BIOL 451 – Field Ecology 2015

 

 What should I do if I am selected for the course?

If you received an e-mail saying that you have been selected for the course, (1) register for the course online and (2) bring your non-refundable cash or check deposit ($150) to Sonia Ruiz (SP-301.05) before 8 May 2015. If you have not paid the deposit by this date, your spot on the course may be given to another student on the waiting list. In addition, you must bring a post-dated check ($225) dated for August 1st 2015. This portion of the registration cost is refundable until August 1st. Students who drop the course after August 1 will not receive any refund. Total registration cost is (150+225) $375 CAN.

Duration and location of the course

The field portion of the course will run the week before the beginning of the fall semester, from Sunday, August 30th to Sunday September 6th, 2015. We will then meet every Monday (11:45-13:00) of the fall semester in room CJ 1.129 on Loyola Campus. Participation in both the field and classroom component of the course is mandatory. The field portion of the course will be based at the Forêt Montmorency field station, located north of Québec City, and owned and managed by Laval University. Generally, the days will be spent working in the field and the evenings will be spent working in the lab and on your computers.

Transport

On Sunday August 30th, we will meet at 9am in the back alley of the SP building on Loyola Campus. There will be three mini-vans waiting for you. We will proceed to packing the vans and depart for the field station at 10AM. The trip to Forêt Montmorency is approximately 3 ½ hours (335 km; see directions at the end of this document). We will stop to a rest area to eat along the way (please bring a lunch or bring money to buy one). We should arrive at the field station in mid-afternoon. We will leave the field station after breakfast on September 6th, and drive straight to Montreal. Arrival time in Montreal is expected to be around 2PM.

Accommodation

We will stay in the main building of the Forêt Montmorency field station, which is called ‘The Inn’; you can see pictures here: http://www.foretmontmorency.ca/en/lodging/the-inn/

How can I prepare for the course?

I have prepared a PDF document that includes several tips on how to prepare for the course. Please read it carefully.

Course outline

This is a tentative course outline, I will post updated version here as we approach the beginning of the course