COURSE INFORMATION:

Students are enrolled in one of the following courses:
BIOL 250: Introduction to Tropical Ecology (for non-majors) - 4 credits
-OR-
BIOL 453: Introduction to Tropical Ecology (for majors) - 4 credits


PROGRAM INFORMATION:

This study abroad program is designed to introduce students to the natural and human ecology of the tropics. It will be based around a three week experience in Bali, Indonesia with a stopover in Hong Kong. Instruction will be provided through lectures before and during travel, readings, class discussions on selected topics, and natural history combined with closely supervised field projects. It will follow the general format of OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) field courses in Costa Rica in which an emphasis is placed on learning through field experiences. This course is limited to 12 students due to the complex travel and logistics of Bali.

The travel portion of the class will begin with a flight to the other side of the world: Hong Kong. There we will visit the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens and other sights before continuing to the island of Bali.

On Bali, we will study a variety of habitats ranging from cities, agricultural areas, mountain and monsoon forests, and coral reefs. For most of our time on Bali we will be staying at the Scientific Education & Research Centre (SERC) in Menjangan Jungle & Beach Resort (MJBR), situated within Bali Barat National Forest. The day will begin early, near sunrise, with daily field trips to areas of special interest, evening lectures as well as nighttime and aquatic excursions.

The goals of this course are to:
1) Introduce students to the major tropical ecosystems: rainforests, cloud and monsoon forests, mangroves, and coral reefs;
2) Explore the complex and distinctive natural features of tropical communities and to become familiar with ecological processes as they apply to tropical ecosystems;
3) Witness the nature of human impacts and management in such systems to gain an appreciation for conservation biology;
4) Learn how to make field observations and carry out sampling and field experiments; and
5) Develop a better understanding of the concept of ecological sustainability.

Some immunizations are recommended. Participants will be expected to hike, swim and snorkel, walk long distances, and travel long distances on airplanes. Proficiency in snorkeling must be demonstrated before program departure.


PROGRAM DIRECTOR:

Dr. Phillip Dustan
Department of Biology
dustanp@cofc.edu
843-953-8086

Dr. Dustan, Professor of Biology, has extensive experience in tropical marine, aquatic, and terrestrial habitats. He was the principal scientist for The Cousteau Society Amazon Expedition which explored the entire length of the Amazon River ecosystem between 1982-1984 and has been involved with tropical conservation issues in addition to his coral reef ecology research throughout his professional career. He has taught this course each Maymestter from 2012-2015. He is active with non-governmental organizations such as Friends of the Earth and The World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Biosphere Foundation (BF), and Trees to Seas (501c3).