Instructor: Dr. Paul Manos (Duke University) The course is designed for students of all sorts, professional biologists, and amateur enthusiasts. The goals are to introduce plant diversity with a community-based approach through field observations of the flora of the Blue Ridge: to emphasize basic distinguishing features among lycophytes, ferns and seed plants; to focus on field characteristics of common and rare species and their habitats; to use keys to identify species; and to better understand the ecology of the major plant communities of the region and the biogeography of the species. Prerequisites: One course in Introductory biology or ecology, training in natural history or permission of instructor Cost: $1000 course fee + $600 housing fee (if staying on-site) Click here for the syllabus.

Instructors: Dr. Mike Caterino (Clemson University) and Dr. Paul Marek (Virginia Tech) A hands-on introduction to field and lab methods for the sampling and identification of arthropods living in leaf litter. Litter sifting will be practiced in multiple habitats. Following Berlese extraction of specimens, students will learn to identify the major groups and conduct preliminary comparisons of diversity among samples and habitat types. Prerequisites: General biology required. A course in general entomology would be useful but not critical. Cost: $500 course fee + $300 housing fee (if staying on-site). Click here for the syllabus.