Tropical Conservation Biology & Environmental Science

TCBES 600 Principles of Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science (3). Fundamental principles of tropical ecology, with an emphasis on the conservation and management of tropical ecosystems. The course discusses the various physical and biological factors that affect and shape tropical ecosystems, such as climate, topography, biogeography, biodiversity, productivity, and nutrient cycling. Tropical marine and terrestrial ecosystems around the world are compared, with a special focus on Hawai`i. Specific conservation and management challenges in each system are discussed. Restoration strategies for tropical ecosystems are also included.

TCBES 601 Field and Laboratory Methods in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences (3). A practically oriented course introducing students to a range of laboratory and field methods and techniques used by practitioners in conservation biology and environmental sciences. A second goal of this course is to familiarize students with the biological and environmental diversity of the Island of Hawaii . Training in techniques is provided that can be used in thesis and internship projects. Students are introduced to methods used for studying, monitoring and experimenting upon plants and animals in a variety of habitats and measuring environmental variables in these habitats. Emphasis is placed on the choice of techniques for data collection, followed by rigorous analysis of results; training is given in the application of appropriate statistical techniques to ecological data. The data and information collected in this course will be more fully analyzed in TCBES 605.

TCBES 602 Research Seminar in TCBES (1). A research seminar course in tropical conservation biology and environmental science. Presentations will focus on research that is related to conservation biology and environmental science topics. Following the seminar there will be an open question-and-answer discussion session with the seminar speaker and students. Students will also give short presentations of their research or internship projects. These seminars will be critiqued by the instructor and the students for both the content of the project and presentation style.

TCBES 603 Natural Resources Management Seminar (1).  Seminars to given by TCBES faculty, visiting scientists from other universities, Federal, State and Non-profit Agency personnel working in fields related to TCBES. The seminars will be focused on natural resource management issues. Following the seminar there will be an open question and answer discussion session with the seminar speaker and the students.  Students will also give short presentations of their research or internship projects.  These seminars will be critiqued by the instructor and the students for both the content of the project and presentation style. 

TCBES 610 Environmental Chemical Analysis (3). Basic concepts of chemical measurements in environmental media. Analysis of environmental matrices with emphasis on water, in addition to soil, air and tissue. Topics include basics of instrument calibration and measurement, sample collection, sample lability, chemical interferences, matrix effects and reporting analyses of chemicals in the environment. Pre-req: CHEM 124, 125 with labs and CHEM 241 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. CHEM 330 and 330L recommended.

TCBES 615 Global Environmental Change (3). Discusses the natural and anthropogenic processes that regulate the function of the Earth system. The basic understanding of the history and mechanisms of global change processes and the means by which human activities alter Earth system function at local to global scales will be examined, along with potential consequences of and solutions to global change. Course will focus on interrelationships of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere and will provide students an understanding of the role that multidisciplinary science and technology have on research of the earth system.

TCBES 620 Research Techniques in Molecular Conservation Biology (3). Major advances in molecular biology important to conservation studies are examined. Collection and molecular genetic analysis of plant and animals will be performed. Molecular techniques that are applied to conservation studies are performed including: PCR, RFLP, AFLP, DNA sequencing, and microsatellite analysis. Data analysis is examined including a number of popular genetics software packages that enable pairwise comparisons of large data sets and the construction of genetic distance matrices and networks. Pre-req: BIOL 357L and BIOL 481L or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

TCBES 625 - Tropical Ecosystem Analysis and Management (3). This course is an introduction to concepts of ecosystem management and exploration of how those concepts apply to the tropics in general and Hawai`i in particular. The focus is on terrestrial and near coast marine ecosystems. The course explicitly recognizes that ecosystem management demands an integrated view of possible types of land use, with the appropriate mix being a function of societal objectives and scientific evaluation of what best meets those objectives. Pre-req: TCBES 605 or permission of instructor.

TCBES 630 Nearshore Monitoring and Analysis (4). The purpose of this course is to provide graduate students with a venue to learn techniques used to study the coastal environment in order to assess ecosystem health and/or quantify coastal impacts. Topics to be cover include, but are not limited to, species diversity, organism abundance, nutrient concentrations, sedimentation processes, sediment-water interface dynamics, and benthos quantification (i.e., percent cover). Students will learn how to collect field samples/data, conduct laboratory analysis, execute statistical analysis, and practice data interpretation. Pre-req: MARE 350/350L, TCBES 605, or consent of instructor.

TCBES 633  Biodiversity (3).  This lecture and discussion course will examine the primary theories and evidence for the origin and maintenance of species richness in hyper-diverse communities, using tropical rainforests and/or coral reefs as model systems.  Topics will include historical biogeography, speciation, coevolution, neutral vs. non-neutral models for the maintenance of species richness, and biodiversity conservation.  Methodological approaches will also be discussed.

TCBES 635  Physical Environment of Ecosystems (3). Examination of the influences of climate, hydrology, geology, and soils on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Emphasis on mechanisms of change, anthropogenic impacts, and monitoring networks. Pre-req: GEOL 100, 111, or GEOG 101; BIOL 251 or GEOG 309 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

TCBES 640 Advanced Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing (3). Digital image processing of satellite-derived remotely sensed data for earth resource analysis and applications. Specific applications include image enhancement, classification, post classification analysis, special transformations, and multi-temporal analysis for land cover change detection. Pre-req: GEOG 470 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

TCBES 645 Applying Social Science to Ecosystem Resource Management (3). Social science methods for profiling natural resource dependent communities and assessing the social and economic impact of ecosystem management and regulation. Coverage of terrestrial resources with some emphasis on marine fisheries in the Pacific region. Relevant laws, policies and management agencies. Public input, best science, and the realities of management conflict and compromise. NEPA, social impact assessment. Case studies and public and professional roles in management.

TCBES 650 Oceanographic Monitoring and Analysis (4). The purpose of this course is to provide graduate students with a venue to learn techniques used to study the oceanic environment in order to assess ecosystem health and/or quantify anthropogenic impacts. Topics to be cover include, but are not limited to, species diversity, organism abundance, nutrient concentrations, sedimentation processes, water column stratification/mixing dynamics, and benthic regeneration/coupling. Students will learn how to collect ship-based field samples/data, conduct land-based and ship-based laboratory analysis, execute statistical analysis, and practice data interpretation. Pre-req: MARE 350/350L, TCBES 605, or consent of instructor.

TCBES 655 Ecological Physiology (3). Physiological adaptations to environmental variation including physiological and biochemical mechanisms for food acquisition and digestion, thermal energetics, respiratory gas exchange, activity metabolism and osmoregulation.

TCBES 660 Molecular Ecology (3). Molecular genetic applications in current marine ecological research. Fundamentals of molecular biology as pertains to ecological utilities. Theoretical background of modern molecular genetic techniques. Student-led seminar discussions of recent primary literature in marine molecular ecology. Some genetics background recommended. 

TCBES 665 Environmental Toxicology (3). Biochemical basis for toxicity. Chemical distribution and fate in the body, and molecular mechanisms and effects of toxic action. Emphasis is on environmental toxicants. Pre-req: BIOL 410 and BIOL 443 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

TCBES 670 Advanced Techniques in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (3). Advanced techniques in GIS including database creation and management, complex geographic data analysis and modeling, and benefits and limitation to methodology. Projects are drawn from Earth resource management, conservation and ecological studies, hazards, and cultural landscapes. Pre-req: GEOG 480 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

TCBES 675 Conservation Genetics (3). Basic concepts of population genetics and molecular evolution as it applies to Conservation Biology. Specific topics include population dynamics and inbreeding depression, and population genetic structure related to ecological parameters and requirements of an organism. Pre-req: BIOL 357 and BIOL 481 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

TCBES 677 Quantitative Ecology (3).  The course will consist of weekly lectures along with computer-based in-class exercises. It will then explore multiple regression, General Linear Models including Logistic and Poisson regression, Mixed effects models, and various other analysis of variance approaches, including repeated measures designs.  Diagnostics and model selection procedures such as AIC will be strongly emphasized. By the end of the course, students should have a good general understanding of the ways to design, analyze, and model many types of biological datasets.

TCBES 680 Advanced Statistical Analyses and Research Design (3). An advanced examination of statistics and research design in conservation biology and environmental science. Emphasis is placed on specific applications and underlying assumptions, design of experiments, and observational schemes for research project. Extensive computer analysis is employed including MINITAB and SAS statistical software. Pre-req: TCBES 605 or permission of instructor.

TCBES 685 Behavioral Ecology and Evolutionary Analysis (3). Principles of behavioral ecology and evolution with a focus on conservation biology. Research techniques in behavioral ecology related to analyzing populations in geographically and age-structured populations.  The importance of reproductive strategies, habitat selection, foraging behavior, parental care, social organizations, and the importance of migration and movement patterns on the regulation of population sizes and evolution. Population, quantitative and species genetics as it relates to evolution, speciation, and biodiversity.

TCBES 690 Internship (3). An internship for Plan B Masters Students in conservation biology and environmental science with a federal, state or non-government agency with projects in Hawai'i or other Pacific Islands . The internship project will be developed and carried-out in consultation with the host agency. The graduate committee in TCBES must approve the internship project. The development of the internship is formalized through a written proposal, periodic written reports and meetings with the graduate advisor and host agency representative. A final report and oral presentation is required at the end of the internship.

TCBES 694 Special Topics in TCBES (1-3). The course content will vary as topics are chosen by the instructor. The course may be repeated for credit, provided that a different topic is studied.

TCBES 699 Directed Research for Plan B Students (1-3). Research in conservation biology and environmental sciences for Plan B Masters Students. The development of the research project is formalized through periodic written reports and meeting with the graduate advisor. A final report and oral presentation is required at the end of the research project.

TCBES 700 Thesis Research (1-6). Research in conservation biology and environmental sciences for Plan A Masters Students. The development of the research project is formalized through periodic written reports and meeting with the graduate advisor. A final thesis and oral presentation is required at the end of the research project.