PMB 3802 is also offered in Summer 2022
PMB 3802 is also offered in Summer 2021
Summer 2021 | PMB 3802 Section 001: Field Microbiology at Itasca Biological Research Station (87666)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- Student Option No Audit
- Instructor Consent:
- Department Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Class Attributes:
Itasca
- Times and Locations:
May Session
Mon,
Tue,
Wed,
Fri 08:00AM - 11:50AM
Off Campus
Virtual Rooms ROOM-TBA
- Enrollment Status:
Closed (7 of 7 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- The microbial world is incredibly diverse: there are estimated to be more microbial cells on Earth than stars in the entire universe. Much of our understanding in microbiology derives from studies of pure cultures; organisms that can easily be grown in the lab. However, it is now clear that the vast majority of microorganisms in nearly every environment are not readily grown under laboratory conditions. We must therefore go to them. Field Microbiology will be a three-week intensive course where students will be taught methods of environmental microbiology in both lecture and laboratory format. The goal is to not only quantify who is in a given sample, but also to understand something about the conditions they live in (temperature, nutrient availability, etc.). Ecological data and microbial community structure will be generated using Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology - a cutting edge method to generate large sequencing datasets in real-time. Analyses will be integrated with an in situ set of field instrumentation that includes an eddy covariance system for quantifying fluxes of methane and carbon dioxide from Lake Itasca and Elk Lake, as well as in-lake measurements of solar radiation, dissolved organic matter, pH, conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll. A series of field trips will be scheduled to locations in and around Itasca State Park including Elk Lake, Arco Lake, Iron Springs Bog and Lake Alice Spring. Students will also develop an independent research project that will apply methods learned during the first 1.5 weeks of the course.
- Class Notes:
- This course is taught at the UMN Itasca Biological Station and Labs, located 220 miles northwest of the Twin Cities campus. Students are required to attend a mandatory orientation on Sunday, May 16, 2021, onsite and to pay $1,344 for room and board for housing and meals onsite 5/16/2021 - 6/4/2021. Scholarships available (https://cbs.umn.edu/itasca/field-biology-courses) to defer costs of room, board, and tuition. For more information, visit cbs.umn.edu/itasca or contact ibsl@umn.edu.
Due to COVID effects on lodging capacity at Itasca, to enroll in this course, you will need to obtain a permission number before registering. To request a permission number, email ibsl@umn.edu with the subject line "Field Course Permission." Please be patient with a response as we coordinate lodging. 5/4/21: REGISTRATION for PMB 3802 IS CLOSED.
- Class Description:
- Student may contact the instructor or department for information.
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/87666/1215
ClassInfo Links - Summer 2021 Plant and Microbial Biology Classes