Freshwater Ecosystems: Revitalizing Educational Programs in Limnology (1996)
Chapter: Appendix A: Limnology Programs in U.S. Institutes of Higher Education: A Survey
TABLE A-1 Survey of Limnology Programs at U.S. Institutes of Higher Education: Summary
Survey Question |
| Number of Schools |
Number of faculty members in limnology and related disciplines | 0 | 3 |
| 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 7 |
| 5–10 | 28 |
| 11–20 | 5 |
| >20 | 3 |
Students obtaining degrees in limnology-related fields each year | 0 | 3 |
| 1–5 | 26 |
| 6–10 | 12 |
| 11–15 | 6 |
| 16–20 | 6 |
| >20 | 6 |
Level of introductory limnology course | Freshman/sophomore | 0 |
| Junior/senior/graduate | 59 |
| Graduate only | 4 |
Student interest in limnology | Increasing | 38 |
| Holding steady | 17 |
| Decreasing | 2 |
Schools with access to research or field stations |
| 40 |
Schools responding to survey |
| 69 |
SOURCE: Written surveys sent to schools belonging to the Universities Council on Water Resources or housing a Water Resources Research Institute. See Table A-3 for detailed responses. | ||
TABLE A-2 Departments Housing Faculty Working in Limnology and Related Disciplines
Department | Number of Schools with Limnology-Related Faculty Housed in This Type of Department |
Agriculture/soil science | 6 |
Biology | 42 |
Botany | 12 |
Chemistry | 3 |
Civil/environmental engineering | 32 |
Ecology | 6 |
Entomology | 9 |
Environmental science/studies | 10 |
Fisheries | 17 |
Forestry | 10 |
Geography | 3 |
Geology/geophysics/geoscience | 18 |
Hydrology/hydrogeology | 4 |
Landscape architecture | 1 |
Life science | 2 |
Marine science and limnology | 1 |
Natural resources | 9 |
Oceanography | 3 |
Public health | 2 |
Rangeland management | 3 |
Urban and regional planning | 1 |
Zoology | 15 |
Zoology and limnology | 1 |
SOURCE: Written surveys of schools belonging to the Universities Council on Water Resources or housing U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Research Institutes. See Table A-3 for detailed responses. | |
TABLE A-3 Limnology Programs at U.S. Institutes of Higher Education: Survey Responses
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
Alabama | Biological sciences Geology Geography Civil and environmental engineering | Biological sciences Geology Geography Civil and environmental engineering | 10 | 22 | Once per semester (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | One field station |
Arizona State | Zoology Civil engineering | Zoology Civil engineering | na | 5 | Once per year (senior level) | Increasing | None |
Arkansas | Biological sciences Zoology Botany Environmental science Civil engineering | Biological sciences Zoology Botany Environmental science Civil engineering | 5–10 | 3 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Holding steady | None |
Alaska, Fairbanks | Biology and wildlife Fisheries Marine science and limnology | Biology and wildlife Marine science and limnology | na | 3 | Once per year (senior level) | Holding steady at high level | Two ecological research stations |
Arizona | Hydrology and water resources Wildlife and fisheries science | Hydrology and water resources Wildlife and fisheries science Entomology | 6–8 | 2 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing rapidly | None |
Auburn | Fisheries and allied aquacultures Zoology | Fisheries and allied aquacultures Zoology | 5 | 4 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | 250 small impoundments used for fish cultures |
California, Berkeley | Civil and environmental engineering Integrated biology Environmental science, planning, and management Landscape architecture | Civil and environmental engineering Integrated biology Landscape architecture Entomology Geology | 5 | 10 | Once per semester (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing rapidly | Two field stations; other labs can be constructed on field sites |
California, Davis | Environmental studies Ecology | Environmental studies Land, air, and water resources Ecology Hydrology | 10 | 5 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | Two field research stations |
California, Irvine | Ecology and evolutionary biology | Biological sciences | None | 1 | Every other year (junior/senior level) | na | None |
California, Santa Barbara | Biological sciences | Biological sciences Geology Geography | 34 | 5 | Once per year (junior/senior level) | Increasing | Once field lab with many aquatic habitats |
Cincinnati | Biological sciences | Biological sciences Geology Environmental engineering | 3–5 | 4 | Every other year (junior/senior level) | Increasing | None |
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
Clemson | Biological sciences | Biological sciences Environmental systems engineering Aquaculture Fisheries and wildlife | 3 | 5 | Once per year (senior level) | Holding steady | Access to Corps of Engineers research facility |
Colorado | Environmental, population, and organismic biology | Environmental, population, and organismic biology Civil, environmental, and architectural engineering | 2 | 2 | Once per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | One field station |
Colorado State | Biology Fishery and wildlife biology | Biology Fishery and wildlife biology | 3–4 | 3 | Three courses offered in alternate years (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | None |
Connecticut | Ecology and evolutionary biology | Ecology and evolutionary biology Civil engineering Natural resources management and engineering | 8–10 | 3 | Two courses, offered each year (junior/senior level) | Increasing | Marine science field station |
Cornell | Natural resources Ecology and systematics | Ecology and systematics | 2–3 | 6 | Every other year (junior/senior/graduate level) | Increasing | One field station |
Drexel | Bioscience and biotechnology | Bioscience and biotechnology Environmental studies institute | 2–4 | 1 (plus 3 in related fields) | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Holding steady | One field station |
Duke | Botany Geology Zoology School of the environment | Botany Geology Zoology School of the environment | 2 | 5 | Every other year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | None |
East Carolina | Biology | Biology | 20 | 6 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Holding steady | One field station in development |
Georgia | Forest resources Institute of ecology Botany Entomology Microbiology | Forest resources Institute of ecology Botany Entomology Microbiology | 10 | 10 | Once per year (junior/senior/graduate level) | Increasing | Access to four field labs |
Hawaii | None | Zoology | None | None | Every other year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | One rainforest lab |
Idaho | Fish and wildlife Life sciences Hydrogeology Entomology Civil engineering Bacteriology/biochemistry | Fish and wildlife Life sciences Hydrogeology Entomology Civil engineering Bacteriology/biochemistry | 5 | 4 | Once per year (senior level) | Increasing rapidly | Three field stations |
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
Johns Hopkins | Geography and environmental engineering Earth and planetary sciences | Geography and environmental engineering Earth and planetary sciences | 5 | 6 | New course (graduate level) | na | na |
Kansas | Biology Systematics and ecology | Systematics and ecology Entomology Botany | 2 | 8 | Once per year (junior/senior/graduate level) | Increasing rapidly | One large field site with many aquatic systems |
Kansas State | Biology | Biology | 21 (20 of these are B.S. degrees in fisheries) | 2 | Every other year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Holding steady | One field station |
Kentucky | Biological sciences Geological sciences Toxicology Forestry | Biological sciences Forestry Geological sciences | 20 | na | Every two to three years (senior level) | na | na |
Louisiana | Biological and agricultural engineering Civil and environmental engineering Oceanography and coastal sciences | Biological and agricultural engineering Civil and environmental engineering Oceanography and coastal sciences | 100 | 6 | None | Increasing in all fields related to the environment | Natural systems engineering lab; several agricultural experimental stations |
Maine | Plant biology Geological sciences Zoology Wildlife Institute of quaternary studies | Plant biology Geological sciences Zoology | 0–3 | 5 | Every other year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | One field site |
Maryland | None | None | None | None | None | na | Two estuarine labs |
Massachusetts | Biology Environmental sciences Wildlife and fisheries biology Entomology Geology Plant and soil science Civil engineering Environmental engineering | Biology Environmental sciences Wildlife and fisheries biology Entomology Geology Plant and soil science Civil engineering Environmental engineering Chemistry Public health Microbiology | na | 1 limnologist; 16 faculty in related areas | Every semester (full-year course, junior/senior/ graduate level) | Decreasing | None |
Michigan State | Fisheries and wildlife Zoology Botany Resource development | Fisheries and wildlife Zoology Botany Resource development | 3–4 | 7 | Once per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Holding steady | Two field stations |
TABLE A-3 Limnology Programs at U.S. Institutes of Higher Education: Survey Responses (Continued)
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
Minnesota, Twin Cities | Civil engineering Ecology, evolution and behavior Fisheries and wildlife Geology and geophysics Geography Horticulture Soil, water and climate Forest resources Entomology Plant science Public health | Agricultural engineering Ecology, evolution and behavior Civil engineering Geology and geophysics Entomology Horticulture Soil, water and climate Fisheries and wildlife Biology Plant science Environmental and occupational health | 85 | 65 | Three courses offered twice per year (junior/senior level) | Holding steady | One field station with many aquatic systems, one with experimental stream channels, and one with wetlands |
Mississippi State | Wildlife and fisheries | Wildlife and fisheries Biological engineering Biological science | 6 | 3 | Once per year (junior level) | Holding steady | One research and extension center |
Missouri | Fisheries and wildlife | Fisheries and wildlife Biological sciences Civil engineering | 3-5 | 8 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | One field laboratory |
Michigan | Biology Natural resources and environment | Biology Natural resources and environment | 15–20 graduate students | 6–10 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | One biological research station and many field research preserves |
M.I.T. | Civil and environmental engineering | Civil and environmental engineering | 5 | 1–2 | Every other year (graduate level) | na | na |
Montana | Biological sciences Environmental studies Wildlife biology | Biological sciences Environmental studies Wildlife biology Geology | 20 | 20 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | Three large field stations |
Montana State | Biology | Biology Environmental engineering Microbiology | 10 | 6 | Once per year (junior/senior level) | Holding steady | Field lab in Antarctica |
Nebraska | Forestry, fisheries, and wildlife Biological sciences | Forestry, fisheries, and wildlife Biological sciences | 20–23 | 1 | Once per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | One field station |
Nevada, Las Vegas | Biological sciences | Biological sciences Geological sciences/ hydrology | 5–10 | 5 | Once per year (junior/senior level) | Holding steady | None |
New Hampshire | Biology Natural resources | Biology Natural resources Botany | na | 3 | Once per year (senior level) | na | na |
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | Geoscience | Geoscience Biology Chemistry | 15 (hydrology) | 1 | None | na | None |
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
New Mexico State | Interdisciplinary | Fishery and wildlife sciences Civil engineering | 10 | 1 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Holding steady | None |
New York, Syracuse | Environmental and forest biology | Forestry Chemistry | 2–3 | 1 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | Many field stations and research sites |
North Carolina, Chapel Hill | Environmental science and engineering Biological sciences | Environmental science and engineering Biological sciences Marine science Geology Urban and regional planning | 4–6 | 5 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Decreasing | None |
North Carolina State | Zoology Botany Forestry Fisheries and wildlife Crop science Biomathematics Ecology Eivil engineering Biological and agricultural engineering | Zoology Botany Forestry Civil engineering Biological and agricultural engineering | 15 | 6 | Once per year (senior level) | Increasing | Two reservoirs, one farm pond |
North Dakota State | Zoology | Zoology | 13 | 2 | Every other year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | Access to Northern Prairie Science Center |
Northern Illinois | Not taught at this institution | na | na | na | na | na | na |
Ohio State | Zoology Natural resources | Zoology Natural resources Geology Entomology Civil engineering | 20 | 4 | Twice per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | Field labs on Lake Erie, reservoirs, wetlands |
Oklahoma State | Zoology | Zoology Botany Civil and environmental engineering | 3 | 2–3 | Every other year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Holding steady | None |
Penn State | Environmental resource management | Civil/ environmental engineering Biology Forest resources | na | 5 | Once per year (senior level) | na | None |
Puerto Rico, Mayaguez | Biology | Biology | None | 1 | Once per year (graduate level) | Holding steady | None |
Purdue | Forestry and natural resources | Forestry and natural resources Botany and plant pathology Entomology Environmental engineering Biological science | 4 | 1 | Once per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing interest in water quality | One field station; nearby river; experimental watershed |
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
Rutgers | Biology Ecology Environmental sciences | Biology Environmental sciences Natural resources | 5 or fewer | 4 | Every other year (junior/senior level) | Increasing | None |
South Dakota State | Wildlife and fisheries sciences Civil and environmental engineering Biology/ microbiology Agricultural engineering | Wildlife and fisheries sciences Biology/ microbiology Civil engineering Plant science | 3–4 | 8 | Once per year (junior/senior level) | Holding steady (some increase in wetland ecology) | One field station |
South Florida | Biology Civil engineering | Biology Geology Civil engineering | 1 | 5 | Every third year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | None |
Tennessee | Ecology Zoology Fisheries | Ecology Zoology Botany Forestry, wildlife, and fisheries Environmental engineering | 3–7 | 8 | Once per year (junior level) | Holding steady | None |
Texas, Arlington | Biology Environmental science and engineering | Biology Civil and environmental engineering | 4–9 | 4 (biology department) | Once per year or every other year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | None |
Texas, Austin | Zoology Biological sciences | Zoology Civil engineering | 20 | 5 or fewer | Once per year (junior/senior level) | na | None |
Texas A & M | Oceanography Wildlife and fisheries | Wildlife and fisheries Oceonography Rangeland ecology and management | 30 | 5 | Once per year (junior/senior level) | Holding steady | None |
Texas Tech | Civil engineering Environmental engineering Environmental technology management Range and wildlife management Fisheries and wildlife management | Civil engineering Range and wildlife management Biological sciences | 10 | 13 | Once per year (graduate level) | Increasing | One field station |
Utah State | Biology Fisheries and wildlife Aquatic ecology Watershed science Civil and environmental engineering | Biology Fisheries and wildlife Range science Forestry Civil and environmental engineering Soil science | 13 | 11 | Once per year (junior/senior level) | Increasing | One field laboratory |
University | Departments Offering Degrees in Limnology-related Fields | Departments Housing Faculty in Limnology-related Fields | Students in Limnology-related Fields Graduating Each Year | Faculty in Limnology and Related Disciplines | Frequency of Introductory Limnology Course | Level of Student Interest in Limnology | Availability of Limnological Research Stations or Labs |
Vermont | Natural resources | Natural resources | 5 or fewer | 1 | Once per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | na | na |
Virginia Military Institute | None | None | na | na | na | na | na |
Virginia Tech | Biology Fisheries and wildlife | Biology Fisheries and wildlife Civil engineering | na | 15 | Once per year (senior/graduate level) | Increasing | None |
Washington State | Natural resources science Environmental science Environmental engineering | Civil and environmental engineering Natural resources science Zoology-limnology | 10–15 | 6 | Every semester (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | Several lakes and reservoirs |
Wisconsin, Madison | Oceanography and limnology graduate program Zoology Botany Geology Water chemistry program Environmental studies | Botany Geology and geophysics Civil and environmental engineering Zoology Environmental studies | 5–10 | 22 | Once per year (junior/senior/ graduate level) | Increasing | One field station |
