Iowa State University Field Trip Report: Ecology and Evolution in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Abstract

Iowa State Universityâs graduate program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) requires that all graduate students participate in one field trip class during their graduate career. In this 2 credit class students learn about the ecology of the ecosystem that they will be visiting via seminars and lectures during the semester. The classroom teaching culminates in a field trip experience. During the field trip the students have an opportunity to meet local scientists, researchers, land managers and representatives from non-government agencies. They then write up a summary of their work and are graded on these activities.