Instructor: Steve
Oberbauer
Office: HLS
218A Phone: x 2580
Laboratory: ECS
115
Text: An Introduction to Environmental Biophysics.
1998. Gaylon
S. Campbell and John M. Norman.
Springer Verlag. The book is not required, but highly recommended. Since the introduction of the
book, the publisher has doubled the price (to about $49 new, $40 used, $47
Kindle edition). However, if you
intend to make a career in field biology, this book is a tremendous resource.
|
Date: |
Subject |
|
Chapter |
|
24-Aug |
Course overview, grading, etc |
No lab |
|
|
31-Aug |
Measurement fundamentals |
Introduction to microloggers |
1 |
|
7-Sep |
Physical fundamentals |
Microloggers 2 |
6 |
|
14-Sep |
Data acquisition concepts |
Serial interfaces |
|
|
21-Sep |
Electromagnetic radiation |
Light spectra |
10 |
|
28-Sep |
Electromagnetic radiation |
Sensor construction |
11 |
|
5-Oct |
Temperature |
Thermocouple construction use |
2 |
|
12-Oct |
Temperature- Midterm (take home) |
Temperature 2 |
12,14 |
|
19-Oct |
Pressure |
Pressure and flow |
|
|
26-Oct |
Humidity and moisture |
Humidity and dewpoint |
3,4 |
|
2-Nov |
Humidity and moisture |
Soil moisture |
3,4 |
|
9-Nov |
Wind speed and direction |
Wind sensors |
5 |
|
16-Nov |
Remote Sensing |
Canopy characters |
15 |
|
23-Nov |
Thanksgiving Holiday |
|
|
|
30-Nov |
Field measurements (Big Cypress) |
Multiple instruments |
|
|
7-Dec |
Final exam due 12:00 noon |
|
|
Course Structure
- The structure of the course is as follows. We have 1-2 periods of lecture followed
by a lab period each meeting day.
Grading is based on two take home exams (midterm and final-problem sets,
short answer), homework assignments (problem sets), as well as lab
participation (doing something other than watching other people work). We also will read and discuss papers
from the scientific literature.
The exams count for the majority of your grade. This syllabus is subject to change
without notice.
Course
Policies – You are expected to be on time to class,
and to stay the full period. You
are expected to maintain high standards of academic honesty. Any student found
in violation of these standards will earn an automatic F and be reported to the
Deans Office, no exceptions made. In accordance with FIU's
policy on academic honesty, as set forth in Section 2.44 of the Academic
Affairs Policies and Procedures Manual, it is expected that students in
BSC-5405C will not submit the academic work of another as their own. Additional
discussion of academic honesty and integrity may be found in the Manual.