ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY IN COSTA RICA Field Biology of Distant Areas (BIO 420/520) (3 credit hours)

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1 ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY IN COSTA RICA Field Biology of Distant Areas (BIO 420/520) (3 credit hours) Instructor: Dr. Tim Carter, Associate Professor and co-director of the Wildlife Biology Option within the Department of Biology. Accompanying faculty Instructor: Dr. Mark Pyron, Professor and co-director of the Zoology Option within the Department of Biology. Offering: Spring 2019 (15 BSU students enrolled) General Course Description - Overview This is a 3 credit hour field course. The focus of the course is a 2-week long trip to Costa Rica, a Caribbean country in Central America that has many unique habitats resulting in tremendous biodiversity of Flora and Fauna. Costa Rica provides an ideal field laboratory for students to examine and experience biological and cultural diversity in a variety of habitats from tropical rainforests, cloud forests, to coral reefs. The format of the course includes pre-trip reading assignments, post-trip writing assignments, "hands-on" activities, lectures, demonstrations, daily journal entry, and cultural activities. Goal & Objectives The overall goal of this course, which is open to all BSU students, is to enhance the international learning experience and global viewpoint of BSU students by providing an out of the classroom opportunity to study the biological and cultural diversity of this Central American nation. The specific objectives of this course are as follows: 1. To identify and describe the ecology of the unique flora and fauna of Costa Rica including tropical rain forest, montane cloud forests, and coral reef ecology. 2. Observe and participate in Costa Rican cultural activities. Be able to identify and describe cultural diversity in Costa Rica. 3. To identify and discuss conservation efforts initiated in Costa Rica to maintain biodiversity of forests and marine ecosystems. Be able to discuss and debate the social, political, and economic aspects of conservation biology in Costa Rica. 4. To identify and discuss the role of ecotourism in local communities. Course Topics Wildlife Management Techniques

2 Sustainable Resource Utilization Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation Research Methodologies Local Costa Rican Community Cultures and Conservation Perspectives Methods of Assessment (Assignments) for Undergraduate Students (BIO 420) Writing assignments based on Reading Assignments (10%) Participation in Rainforest Training - tracking, navigation, species identification (10%) Writing Assignment 1: conservation of Costa Rica forests (20%) Writing Assignment 2: conservation of coastal ecosystems (20%) Writing Assignment 3: cultures and ecotourism of Costa Rica (20%) Reflective Daily Journal (20%) Prior to the field trip we will conduct two pre-course meetings to provide details and expectations for the trip, and readings will be assigned on Blackboard. The students will be required to complete required readings outside of class. Assessment of readings will be writing summaries submitted to Blackboard before the field trip. After the field trip students will complete three writing assignments that will be assessed using the attached rubric. Students will have greater than 130 contact hours for this course (see detailed list below). Discussions of that material will be during formal meetings in Costa Rica and while traveling in Costa Rica. Additional Methods of Assessment (Assignments) for Graduate Students (BIO 520) Additional Reading Assignments (25%) Leading Group Discussions that will be held to higher level of understanding and critiquing (25%) Two lectures that they design and present to class on research design and methodology (50%) Contact and Preparatory Hours Students will live, eat, and breath this course. This course is not designed to just have class at an exotic location. Students will be completely immersed in the culture and ecology of the area. Every experience will be a learnable moment. Student Contact Hours can be separated into three categories: hands on experience, directed lecture, and interpretations following the field trip. Meals: Most meals are authentic Costa Rican meals, thus each meal is a potential experiential learning and observation example. All meals are prepared by local cooks who prepare each meal by hand and ensure that a variety of authentic meals are offered during the trip. Travel: During travel between locations a variety of activities occur enroute. First, students observe the local culture and community using independent observation. Second, we conduct group discussions about observations and relate that back to previous observations and assigned readings. Third, we are constantly on the lookout for Costa Rican wildlife to add to our list. We make frequent stops or go out of our way to observe unique wildlife during travel. Although not all hours of travel are assigned to learning experiences, the expected number of learning hours for each trip are included (see contact hours list below).

3 Scheduled activities: Scheduled activities are directed learning events. These activities are specifically aimed at teaching students information about the cultures and ecosystems of Costa Rica, or are focused on methodologies for conducting scientific research. Instructors require approximately 40 preparatory hours for organizing and coordinating the course prior to the trip. After the trip, instructors require 10+ hours of grading and closing coordination for the trip. Detailed list of all contact hours for the course. Pre-Trip Assignments Two meetings 3 hrs Reading assignments and writing assessments on Blackboard 9 hrs TOTAL 12 hrs Day 1: May 7, 2019 Transportation to Sarapiqui - 2 hrs Visit Volcan Poas National Park 1 hr Continue to Sarapiquí - 1 hr Lunch at CoopeSarapiquí, to learn about coffee production in Costa Rica 1 hr Continue to Kinkajou Town in Sarapiquí 3 hrs. TOTAL 6 hrs Day 2: May 8, 2019 Early morning guided bird watching - 2 hrs Breakfast. Visit La Selva Biological Station (presentation of current research projects at La Selva; guided walk) 3 hrs Lunch Puerto Viejo 1 hr Ants Farm and visit the Frog Pond 3 hrs Dinner at Kinkajou Town - Overnight at Kinkajou Town TOTAL 9 hrs Day 3: May 9, 2019 Breakfast Travel to Pocosol Station at Children Eternal Rainforest 5 hrs Pocosol Station at Children Eternal Rainforest 6 hrs Discussions about the unique features of this area 2 hrs Overnight and Dinner at Pocosol Field Station 1 hr Total 14 hrs Day 4: May 10, 2019 Early morning guided bird watching 2 hrs Breakfast Natural history walk and introduction about the effort of Asociación Conservacionista Monteverde.

4 4 hrs Lunch Lecture on Ecotourism and Conservation 4 hrs Continued exploration 2 hrs Overnight and Dinner at Pocosol Field Station. 1 hr Total 9 hr Day 5: May 11, 2019 Breakfast at Pocosol. Transfer to Fortuna 1 hr Visit Arenal Volcano 3 hrs Volcano Observatory. Lunch at Observatory 1 hr Check in at Kokoro Lodge Free time and reflection time (journaling) 1 hr. Ecotermales (Hot Springs) 3 hrs Dinner at Ecotermales 1 hr Overnight at Cascada de Fuego Lodge Total 10 hrs Day 6: May 12, 2019 Early morning guided bird watching 1 hrs Breakfast at Cascada de Fuego Lodge 1 hr Chocolate Tour 2 hrs Transportation to Monteverde 4 hrs Lunch on the way Check inn at Monteverde Cloud Forest Field Station Time to explore the hummingbird garden 4 hrs Dinner at Pizzería Tramonti, Monteverde Total 10 hrs Day 7: May 13, 2019 Early morning guided bird watching at Cloud Forest 2 hrs Breakfast at Monteverde Guided walk in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 3 hrs Lunch at La Floresta (Monteverde Field Station) 1 hr Time to explore the town, or optional Zip Lines Visit Bat Jungle - 3 hrs Explore Santa Elena town 2 hrs Dinner at Pizzeria Tramonti, Monteverde Total 11 hrs Day 8: May 14, 2019 Breakfast at Monteverde Transfer to Puntarenas and take the ferry through the Nicoya Gulf to Paquera on Nicoya Península, and continue to Curú - amazing bird watching en route. 7 hrs

5 Check in Curu. Introduction to the site -1 Dinner at Curú Bioluminescent bay experience 3 hrs Overnight at Curú Field Station Total 11 hrs Day 9: May 15, 2019 Breakfast at Curú Tour Dry Forest observe monkeys 5 hrs Lunch at Curú Independence exploration 4 hrs Bat mistnetting 3 hrs Overnight at Curú Field Station Total 12 hrs Day 10: May 16, 2019 Early morning guided bird watching 1 hrs Breakfast at Curú Snorkeling trip to Tortuga Island 5 hrs Lunch at Curú Free time at the beach 3 hrs Explore Mangoves 3 hrs Dinner at Marisquería Las Vegas in Paquera Overnight at Curú Field Station Total 9 hrs Day 11: May 17, 2019 Sunrise ferry back to Puntarenas 2 hrs Breakfast at Puntarenas Continue to Carara 2 hrs Boat trip at Tárcoles river: Huge crocodiles and great birdwatching 3hrs Lunch on the way Then travel to San Jose 3hrs Overnight Santamaría Inn, near the Airport Total 7 hrs Day 12: May 18, 2019 Depart from San Jose to USA Reflective daily journal in Costa Rica 6 hr Three Post-Trip Writing Assessments 9 hrs Total for Trip Pre-trip and Post-trip hours = 132 contact hours Logistics & Schedule

6 We will travel together as a group from Indianapolis to San Jose, Costa Rica. All logistics within Costa Rica, including food for meals, ground transportation, and lodging, will be provided by Costa Rica Rainforest Experience. The Director, Carlos Chavarria, is the former field director for Tirimbina Field Station. The field course during Summer Session will extend from 7-18 May 2019.

7 Bio 420/520 Written Assignment Rubric Student Name Date Grading Sheet: 100 Points Available...Please attach this sheet to your assignment Criterion Introduction 20 Grammar / Quality 20 Writing Organization 20 Interpretations: Drawing Conclusions/Implications Possible points 20 Summary 20 Total 100 Earned points Writing assignments are expected to be around 3-5 pages in length, double spaced. Please submit completed assignment on Blackboard.

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