Principles of Range Management  NRES 341
Lecture Time:      Monday, Wednesday 1:00-1:50 PM   KRC 105
Lab Time:             Monday, 2:00-4:00, KRC 105 & KRC 127 (Computer lab)    
Computer lab login: nres341, password: nres341
 
Course description
This course addresses the conservation, management and multiple use of range resources, with a focus on Great Basin ecosystems.  
Course objectives:
To provide students with background information necessary to think critically about range management in the 21st century.  Range management involves the synthesis and application of principles from many fields.  Reflecting this, we will discuss a wide range of topics, from the history of settlement and ranching in the west to plant biology, ecological principles, cattle production and multiple use of rangelands, among other topics listed below.
Instructor:   Dr. Elizabeth Leger        Series of Guest Lectures: Dr. Ben Bruce    
Office:          FA Room 121                                            FA Room 107
Tel:               784-7582                                                        784-1624        
Email:         eleger@cabnr.unr.edu                                 bbruce@unr.nevada.edu
 
Office Hours:      Wed. after class,            
                       or by appointment    
TAs: Patrick Lemons (first 1/2 of the semester)        Chris Briggs (second 1/2 semester)
    lemonsp@unr.nevada.edu                            chriswbriggs@yahoo.com
                
TA office hours by appointment
    
Requirements:
Required text: Range Management: Principles and Practices, Fifth Edition, by Holechek, Pieper, and Herbel
Connection to the internet.  Lectures, course calendar, study guides, etc. will be available online at www.ag.unr.edu/leger/Courses/NRES%20341.html
Optional reading:
Ranching west of the 100th Meridian: Culture, Ecology, and Economics.  Edited by R.L. Knight, W.C. Gilgert, E. Marston
Let the cowboy ride: Cattle ranching in the American West.  By Paul F. Starrs
Cattle in the Cold Desert.  By J.A. Young and B.A. Sparks.
 
Topics We will cover the following subjects during this semester. A course schedule and reading assignments will be posted online, and will be updated frequently to reflect changes in lecture and lab scheduling. Block 1 (1/23/2008-3/5/2008) Block 2 (3/10/2008-5/5/2008) -Introduction to Range Management -Range Vegetation: Invasive species -Range Management History -Range Vegetation: Restoration -Types of Rangelands -Stocking Rates -Physical Characteristics of Rangelands -Grazing Systems -Hydrology and Erosion -Range Animal Nutrition -Plant Morphology and Physiology -Range Livestock Production -Plant Ecology -Wildlife Interactions -Vegetation Monitoring -Multiple Use Labs (subject to re-ordering) Historic range review National Cattlemen's Beef Association’s Trade Show Conversions, graphing in Excel Vegetative grass identification Prep and Plant experiment Midterm review (PowerPoint presentations) Invasive species control Beef cow economics Stocking rates Vegetation monitoring Animal nutrition lab Greenhouse experiment measurements Final review (PowerPoint presentations) Assessment and Grading Grading Scale Class participation 5% Weekly quizzes 15% A = 94-100 A- = 90-93% Midterm, 3/12/2008 30% B+ = 87-89% B= 84-86% B- = 80-83% Final Exam, 5/12/2008 30% C+ = 77-79% C= 74-76% C- = 70-73% Lab assignments 20% D = 60-69% F = below 60% Optional reading assignment (15%) 1. There will be a short, timed, quiz once a week, either on Monday or Wednesday. These quizzes will be open book and open note. Quizzes will emphasize interpreting information, formulating hypotheses, and synthesizing concepts from lecture. There will be no make-up quizzes. I will drop the three lowest quiz scores. Quizzes will cover all course material covered to-date. 2. Midterm is currently scheduled for 3/12/2008, and will address topics in Block 1. The midterm will be closed book/closed note. 3. Final exam will be cumulative but will emphasize material from Block 2. The final will be closed book/closed note. 4. Some labs will have assignments that you will turn in, and some labs will be graded on attendance and participation. All labs will be graded with equal weight. 5. You have the option of reducing the impact the labs, midterm and final exam have on your grade by electing to read one of the three optional readings listed on page 1. If you choose this option, we will schedule a time for a conversation about the book during the last two weeks of class (or earlier, if you want), in which I will choose a few chapters for discussion (20 minutes). This will be worth 15% of your grade, and will adjust lab, midterm and final contributions to 15%, 25%, and 25% of your grade, respectively (instead of 20%, 30%, 30%).