Course Overview
Instructor Information
Philip Higuera, Ph.D.
Office: Traphagen Hall 221Office Hours: Mon. 11:00 am - 12:30 pm, Wed. 1:00 - 2:30 pm, or by appointment
E-mail: philip.higuera[at]montana.edu
Phone Number: 994-6912
Course Description
This three-credit, graduate-level course will be run as a seminar consisting of presentations on selected topics (see below), weekly readings from the primary literature, student-led discussions, and hands-on exercises utilizing new and existing datasets (could be your own!). Many of the topics will expand on subjects introduced in GEOG 302 (Biogeography) and GEOG 303 (Climatology).
Calendar, 2009 - continually updated
| Week | Topics | Readings / Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Jan. | NO CLASS: MLK Day | |
| 26 Jan. | Past and Present Bioclimatology Paleobiogeography |
|
| 2 Feb. | Bioclimatic modelling | |
| 9 Feb. | Bioclimatic modelling | |
| 16 Feb. | NO CLASS - Pres. Day | NA |
| 23 Feb. | Modern analogs: rationale and techniques |
For personal reference:
Overpeck et al. 1985 |
| 2 March | Modern analog techniques - cont. Genetic analysis and paleoecology |
|
| 9 March |
Paleocliamte reconstructions based on modern bioclimatology
|
For personal reference:
Whitmore et al. 2005 |
| 16 March | NO CLASS: Spring Break | |
| 23 March |
Predicting future biogeography
|
|
| 30 March | ||
| 6 April | Disturbance Biogeography Fire regimes - spatial and temporal controls |
|
| 13 April |
Primary reading: Secondary reading: |
|
| 20 April |
|
|
| 27 April | ||
| 8 May | FINAL EXAM DUE BY 5 pm (via e-mail) | Final Exam |
