How do courses use Anderson Woods?

ENVIRON 503. Forest Ecosystem & ENVIRON 721L Soil Resources

“In Forest Ecosystems and Soils, two graduate level NSOE classes, we’ve used the Anderson woods to discuss how hilltops and hillslopes are tied together with footslopes, i.e., the catena concept used in geomorphology, hydrology, pedology, and ecology. Because much of the Anderson Woods has not likely been plowed, we have used it to sample for native and indigenous earthworms in soils lab.  Many hardwood stands that have not been cultivated in the Southern Piedmont still have their complement of native earthworms, but sadly the Anderson Woods mainly has non-indigenous earthworms, mainly from Europe.” – Dr. Dan Richter, NSOE

ENVIRON 731/311 Dendrology

“In Dendrology, a graduate and undergraduate-level course in NSOE,  Anderson Woods transforms into an outdoor classroom where students encounter new woody plant species, learn to identify plants,  explore how plant growth changes with location, and test their newly found woody plant identification skills!” – Dr. Nicolette Cagle, NSOE

BIO 547L. Entomology

Dr. Fred Nijhout uses Anderson Woods in his entomology course to help students collect and identify the wide variety of insects found on Duke University’s campus.  To see some of the insects that have been found, please visit: https://sites.duke.edu/dukeinsects/

BIO 429S. How Organisms Move

Dr. Sheila Patek uses Anderson Woods in her innovative course, How Organisms Move. In this course, students both collect and film insects in Anderson Woods. They have “caught a ton of different jumping species out there – froghoppers, leafhoppers, grasshoppers – as well as praying mantises and a host of other insects.”

BIO 341L. Plant Communities of North Carolina

In Plant Communities of North Carolina, Dr. Paul Manos uses Anderson Woods “as an example of Piedmont old growth.” The site is also used to adminstered field exams that include community interpretation and species identification.  In addition, Dr. Manos uses the Chapel Woods for the annual Botany Blitz in the course.

BIO 202L. Gateway to Biology – Genetics & Evolution

In this introductory biology course, students visit Anderson Woods. According to Dr. Laurie Mauger, one of their Anderson Woods trips involves collecting ants!

BIO 209. Ecology for a Crowded Planet

BIO 361/ENV 261 Field Ecology

BIO 565/ENV575 Biodiversity Science and Applications

“We have been using the Anderson Woods as a field teaching laboratory for over 10 years, taking advantage of the permanent plots laid out by Professor Norm Christensen.  By resurveying these plots, students have a unparalleled opportunity to explore questions about how the diversity, composition, and biomass of the trees are affected by environmental factors and have changed over the past 30 years.  In addition to learning field methods of tree identification and measurement, students independently analyze the data using a variety of statistical techniques.  Students in Biol 209 (Ecology for a Crowded Planet); Biol 361/Env 261 (Field Ecology); and Biol 565/Env 575 (Biodiversity Science and Applications) have all used the permanent plots in the Anderson Woods.” – Dr. Justin Wright