Shawn Fraver – Courses
SFR 407/507 – Forest Ecology, Syllabus
Biological principles and environmental factors governing the natural establishment and development of forest trees and stands. Topics include tree regeneration, life history traits, ecophysiology, historical ecology, biodiversity, disturbance, succession, productivity, etc. Lectures, 3 credits.
SFR 409 – Forest Ecology and Silviculture Field Laboratory (Co-Taught), Syllabus
Measurement, assessment and analysis of forest vegetation from a biological and silvicultural perspective. Designed to develop understanding and proficiency in: silvical properties of northeastern tree species; forest regeneration, succession and stand dynamics; prescribing silvicultural treatments; and formulating silvicultural systems. Weekly labs, 2 credits.
SFR 526 – Dendrochronology, Syllabus
SFR 526 – Covers practical aspects of dendrochronology (tree-ring analysis), including sample collection, sample preparation, cross-dating, ring-width measurements, series detrending (‘standardization’), and data transformations. Students will become familiar with standard dendrochronology software, using it to reconstruct forest stand histories and explore climate-growth relationships. Includes lectures, laboratories, and discussion, 3 credits.
SFR 605(1) – Forest Ecosystem Science (Co-Taught)
Stores and fluxes of materials and energy through living (plants, animals, microbes) and non- living (soils, atmosphere) components of ecological systems. Factors that influence ecosystem structure and function; processes that influence carbon and nutrient cycling in ecosystems; role of disturbance on these processes; and integrated effects of these processes at various scales. Lectures and discussion, 3 credits.