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Undergraduate Programs | Baccalaureate Degrees | Minors
Prospective Students | Course Descriptions
Undergraduate Course Descriptions
LRES 110 - LAND RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
F 3 cr. LEC 3
-- Introduction to land resource assessment and environmental science associated with managed landscapes. Students will learn how to identify scientific questions from issues, and how to develop scientifically-based objective information for answering environmental and land management questions. The class is a survey of agroecology, environmental biology, land rehabilitation, land resource analysis, and soil and water science. Students must be proficient in basic algebra and have an understanding of biological principles.
LRES 201 - SOIL RESOURCE
F 3 cr. LEC 2 LAB 1
PREREQUISITE: MATH 103 or equivalent.
-- Soils and their properties as components of landscapes and ecosystems. Application of soils knowledge to problems in environmental sciences and management of agricultural, wildland, and urban landscapes.
LRES 244CS - INTRODUCTION TO WATER RESOURCES
F 3 cr. LEC 3
-- An introduction to the science, uses, policy and management of fresh water resources, including hydrologic and ecologic processes, and related historic, policy, law and socioeconomic aspects. The course is intended for majors in the sciences, social sciences, and other disciplines.
LRES 270 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
On Demand 1-3 cr. IND Maximum 6 cr.
PREREQUISITE: Consent of instructor and approval of department head.
-- Directed research and study on an individual basis.
LRES 280 - SPECIAL TOPICS
On Demand 1 - 4 cr. Maximum 12 cr.
PREREQUISITE: None required, but some may be determined necessary by each offering department.
-- Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number.
LRES 290R - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
F,S,Su 1 - 4 cr. IND May be repeated. Maximum 12 cr.
COREQUISITE: Freshman or sophomore standing and approval of instructor.
-- Directed undergraduate research/creative activity which may culminate in a research paper, journal article, or other creative project.
LRES 310 - PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION
S 1 cr. LEC 1
PREREQUISITE: Junior standing.
-- Preparation for graduate school and the professions. Creating a professional portfolio, goal, and plan; ethics; resume and cover letter, citizenship; graduate school requirements and procedures; finding jobs; internships; interactions with professionals; learning and contributing to one's discipline.
LRES 344 - WATER QUALITY
S 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: CHEM 121 or CHEM 131 and college-level algebra or equivalent.
-- Physical, chemical and biological water quality parameters and their applications to diverse water quality applications. The course provides a scientific overview of the spectrum of water quality parameters important in surface water systems.
LRES 351 - NUTRIENT CYCLING
S 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201, CHEM 132.
-- Soil characteristics and processes that control biogeochemical nutrient cycling, availability to plants, nutrient transport, and environmental impact of nutrients. Principles of plant nutrition, nutrient requirements, fertilizer materials, and practices for management of agricultural, forestry, horticultural, and rangeland systems.
LRES 355 - SOIL & ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
S alternate years, to be offered 2007 3 cr. LEC 2 REC 1
PREREQUISITE: CHEM 215, LRES 201.
-- Survey course covering behavior of inorganic and organic constituents in soil and water systems. Applications will focus on integration of chemical and biological processes that govern biogeochemical cycling, bioremediation, bioavailability, and transport of chemicals in managed, natural, and contaminated systems. Problem solving, team projects, and discussion of current literature will be emphasized in recitation.
LRES 357 - GPS FUNDAMENTALS & APPLICATIONS IN MAPPING
F,S 3 cr. LEC 1, LAB 2
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201 and GEOG 211.
-- Theory and application of the global positioning system to mapping in natural resource and land management sciences. Lab and term mapping project include hands-on experience with GPS receivers and work with Pathfinder Office and Arc GIS software. Students must be proficient with basic computer and file management skills and must be proficient with the latest version of Arc GIS software.
LRES 401 - INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
S alternate years, to be offered 2008 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: BIOL 204; and one of the following: BIOL 100, BIOL 101, or BIOL 102.
-- Management of insects and other pests via an integration of control strategies. Emphasis on chemical, cultural, and biological control; host plant resistance; sampling; use of economic principles; and new biotechnological developments in pest management. ID and biology of key insect pests.
LRES 415 - MICROBIAL DIVERSITY, ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
S alternate years, to be offered 2008 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: BCHM 340, MB 301 or consent of instructor.
-- The diversity of procaryotic and eucaryotic microorganisms will be explored from both classical phenotypic and contemporary genotypic perspectives. The linkage between microbial diversity, its evolutionary origins, and its ecological value will be emphasized. Cross listed with MB 415.
LRES 421 - HOLISTIC THOUGHT & MANAGEMENT
S 4 cr. LEC 4
PREREQUISITE: Junior standing.
-- Application of holism and systems thinking to natural and human resource management issues. Use of Holistic Management for decision-making, research, and policy formation. Use of real case studies involving BioRegions Program work in Greater Yellowstone, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, or other locations.
LRES 426 - REMOTE SENSING AND DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING
F 3 cr. LEC 2 LAB 1
PREREQUISITE: Junior standing or consent of instructor.
-- Theory and application of remote sensing, the electromagnetic spectrum, earth-energy interactions, photographic and photogrammetic principles, and operation of multispectral sensors. Applications include basic photo interpretation and satellite image analysis for agriculture, environmental assessment, forestry, geology, rangeland, urban, wildlife, and others.
LRES 428 - CROPPING SYSTEMS & SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
S alternate years, to be offered 2007 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201 and either PSPP 341 or PSPP 342.
-- Senior capstone course. Conventional cropping systems in the Northern Plains are analyzed, integrating land management and crop production knowledge. Sustainable agriculture issues are raised and alternative management strategies are explored, emphasizing no-till and organic systems. Students will gain a solid understanding of crop diversity, including effects on nutrient and water cycling, and crop pest management. The agronomic challenges of implementing alternative cropping systems will be featured in instructional methods. Students will gain "hand-on" research experience by completing an agronomy experiment during the semester.
LRES 441 - CAPSTONE 1-FIELD APPLICATIONS
S 1 cr. LEC 2
PREREQUISITE: LRES major; Junior standing or consent of instructor.
-- Senior capstone course, first of two required semesters. Provides disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge, experiences, and skills related to Land Resource and Environmental Sciences. Topic of course will be current land management issue in local area, and students will conduct laboratory analyses to provide information to local agencies. Course emphasizes writing and presentation skills, scientific methods, review of primary literature and planning a field campaign.
LRES 442R - CAPSTONE 2-FIELD APPLICATIONS
F 3 cr. LEC 1 LAB 1
PREREQUISITE: LRES 441.
-- Senior capstone course, second of two required semesters. Provides disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge, experiences, and skills related to Land Resource and Environmental Sciences. Topic of course will be current land management issue in local area, and students will conduct laboratory analyses to provide information to local agencies. Course emphasizes field measurement and analysis techniques related to soils, plants, water, and microclimate, writing and presentation skills, and application of basic science to land management decisions.
LRES 443 - WEED ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
F 3 cr. LEC 2 LAB 1
PREREQUISITE: BIOL 303, LRES 201, MATH 170, PSPP 102, STAT 216
-- The principles of weed ecology including plant population demographics, biotic and abiotic regulating mechanisms, and plant community temporal and spatial dynamics in managed ecosystems. Weed population model construction, spreadsheet calculations and thorough assessment of pest threshold theory. The study of ecologically-based weed management approaches including cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical control practices.
LRES 444 - WATERSHED HYDROLOGY
F 4 cr. LEC 2 LAB 2
PREREQUISITE: ESCI 112, LRES 110, LRES 201 (or equivalent understanding.) -- Introduction to watershed hydrology. The course will examine how rainfall and snowmelt become streamflow, evapotranspiration, and groundwater with an emphasis on hydrological processes. Discussion will revolve around state of the science, linkages to other disciplines, and management implications. Topical areas include: water balances, snow hydrology, hydrogeology, hyporheic zones, riparian zones, runoff process, and biogeochemical budgets.
LRES 445 - WATERSHED ANALYSIS
S 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: LRES 444 and STAT 216 or PSPP 318 or permission of instructor.
-- Conceptual and quantitative analysis of watershed processes with an emphasis on modeling surface water hydrology and water resources management. Watershed modeling concepts including analysis of time series, spatially variable data, model calibration, and uncertainty analysis will be studied and demonstrated.
LRES 452 - SOIL & ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
S alternate years, to be offered 2007 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: CHEM 132, LRES 201, and MB 301.
-- Microorganisms in soil environments: Emphasis on soil microbial ecology, plant-microbe interactions, biotransformations of inorganic or organic contaminants.
LRES 453 - SOIL & ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSICS
F alternate years, to be offered 2007 3 cr. LEC 2 LAB 1
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201 recommended, MATH 170 or equivalent, computer literacy.
-- Soil physical properties and processes governing distribution and transport of water, heat, and soluble chemicals. Topics include water content and potential, infiltration, surface energy balance, evaporation, temperature and heat flow, saturated and unsaturated water and chemical flow. Laboratory stresses measurements and analyses.
LRES 454 - LANDSCAPE PEDOLOGY
F 3 cr. LEC 2 LAB 1
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201.
-- Processes leading to the formation and spatial distribution of soils on the landscape. Describing, classifying, and mapping soils. Management issues related to organic and mineral soil materials. The course includes a substantial hands-on field component.
LRES 457 - ADVANCED GPS MAPPING FOR GIS
F 3 cr. LAB 3
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201, GEOG 211 and LRES 357.
-- Advanced topics and techniques in GPS/GIS data collection, emphasizing data quality and documentation. Advanced datalogging options, complex offsets, external sensors, carrier phase data collection, mobile Internet, hyperlinks, Internet map applications and base station setup. Course emphasizes topic research and presentation, and service-learning project work.
LRES 458 - TEACHING APPLICATIONS IN LRES
F 1 cr. RCT 1
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201.
-- Application of teaching philosophies and methods through classroom, laboratory, and field teaching experiences.
LRES 460 - SOIL REMEDIATION
S 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: LRES 201 or permission of instructor.
-- Principles of soil remediation in impacted landscapes. Soil reconstruction practices are presented for drastically disturbed lands. Treatment science is presented to repair soil systems contaminated by metals and salt as a result of resource extraction and landscape disturbance by man. Protection of water resources are examined as related to sediment loss control, acid rock drainage science and treatment, and selective handling of geologic stratum. A field trip to a contaminated landscape will demonstrate on-going soil remediation practices.
LRES 461 - RESTORATION ECOLOGY
F 3 cr. LEC 3
PREREQUISITE: BIOL 101, and either ARNR 240 or BIOL 303.
-- Reviews ecosystem structure and function, and community and population processes in intact systems, along with the effects of major disturbances on natural systems. Restoration amendments will be discussed in terms of their effects on ecosystem structure and function. The course includes local, regional, and national case studies, and students will write a restoration plan.
LRES 470 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
On demand 1 - 3 cr. IND Maximum 6 cr.
PREREQUISITE: Junior standing, consent of instructor, and approval of department head.
-- Directed research and study on an individual basis.
LRES 476 - INTERNSHIP
On demand 2 - 4 cr. IND Maximum 12 cr.
PREREQUISITE: Junior standing, consent of instructor, and approval of department head.
-- An individualized assignment arranged with an agency, business, or other organization to provide guided experience in the field.
LRES 480 - SPECIAL TOPICS
On Demand 1 - 4 cr. Maximum 12 cr.
PREREQUISITE: Course prerequisites as determined for each offering.
-- Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number.
LRES 490R - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH/CREATIVE ACTIVITY
F,S 1 - 4 cr. IND May be repeated. Maximum 12 cr.
COREQUISITE: Junior or Senior standing and approval of instructor.
-- Directed undergraduate research/creative activity which may culminate in a research paper, journal article, or undergraduate thesis. USP scholarships or project support grants are available in many cases.
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