Instructor: Catherine Pringle (CP),  308 Biological Sciences
                 Pringle@sparc.ecology.uga.edu

Time: Mon: 10:10 ? 12:05 AM (lec) ? Institute of Ecology Seminar Room
          Wed: 12:20 ? 1:10 PM (disc)  "               "            "           "

Grading:  33% class participation (includes paper summaries and class discussions)
                33% report and report presentation
                33% final exam

This course is designed as both a core course for conservation students in the Institute of Ecologyís Masters Conservation Program, graduate students specializing in aquatic science, or for those who would like to learn more about current issues in conservation with an emphasis on aquatic ecosystems.  (This course is NOT a substitute for Linnology or Stream Ecology)

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Required Book:   Colburn, T.  et al. 1996.  Our stolen future. Penguin Group, NY,
                                      SBN 0-452-27414 pb.
Optional  Book:   Laws, E. A.  1993.  Aquatic Pollution, Second edition. John Wiley
                                    and Sons, Inc., NY ISBN 0-471-58883-0 pb.
                                    (good reference if you  have limited background  in biology and
                                    aquatic science)

I. The conceptual basis for conservation of freshwater ecosystems and the scope of environmental problems in aquatic ecosystems

Week 1:
M 18 Aug     Course organization, grading class project, questionnaire
                    Lecture:  Hydrologic connectivity and the status of global freshwater
                                    resources
                    Video:  "The last oasis" focuses on demand and conservation of freshwater
                                   resources. It explores the new ways that we are learning to
                                   develop a new ëwater ethicí ? i.e. manage the fragile relationship
                                   between conservation, water quality, ecosystem health and water
                                   demand (55  min).

W 20 Aug    Discussion:  assigned readings
 
 
 
 

Week 2:
M 25 Aug     Lecture: Status of aquatic resources in the U.S. with emphasis on the
                                   southeast
                     Video:   "Mulhollandís Dream" describes how William Mulholland
                                    ëdeliveredí a river to Los Angeles in 1913 (55 min).

W 27 Aug     Discussion:  assigned readings (passed out Wednesday of preceding week)
 
 

II. Changing goals for watershed management and legislation to protect
     water resources in the USA

Week 3:
M 1 Sept      HOLIDAY ?  Labor Day

W 3 Sept      Lecture: (CP) History of changing goals for watershed management and
                                    legal authorities to address freshwater deterioration
 

III. Hydrologic

Week 4:
M 8 Sept     Lecture:    Ecological effects of large dams and implications for
                                    conservation and sustainable development
                    Video:   "An American Nile" charts the Colorado Riverís 10-yr
                                     transformation from a wild desert river to the most controlled,
                                     litigated and regulated and over-allocated river in history.  The
                                     first river to come under complete human control, the Colorado
                                     can now be turned off, down to the last drop (55 min).

 W 10 Sept     Discussion:  Readings
 

Week 5:
M 15 Sept     Lecture:  Effects of irrigation, and other hydrological modifications (e.g.,
                                    groundwater overexploitation, instream gravel mining, etc)
                      Video:  "Large dams, false promises" provides an international
                                    perspective on large dams (35 min).

W 17 Sept     Discussion:  Readings
                      ***DUE DATE FOR DISCUSSION PAPER TOPIC (Title and brief
                            abstract)
 
 

IV. Chemical

Week 6:
M 22 Sept     Lecture: Point and non-point source pollution, coastal ëdead zones,í
                                 and killer algae
                    Video: "Saving the coasts"

W 24 Sept    Discussion:  Readings
 

Week 7:
M 29 Sept   Lecture: Conservation challenges of toxic chemicals in the environment
                  Video: "We all live downstream" explores the problems of the
                                 Mississippi which has become a 2,300 mile toxic waterway.

W  1 Oct     Discussion:  Readings
 

Week 8:
M 6  Oct     Lecture:  Aquatic ecosystems as harbingers of environmental
                                   problems with new classes of pollutants: estrogen mimics
                                   and human pharmaceuticals

W 8 Oct     Discussion:  Colburn et al. 1996.  Our stolen future
 
 

V. Biological

Week 9:
M 13 Oct     Lecture : Exotic Species: Conservation implications of an increasingly
                    homogenized aquatic flora and fauna

W 15 Oct     Discussion:  Readings
 
 

VI. Interacting effects

Week 10:
M 20 Oct     Lecture: Interacting effects of  hydrologic change, chemical and biological
                     alterations: emerging ecological patterns of global concern

W 22 Oct    Discussion:  Readings
 

VII. Linking ecological science with management and policy
          (Dr. Mary Freeman in charge of these two weeks while Pringle is in Costa Rica)

Week 11:
M 27 Oct     Lecture: Dr. Mary Freeman, guest lecturer:  Answering the question "How
                     much water does a river need?"  Dr. Freeman will provide her firsthand
                     experience (as a federal employee with the US Geological Survey and
                     faculty member in Ecology at UGA) in applying fisheries and ecological
                      science to the management of flow regimes below dams in the southeastern
                      USA.

W 29 Oct     Discussion:  Readings assigned by Freeman  (passed out by Pringle during
                     preceding week)
 

Week 12:
M   3 Nov    Lecture:  Dr. Mary Freeman, guest lecturer: "A vision (dream?) for
                    conserving stream biodiversity in the midst of suburbia."  Freeman will
                    discuss science and management questions related to development of an
                    HCP (Habitat Conservation Plans) to protect aquatic resources in Georgia.

W   5 Nov    Discussion: Readings assigned by Freeman
 

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VIII:  Graduate Student Symposium Presentations

Week 13:
M  10 Nov      Student presentations and discussion
W  12 Nov       "            "                   "      "

Week 14:
M 17 Nov       Student presentations  and discussion
W 19 Nov        "           "                     "      "
 

Week 15:
M 24 Nov       Student presentations and discussion
W 26 Nov      THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
 

Week 16:
M 1 Dec         Student presentations and discussion
W 3 Dec         "            "                    "     "