South India Biodiversity Study Tour
Field Course in Tropical Biology
IISAC offers a 21-day winter intersession field course in Tropical Biology and Biodiversity in Kerala (South India) and Andaman and Nicobar islands to expose U.S undergraduate students to tropical field biology. This program concentrates on the biological wealth of Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Islands to provide nature-loving and adventurous students with a foundation in tropical biodiversity through lectures, field exercises and research. This high quality four-credit international program is developed jointly by IISAC in India and St. Mary’s College in Maryland (USA) to enable students to visit coral islands, biodiversity hotspots, Ramsar sites, virgin evergreen forests, hill stations, spice gardens, plantations, national parks, bird sanctuaries, tribal villages, various tropical ecosystems, performing arts centers, Ayurvedic centers, mangrove forests, beaches and fishermen communities to learn about human-nature interactions and bioprospecting. Both St. Mary’s College Biology professors and Indian Biodiversity Professors will lead the tour and at the conclusion of the program, academic credits will be awarded to participating students by St. Mary’s College of Maryland, USA.
Course Title:
BIOL 380: Topics in Biology – South India Biodiversity Study Tour
St. Mary's College of Maryland, USA. Winter 2009/10 (4 Credits)
Course Description:
This study tour course introduces students to the biodiversity, ecological processes, and human modification of a variety of tropical environments in south India, from the coral reefs and mangroves of the Andaman Islands, to the tropical forests and spice plantations of the Western Ghats and the coastal plain and backwaters of the southwest state of Kerala. Emphasis will be placed upon the identification of tropical biota, ecological interactions within tropical communities, and human uses of and impacts on tropical ecosystems. While traveling in south India, students will also be exposed to the cultures and religions of south India. Students will hone their scientific communication skills with papers, presentations and group discussions
Program Outline:
The study tour to south India, from December 27, 2009, to January 14, 2010, will start on the remote Andaman Islands, part of an archipelago of nearly 500 tropical islands on the eastern part of the Bay of Bengal, much closer to Myanmar than to mainland of India. Because of their isolation these islands are home to numerous endemic species and six indigenous groups of people, one of which, the Sentinelese, is one of the most isolated groups left on the planet. We will snorkel on pristine coral reefs, kayak along a mangrove creek where we are likely to see monitor lizards, study damage to mangrove systems resulting from the 2004 tsunami, and hike into the interior of an island to see the plants and animals of a primary rainforest.
From the Andamans we will fly to Chennai and take a train to the Western Ghats in Kerala. These rugged hills run from Mumbai to the southern tip of India. Once covered by forests of rosewood, ebony and teak, the forests are mostly replaced by plantations of tea, coffee, spices, and other economically important species, and many of the rivers have been dammed. However, there are still pockets of primary and secondary forest, and the ghats are the home to many of the iconic Indian mega fauna species, including tigers and wild elephants. From the Western Ghats we will travel across the coastal plain, passing teak and coconut plantations, and rice paddies. We will spend a day on a houseboat on the backwaters and visit Kochi, one of the oldest ports in India. Here we will visit the fish market to observe the diversity of species harvested from the ocean. While in India, activities during the day will typically be followed by evening lectures by the tour leaders and local experts, group discussion or the attendance of cultural events. After returning to St. Mary’s College for the spring semester, the group will meet twice, the first for a group discussion and the second for student presentations (see Assignments below).
Assignments
Assignments include 3 species accounts, a paper about an Andaman Island or Kerala ecosystem, a book report and a journal. In addition students will have two identification quizzes while in India. These assignments are described below.
Species Accounts:
Each student will be assigned three species to research prior to the study tour trip: 1) a species found either in the reef or mangrove ecosystems of the Andaman Islands, 2) a species from the Western Ghats of Kerala, 3) an economically important species from the Andamans and/or Kerala. For each species students will write brief papers describing how to identify the organism, as well as the organism's range, natural history, phylogenetic relationships and economic uses. Species accounts are to be turned in by the last day of classes of the fall semester. Students will be asked to be able to identify and discuss the species while in India.
Journal:
During the study tour trip, students are to keep a daily journal that describes activities, notes observations on the ecology and biodiversity of India, and gives personal reflections and impressions of India. The instructors will periodically prompt students with questions that are to be answered in the journal. Instructors will evaluate journals during the spring semester.
Identification Quizzes:
Two identification quizzes will be given in India based upon organisms observed. One of these quizzes be given in the Andaman Islands, the other in the Western Ghats in Kerala.
India Ecosystem Presentation:
During the study tour, each student will select a south India ecosystem to research. Students will research the ecosystem further during the spring semester and will give a brief PowerPoint presentation to the group (date to be determined) characterizing the ecosystem. Students should describe dominant species, common species interactions, important ecosystem processes and theories that explain species diversity and the distribution of the ecosystem.
Book Report:
Each student is to read a book that talks about the history, culture and/or ecology of the Andaman Islands and/or India and write a short book report. These will be on a date to be determined in the spring semester.
Grading
The assignments described above will be used to evaluate students. Grades will be based on the point system given below.
- Species Accounts
- Journal
- Field Quizzes
- Ecosystem Presentation
- Book Report
- Participation
Academic credits
Earn four transferable credits through St.Mary’s College, Maryland, USA
Faculty:
A wide variety of specialists form the core faculty. The program coordinators are:
Dr. Robert Paul - Professor, St.Mary’s College, MD, USA
Dr. Chris Tanner - Professor, St.Mary’s College, MD, USA
Dr. Sunny Luke -Professor and Program Coordinator, IISAC’s Semester in India Program (USA and India)
Dr. Punnen Kurian – Professor, Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences, Kerala
Program Costs
Being a non-profit organization of US professors and scientists, IISAC offers a highly affordable program fee.
Visiting students
This program is also open to non-St. Mary’s College students with a minimum of 2.75 G.P.A. Only a limited number of seats are available for undergraduates from other US institutions.
For more information,
Contact: Prof. Sunny Luke at
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Biodiversity- Kerala As A Hotspot
Click here to view more information about Kerala's Biodiversity
Internships, Special Techniques, Projects & Research In Tropical Biodiversity & Environmental Sciences
Immediately after the field exposure, US students who like to stay back in Kerala for practical training, projects or research can get individualized instructions in our Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences. Topics will vary from threat to biodiversity to environmental issues and students who complete the program will receive research credits. This research training program deals with a variety of techniques and research topics on individual basis and is open to both undergraduate and graduate students of biology/ ecology/ wild life management/ marine and aquatic sciences/ environmental sciences/ geology/ natural resources management and environmental engineering. Admission is rolling and is offered throughout the year. Please open the link to view the program and the type of projects available through IISAC.
For more information contact:
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