Course Descriptions

NRES 100 - PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, General introduction to issues and topics related to natural resources, hydrology, conservation biology and environmental sciences.

NRES 210 - ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Application of physical sciences to address local, regional and global environmental issues associated with anthropogenic interactions with the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere. Prerequisite: CHEM 121; MATH 128.

NRES 211 - CONSERVATION, HUMANS AND BIODIVERSITY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, An examination of the impacts of cultures on biodiversity. Topics include the evolution of biodiversity, human populations, and associated cultural and technological impacts on biodiversity. (Diversity course.)

NRES 304 - PRINCIPLES OF HYDROLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Principles and methods of managing range and forest land in terms of water quantity, quality and timing. One or two field trips required. Prerequisite: MATH 128.

NRES 310 - WILDLIFE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 3; Credit(s): 4, Application of ecological principles and knowledge of wildlife behavior and population dynamics to effective conservation and management. Mandatory field trips. Prerequisite: BIOL 191.

NRES 322 - SOILS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Physical, chemical and biological properties of soils, soil genesis and classification, plant-soil-water relations. (Formerly ERS 222; implemented 2002.) Prerequisite: CHEM 121; CHEM 122.

NRES 341 - PRINCIPLES OF RANGE MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 3; Credit(s): 3, Conservation, management and multiple use of range resources. Field trips required. Prerequisite: BIOL 191.

NRES 345 - RANGE AND FOREST PLANTS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 6; Credit(s): 5 Identification, distribution, and management of the major range plants and forest trees occurring in the western U.S.

NRES 347 - PLANT ECOLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 3; Credit(s): 4, Plant-environment interactions at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels. Prerequisite: BIOL 330.

NRES 400/600 - INTERNATIONAL ISSUES FOR WATER DEVELOPMENT
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, (Same as GEOG 400, 600.) Evaluates the integration of science, technology, culture, policy and economics in international water issues for large and small-scale project implementation. (General capstone course.)

NRES 401/601 - FOREST OPERATIONS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 3; Credit(s): 4, Forest harvesting and site preparation; sale planning and layout including logging methods and transportation systems; mechanical site preparation for reforestation; protection of soil, water and wildlife. Mandatory field trips. Prerequisite: NRES 100.

NRES 402/602 - FOREST MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 5 + 0; Credit(s): 5, Sustained yield of multiple forest products; integration of resource uses and formulation of management plans; growing stock regulation, rotation and yield determination, forest valuation, and land capability assessment. Prerequisite: NRES 100; MATH128.

NRES 404 - INTRODUCTION TO AEROSPACE REMOTE SENSING
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 2; Credit(s): 3, Characteristics of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and solar infrared portions of the spectrum. Physical basis for spectral properties of rocks, soils, vegetation and water. Applications of data collected by aircraft, spacecraft and satellite systems to mineral and energy exploration, engineering and environmental studies and hydrology/ hydrogeology. Prerequisite: GEOL 341; GEOL 446/646.

NRES 405/605 - SILVICULTURE AND REGIONAL SILVICULTURE
Lecture + Lab: 4 + 3; Credit(s): 5, Theory and methods of controlling establishment, composition, growth and quality of forest stands. Application of silvicultural practices to important species and forest types of the U.S. Mandatory field trips. Prerequisite: NRES 100; NRES 345.

NRES 406/606 - FOREST TREE PHYSIOLOGY AND GENETICS
Lecture + Lab: 4 + 0; Credit(s): 4, Photosynthesis, respiration, water relations, nutrition, shoot and root development, reproduction and genetics of forest trees. Application of physiological and genetic principles in predicting effects of silvicultural practices on tree growth and in tree improvement. Prerequisite: BIOL 191.

NRES 407/607 - FOREST AND RANGE MEASUREMENTS
Lecture + Lab: 4 + 3; Credit(s): 5, Forest mensuration techniques and range methods commonly used in quantifying natural resources. Statistical analyses and interpretation are stressed. Prerequisite: APST 270; NRES 345.

NRES 408/608 - RANGELAND ECOSYSTEMS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 5; Credit(s): 5, Ecological characteristics, botanical composition, distribution, wildlife species, and land uses of the major rangeland plant communities in the western U.S. Prerequisite: NRES 345.

NRES 412/612 - ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Examination of current federal laws, rules and regulations concerning the environment. Emphasis on court decisions and interpretations of the law. (Formerly NRES 411/611; implemented Fall 2003.)

NRES 414/614 - HYDROLOGIC FLUID DYNAMICS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Physical principles governing natural flows in the land phase of the hydrologic cycle: open channel and saturated/unsaturated porous media flow. Erosion and sediment transport. Prerequisite: PHYS 180; MATH 283 R.

NRES 416 - INTERNSHIP
Lecture + Lab: 1 to3 + 0; Credit(s): 1 to 3 each S/U only, Coordinated work study programs in industry or government under the direction of a faculty advisor. Written progress reports are prepared periodically and at the conclusion of the internship.

NRES 421/621 - CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Same as BIOL 421/621. Theory and application scientific principles to the preservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. Local and global issues are addressed. Prerequisite: BIOL 190; BIOL 191.

NRES 422/622 - SOIL PHYSICS
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 3; Credit(s): 3, Soil physical properties as related to water and solute flow; texture, structure, specific surface, soil-water interaction, colloidal behavior. Prerequisite: CHEM 122; MATH 182; PHYS 151 R.

NRES 424/624 - AVIAN ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 3; Credit(s): 3, Life history patterns of selected bird species and application of life history information to conservation. Laboratory consists of two Saturday plus Sunday field trips. Prerequisite: BIOL 430; BIOL 433.

NRES 425/625 - CONSERVATION OF LARGE MAMMALS AND THEIR ECOSYSTEMS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Presentation of key scientific concepts and examination of factors required for conservation of marine and terrestrial mammals including primates, ungulates, carnivores, and cetaceans. Prerequisite: BIOL 314; BIOL 434.

NRES 430/630 - ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATES
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Trace analysis of chemicals in the environmental. Extraction, separation, detection, and determination of chemicals using chromatographic and spectrometric methods. Prerequisite: CHEM 241 or CHEM 342.

NRES 431/631 - ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATES LABORATORY
Lecture + Lab: 0 + 3; Credit(s): 1, Laboratory practice of trace analysis of chemicals in the environment, using chromatographic and spectrometrometric methods. Corequisite: NRES 430/630.

NRES 432/632 - ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Chemistry and toxicology of toxicants in the environment, particularly pesticides. Other topics include metals, food additives and hazardous wastes. Prerequisite: CHEM 121; CHEM 122; CHEM 220A.

NRES 433/633 - ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS: EXPOSURE, TRANSPORT AND FATE
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Physical, chemical, and biological properties governing exposures to chemicals in the environment, modeling of transport and fate processes, and contaminant remediation. Prerequisite: CHEM 242 or CHEM 342.

NRES 435 - CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 3; Credit(s): 4, (Same as GOEG 435/635.) Basic information regarding current and future problems and methods of conserving this country’s renewable and nonrenewable resources. Prerequisite: one of the following: junior or higher standing; or at least 3 credits of work in geography or geology or a biological science.

NRES 440/640 - WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 1; Credit(s): 4, Marsh, swamp, and riparian ecosystems. Geomorphology, hydrology, classification, soils, biogeochemical cycles, physiology, wildlife ecology, mitigation, delineation, policy. Prerequisite: CHEM 122; BIOL 191; BIOL 314.

NRES 441/641 - ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE PLANTS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Examination of environmental and biological factors that contribute to successful invasion by nonnative species and of strategies to mitigate ecological, economic and social impacts. Prerequisite: NRES 210; NRES 211.

NRES 451/651 - REMOTE SENSING OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 3; Credit(s): 3, Measurements and interpretation of aerial photography and other remotely sensed data. Conventional and digital mapping techniques for land measurements. Prerequisite: NRES 100; MATH 128.

NRES 458 - LAND AND WATER RESOURCE POLICY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, (Same as PSC 458/658.) Issues surrounding the allocation and use of land and water resources in the United States. Emphasis on issues affecting Western states.

NRES 460/660 - RANGELAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Credit(s): 3, Capstone field course involving evaluation of actual rangeland management case studies. Prerequisite: BIOL 314; NRES 341; NRES 345.

NRES 461/661 - FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 0 + 9; Credit(s): 3, Field course involving evaluation of forest resources management case studies in the western United States and practical experience in forest biology, inventory and harvesting. Maximum of 6 credits each practical experience area. Prerequisite: NRES 100.

NRES 467/667 - REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES IN NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3
(Same as ENV 467/667.) Scientific principles underlying large-scale environmental problems linking the atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere. Empirical and modeling techniques for studying global issues. Analysis of specific issues. (Major capstone course.) Prerequisite: BIOL 314; CHEM 122.

NRES 472/672 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 0; Credit(s): 2, Requirements for acceptable levels of EH&S practice are given context in comparison to professional, governmental and public behavioral standards for users of hazardous agents. Prerequisite: CHEM 121; PHYS 151 R.

NRES 475/675 - APPLIED LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 3; Credit(s): 4, Principles and procedures of landscape ecology and application to contemporary ecological and natural resource management issues. Reciprocal interactions between landscape pattern and ecological process. Prerequisite: BIOL 314; APST 270; GEOG 205.

NRES 480 - INDEPENDENT STUDY
Credit(s): 1 to 3, Intensive study of topics in (a) natural resources management, (b) conservation biology, (c) environmental chemistry, and (d) hydrology/hydrogeology. Maximum of 6 credits.

NRES 482/682 - SMALL WATERSHED HYDROLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 2; Credit(s): 4, Approaches for dealing with problems of applied hydrology with emphasis on the small watershed, limited data, and land management. Prerequisite: NRES 322; GEOL 101; MATH 181; MATH 352 or STAT 352 or APST 270

NRES 483/683 - HYDROLOGY OF IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Water supply and diversion for irrigation. Production functions and evapotranspiration modeling. Shallow groundwater management and safe disposal of drainage effluent. Prerequisite: NRES 322; MATH 128.

NRES 485/685 - SPECIAL TOPICS
Lecture + Lab: 1 to 3 + 0; Credit(s): 1 to 3, Presentation and review of recent research, innovations and developments related to natural resources management, hydrology, conservation biology, and environmental chemistry. Maximum of 9 credits.

NRES 488/688 - DYNAMICS AND MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE POPULATIONS
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 3; Credit(s): 3, Estimation of parameters, modeling and inference about population dynamics in the face of uncertainty. Management decisions. Prerequisite: APST 270; BIOL 314. Corequisite: for NRES 688: 1 credit of NRES 701.

NRES 493/693 - RANGE AND FOREST ECOLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 3; Credit(s): 3, Ecologic and economic interpretations of major range and forest communities. The application of autecological and synecological principles to range and forest ecosystems. Ecosystem influences and modeling. Field trips required. Prerequisite: BIOL 314.

NRES 494/694 - RANGE AND FOREST ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Public administration applied to forest and rangeland resource management. Development history of resource agencies and policies. Administrative procedures, policy formation, decision-making, and public participation principles as related to the present and future political environment of natural resource protection, development and management. (General capstone course.)

NRES 495/695 - FIRE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Lecture + Lab: 2 + 1; Credit(s): 3, Fire impacts, both beneficial and detrimental on rangelands, forest lands and wildlife habitats. Pre and post fire land management. Fire suppression, management and prescribed burning techniques. The influence of fire on natural ecosystems. Prerequisite: BIOL 314; NRES 345.

NRES 497/697 - FOREST AND RANGE SOILS
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Biogeochemical cycling, biological, chemical and physical soil properties as affected by management, pollutant inputs, and natural disturbance. Field trips required. Prerequisite: CHEM 121; CHEM 122; NRES 322.

NRES 498/698 - RANGELAND RESTORATION ECOLOGY
Lecture + Lab: 3 + 0; Credit(s): 3, Analysis of ecological concepts involved in disturbance, retrogression, and/or degradation in western ecosystems, with survey of applied ecological practices used in restoration/rehabilitation. Prerequisite: NRES/BIOL 347; BIOL 314 or NRES 421.