SOILS 550.
Description: Application of biometrical techniques in agri-food, environmental, and forest sciences with emphasis on complex analysis of variance designs (i.e., mixed models, split-plot, nested designs, repeated measures, analysis of covariance), regression (linear, non-linear, Poisson); approaches to analysis of categorical data, non-parametric techniques. Prerequisite: a minimum of *90 of university-level course work, REN R 480 (or equivalent), or consent of instructor. (Offered jointly by the Departments of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science and Renewable Resources.)
Description: An examination of current topics in land reclamation, ecological restoration, revegetation and remediation of degraded lands. Prerequisite: consent of Instructor.
Description: Prepares graduate students to function in a research environment. Focuses on the development of communication and presentation skills, the publication process, and proposal preparation. The grade is credit/no credit.
Description: Prepares graduate students to function in a research environment. Focus is applied communication of research. All students are required to present a seminar, present a research poster, and critique a seminar. Attendance at the seminars and poster session is required. If possible, REN R 604 should not be taken until the student has some research results to present. The grade is credit/no credit.
Description: This course introduces descriptive multivariate and spatial statistical techniques for analysis of biological and environmental data. The mathematical foundations of techniques are discussed, but the emphasis of this course is visualization, analysis, and interpretation of complex environmental data sets. Topics include: (1) database management, (2) vector and matrix operations, (3) all basic multivariate techniques, (4) distance-based ordinations, (5) principles of spatial statistics, (6) multivariate analysis of spatial data, and (7) ecological modeling applications. Students will conduct a course project based on their own data sets. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor.
Description: Principles and elements of environmental assessment with an interdisciplinary focus. Topics include types of environmental assessments and when to use them, the Alberta and Canadian environmental assessment processes, the relevant legal framework, sampling and pathways of effects for different biophysical components, mitigation of environmental impacts and assessment of risk. Not available for students with credit in REN R 307 or ENCS 307. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Introduction to the scientific method; presentation of quantitative data in forestry, conservation and environmental sciences; common research approaches and experimental designs; fundamental concepts of statistics; classical hypothesis testing and Bayesian inference; parametric and non-parametric statistical tests; tests for binomial data; linear, nonlinear, and multiple regression. Not available for students with credit in REN R 480. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: This course is a combination of lecture/lab and directed studies to develop advanced GIS skills. A focus of the course is an individual spatial analysis project. Not available for students with credit in REN R 426. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Study of physiological processes in trees. Emphasis on primary and secondary metabolism, gas exchange, transport processes, growth, and environmental effects. Not available for students with credit in REN R 321. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Exploration of key concepts regarding the ecology of forest ecosystems at varying temporal and spatial scales. Emphasis will be on relationships between biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. Topics covered will include flows of energy and matter, ecosystem dynamics, forest landscapes and biodiversity, impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbance, forest conservation and ecosystem management. Lab exercises during the first month are held outside. The course is taught using a blended learning approach and is available via remote delivery. May require payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Not available for students with credit in REN R 322 or FOR 322. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Forest regeneration principles and techniques; stand tending including fertilization, thinning, pruning and drainage; harvesting systems for reforestation; nursery practices; reforestation, the law and current practices. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Not available for students with credit in REN R 323 or FOR 323. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Harvesting and transportation methods and technologies as applied to wood-harvesting operations. This is a general course for students who desire a basic knowledge of current technologies used to conduct forest operations. Offered in alternate years. Not available for students with credit in REN R 335 or FOREN 335. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: The anatomy and identification of woods; biological, chemical, and physical properties of wood and its components. Lumber, pulp and paper, and reconstituted wood products technologies. Concept of integrated utilization. Not available for students with credit in REN R 345 or FOREN 355. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Stress physiology of trees and tree seedlings; mechanisms of stress action and stress resistance; effects of silvicultural practices on growth and physiology; planting stress. Not available for students with credit in REN R 421. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Readings, discussions and exercises on current topics in silviculture. Possible topics include: forest microsites, forest competition, plantation forestry, partial-cut systems, or intensive management. Offered in alternate years. Not available for students with credit in REN R 423 or FOR 423. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Analytical techniques used by renewable resource managers for management of wildland areas for single or multiple outputs; problems of defining optimality when confronted with competing uses and multiple outputs. Not available for students with credit in REN R 430. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Problem solving, decision making and planning in relation to the management of forest resources. Application of models and related tools. Public involvement and issues management will be addressed. Not available for students with credit in REN R 431 or FOR 431. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles of physical and land-use hydrology. The interaction of vegetation, soils, and storage processes with physiography and climate in regulation of hydrologic processes and hydrologic response of watersheds including effects of disturbance on these functions. Not available for students with credit in REN R 350. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Seminar discussions/presentations on issues and methods in forest management and the production, protection, and regulation of wildland water resources. Relationship between disturbance (natural/anthropogenic) and water yield, regime, water quality. Watershed management as a component of integrated wildland management (ECA procedures, hydrologic modeling, stream protection zones (SPZs), best management practices (BMPs) and cumulative effects assessment). Not available for students with credit in REN R 452. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: This course will cover various aspects of disturbance ecology, including concepts of disturbance frequency, severity, intensity; ecological resilience and resistance and ecosystem responses to and recovery from disturbance. Students will define what a disturbance is and critically evaluate disturbance types and their characteristics in different ecosystems and their implications for conservation, sustainability of ecosystems, and application to reclamation / restoration. Not available for students with credit in REN R 440. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles of forest fire science and management in Canadian forest ecosystems. Fire science fundamentals and their applications for addressing complex social, ecological and economic fire management challenges. Topics include fire as a natural disturbance process, mechanisms of fire ignition and spread, fire weather, fire behaviour, and fire occurrence prediction. Models, systems, analytical techniques and policies used to support fire management operations and decisions are explored in relation to contemporary fire management issues. Intended for students in course based masters programs. Not available for students with credit in REN R 340. Requires departmental consent.
Description: Soil formation, with emphasis on landscape processes as factors in soil development; pedogenic processes and their relation to environmental issues; soils; vegetation, and geological associations; kinds and distribution of soils in Canada; soil classification; field examination and computer-assisted learning of soils and their landscape. Field trips. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Not available for students with credit in REN R 441 or SOILS 420. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Introduction to the main components of the soil biota; the metabolic and molecular diversity of microbial populations and their role in soil processes; the microbiology and biochemistry of decomposition of organic matter in soil; biogeochemical cycling of N, P, S, Si, base cations and metals; and the application of soil microbiology to selected environmental problems. Not available for students with credit in REN R 442 or SOILS 430. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Quantitative characterization of soil physical properties. Description and measurement of soil physical properties and transport processes in soils. Examples from areas of land resource management, soil remediation, agriculture, and forestry will be used to illustrate the principles Not available for students with credit in REN R 443 or SOILS 440. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Chemical processes in soil and related terrestrial environments and the consequences of these processes as they relate to soil productivity, environmental quality and pollution of soil and water. The course describes fundamental chemical concepts such as soil solution and solid phase chemistry, sorption phenomena, ion exchange, oxidation-reduction reactions and speciation of metals. These concepts are used to predict the fate (distribution, transport, bioavailability and transformation) of inorganic and organic contaminants in soil. The chemical principles provide fundamental knowledge to develop soil reclamation strategies and nutrient management practices for enhanced crop production. Not available for students with credit in REN R 444 or SOILS 450. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Essential plant nutrients; factors influencing nutrient availability; methods of evaluating soil fertility; correction of soil fertility problems; manufacture, composition, and use of fertilizers. Not available for students with credit in REN R 445 or SOILS 460. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: The basic principles by which the cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients through soils, plants, and the atmosphere are controlled in terrestrial ecosystems under different climates. Interrelationships among water, carbon and nutrient cycles in natural and managed ecosystems that have developed in different climatic zones. Environmental consequences of human intervention in the cycles for food and fibre production in different ecosystems. Not available for students with credit in ENCS 461 or REN R 446. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: This course focuses on understanding and managing insects and diseases in natural and managed forest ecosystems and characterizes how they interact with the environment and each other to affect ecosystem functions and properties. Intended for students in course based masters programs. Not available for students with credit in REN R 447. Prerequisites: minimum of *54 university level credits and BIOL 208. Requires department consent.
Description: Chemical, physical, and biological properties and processes of soil in relation to site and the growth of forest vegetation; nutrient cycling; influences of surface soil erosion, fertilization, and fire upon forest soil productivity: forest land classification. Not available for students with credit in REN R 314 or FOR 314. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Global soil and water resources and their current rates of degradation. The main processes of degradation (erosion, loss of organic matter, salinization, pollution) and their causes. Consequences of degradation and conservation of resources through improved land use practices. Not available for students with credit in REN R 360 or ENCS 360. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles, complexity, and diversity of agroforestry. Classification of agroforestry systems. Agroforestry systems in North America, specifically Canada. Plant and soil aspects of and interactions among the components in agroforestry systems. Use of agroforestry systems to enhance land productivity and sustainability. Socioeconomic aspects of agroforestry. Not available for students with credit in REN R 414. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Land-management issues that influence the sustainability of both agriculture and the land resource. Role of ecological processes in determining sustainability and the development and adoption of practices that facilitate long-term viability of both agriculture and biophysical resources. The concept of the agroecosystem and application of ecological principles to agricultural land management. Use of environmental indicators to measure and predict long-term sustainability of agricultural land management. Not available for students with credit in REN R 450. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles and practices of restoring ecosystem structure, function and biodiversity after natural or anthropogenic disturbances. The course focuses on ecological theory and how to apply it to ecological restoration. Topics include landscape processes and connectivity, soil-plant processes, techniques, philosophy and ethics and societal aspects of ecological restoration. This course is intended for students in course based masters programs. Not available for students with credit in REN R 366. Requires department consent.
Description: An overview of theories and methods of communication, as applied to environmental topics and general audiences. Includes discussion of environmental interpretation, science communication, audio-visual communication, and media skills. Not available for students with credit in REN R 467 or ENCS 467. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Introduction to the theoretical foundation for conservation science. Elements of population, community and landscape ecology will be reviewed, and their application to real-world challenges discussed. Objective is to provide students with the scientific tools to evaluate and develop conservation strategies for maintaining diversity in human-altered systems. Ethical and philosophical aspects of the sociopolitical arena in which conservation decisions are made and implemented are also explored. Not available for students with credit in REN R 364 or ENCS 364. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: An overview of the diversity of management practices among protected areas, including national and provincial parks, interpreted in the context of the ongoing development of ecological science and environmentalism. Prerequisite: REN R 260 or ENCS 260. REN R 364 or ENCS 364 recommended. Not available for students with credit in REN R 462 or ENCS 462. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: This is an introduction to identification and conservation of the mosses of Alberta, with a strong emphasis on field identification. Students are introduced to the morphological characters used to identify Alberta mosses, with supplementary information about individual species' habitat affinities and distribution within Alberta. Lecture topics include basic morphology, conservation and management of species diversity, and rare/ endangered species found within Alberta. Students learn to identify more than 110 species from the province's six major natural regions. Not available for students with credit in REN R 327. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Basic principles in plant genetics and resource utilization including tree improvement and reclamation will be covered. Regular lectures will be supplemented with guest lectures and one lab exercise or field trip per month, an individual term report and presentation/discussion lead on a selected paper will be required. Not available for students with credit in REN R 368. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Issues, principles and science surrounding sustainable use of wildlife resources. Hunting, angling and trapping for subsistence, recreational and commercial purposes. Sociopolitical dimensions of harvest regulation, wildlife administration, and human demographic changes. Field trips. Requires payment of additional student instructional support fees. Refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar. Not available for students with credit in REN R 474 or ENCS 474. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles of ecology as applied to the management of fisheries and wildlife communities. Topics include the growth and regulation of populations, interactions among species and their environments, tools and techniques used to assess and manage fisheries and wildlife. Special emphasis will be placed applying knowledge using case studies and class exercises to demonstrate key principles. Not available for students with credit in REN R 376 or ENCS 376. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Fisheries and wildlife systems management. Approaches covered, include: age/growth analysis, demographics, systems analysis, and other computer and modelling applications in fisheries and wildlife management. Not available for students with credit in REN R 476 or ENCS 476. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/ MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles and methods of biological, chemical, and physical remediation of soils contaminated by hazardous chemicals and other pollutants. Topics include soil-contaminant interactions, microbial processes used in remediation and process fundamentals of remediation technologies including bioremediation and phytoremediation. Other important environmental issues associated with growing industrial activities such as off-shore oil spills, and production of red mud sludge and oil sands tailings are included with potential remediation strategies to address those issues. This course describes approaches to managing contaminated sites incorporating Canadian guidelines and soil quality criteria for soil remediation. Students will review recent literature pertaining to soil remediation. Not available for students with credit in REN R 482 or ENCS 455. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Chemical, biological, and physical properties of anthropogenic wastes, their reactions in the soil environment, theory and practice for their chemical and biological immobilization and use in agriculture, forest, and urban lands. Not available for students with credit in REN R 483 or ENCS 475. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Principles, practices, and philosophy of reclamation of degraded lands. Topics include types of land disturbances and regulations governing their reclamation, landscape development, site preparation, soil reclamation and remediation, revegetation, seed mix design, planting methods, plant species selection, monitoring, determining success, plant community ecology and change, bioengineering, phytoremediation, vegetative reclamation, and ecological restoration. Team based land reclamation project required. Not available for students with credit in REN R 475, 485 or 495. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of instructor.
Description: Conservation Planning is a quantitative, inter-disciplinary applied science that prioritizes conservation actions in a spatially-explicit manner. It seeks to understand trade-offs between biological, social and economic factors associated with land use activities. The course is a combination of computing labs that demonstrate key principles and software, lectures to discuss key issues, and a student-led final project to apply key concepts and quantitative techniques. Special emphasis is given to Alberta's land use planning challenges, although North American examples and exercises are also used. Not available for students with credit in REN R 496. Available only to students in MAg, MBA/MAg, MF, or MBA/MF, or by consent of Department.
Description: Required of all Soils MAg candidates in their final year. It does not usually involve collection of original data but makes use of published or unpublished data from other sources. The report is to be defended before a committee of three staff members, one member being from outside the Department of Renewable Resources.
Description: Required of all Soils MAg candidates in their final year. It does not usually involve collection of original data but makes use of published or unpublished data from other sources. The report is to be defended before a committee of three staff members, one member being from outside the Department of Renewable Resources.
Description: The final research project that comprises REN R 906 is a final capping exercise for the degrees of MAg and MF. Its practical and professional focus should integrate the core areas of study in the program. The successful completion of the project entails (1) a research topic approved by the supervisor; (2) the presentation of a draft research proposal; and (3) the presentation of the research as a written document to the supervisor. The project may take the form of any of the following: (1) a formal analysis of management practice, organizational processes or policy; (2) a formative or summative evaluation of a research project or program; (3) a case study, using secondary documents, survey data, or interviews; or (4) replication of a previous study, with either the introduction of a new variable or an analysis in a changed context.
Description: The final research project that comprises REN R 906 is a final capping exercise for the degrees of MAg and MF. Its practical and professional focus should integrate the core areas of study in the program. The successful completion of the project entails (1) a research topic approved by the supervisor; (2) the presentation of a draft research proposal; and (3) the presentation of the research as a written document to the supervisor. The project may take the form of any of the following: (1) a formal analysis of management practice, organizational processes or policy; (2) a formative or summative evaluation of a research project or program; (3) a case study, using secondary documents, survey data, or interviews; or (4) replication of a previous study, with either the introduction of a new variable or an analysis in a changed context.
Description: The final research project that comprises REN R 906 is a final capping exercise for the degrees of MAg and MF. Its practical and professional focus should integrate the core areas of study in the program. The successful completion of the project entails (1) a research topic approved by the supervisor; (2) the presentation of a draft research proposal; and (3) the presentation of the research as a written document to the supervisor. The project may take the form of any of the following: (1) a formal analysis of management practice, organizational processes or policy; (2) a formative or summative evaluation of a research project or program; (3) a case study, using secondary documents, survey data, or interviews; or (4) replication of a previous study, with either the introduction of a new variable or an analysis in a changed context.
Description: The final research project that comprises REN R 912 is a final capping exercise for the degrees of MAg and MF. Its practical and professional focus should integrate the core areas of study in the program. The successful completion of the project entails (1) a research topic approved by the supervisor; (2) the presentation of a draft research proposal; and (3) the presentation of the research as a written document to the supervisor. The project may take the form of any of the following: (1) a formal analysis of management practice, organizational processes or policy; (2) a formative or summative evaluation of a research project or program; (3) a case study, using secondary documents, survey data, or interviews; or (4) replication of a previous study, with either the introduction of a new variable or an analysis in a changed context.
Description: The final research project that comprises REN R 912 is a final capping exercise for the degrees of MAg and MF. Its practical and professional focus should integrate the core areas of study in the program. The successful completion of the project entails (1) a research topic approved by the supervisor; (2) the presentation of a draft research proposal; and (3) the presentation of the research as a written document to the supervisor. The project may take the form of any of the following: (1) a formal analysis of management practice, organizational processes or policy; (2) a formative or summative evaluation of a research project or program; (3) a case study, using secondary documents, survey data, or interviews; or (4) replication of a previous study, with either the introduction of a new variable or an analysis in a changed context.
Description: The final research project that comprises REN R 912 is a final capping exercise for the degrees of MAg and MF. Its practical and professional focus should integrate the core areas of study in the program. The successful completion of the project entails (1) a research topic approved by the supervisor; (2) the presentation of a draft research proposal; and (3) the presentation of the research as a written document to the supervisor. The project may take the form of any of the following: (1) a formal analysis of management practice, organizational processes or policy; (2) a formative or summative evaluation of a research project or program; (3) a case study, using secondary documents, survey data, or interviews; or (4) replication of a previous study, with either the introduction of a new variable or an analysis in a changed context.