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Richard S. Feldman,
Ph.D. Donnelly 228 |
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Richard S. Feldman,
Ph.D. Donnelly 228 |
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Professional
Interests & Philosophy As
a teacher, my goals are to stimulate and cultivate
curiosity and critical thinking among students. I do this while
focusing on the variety and intricacies of living organisms and their habitats,
and also with environmental problems and their associated biological and societal
implications.
As a researcher,
my goals are to understand the dynamic relationships between species and the
conditions under which they exist. I do this in agricultural settings using
non-chemical means of weed control, and also with streams that are susceptible
to acidic precipitation.
Personal
InterestsHiking, biking, birding, field botany, gardening and basketball have been among my favorite activities for many years. More recently I have discovered the great joy of caring for and playing with my little son Adam ("man of the earth"). In most of these activities, photography accompanies. Travelling is enjoyed regularly, especially to the West for vacations and family visiting.
Other
InterestsMy previous research concerned the accumulation of PCBs in Hudson River fish, and I maintain an interest in Hudson River ecology and protection. I have been an environmental activist since high school, and encourage Marist students to be activists and to be educated about the issues; I advise the campus environmental group, SEGA (Students Encouraging Global Awareness).
Academic
BackgroundCurrent
Research Stream Ecology
Recent
Publications Feldman,
R.S. 2001. Beyond too many people, review of Lindsey Grant. 2000.
Too many people: the case for reversing
growth.Seven Locks
Press, Santa Ana, California.
Ecology 82(9): 2666.
Feldman,
R.S. 2001. Taxonomic and size structures of phytophilous macroinvertebrate
communities
in Vallisneria and Trapa beds
of the Hudson River, New York. Hydrobiologia 452:233-246.
Feldman,
R. S. and J.E. Titus. 2001. PCB accumulation differs among pumpkinseed
sunfish during
experimental field exposure:the role
of invertebrate prey. Aquatic Toxicology 51(4): 389-404.
Feldman,
R. S., C.E. Holmes and T.A. Blomgren. 2000.
Using fabric and compost mulches in
a low tillage, permanent bed vegetable farm:effects upon
crop yield and labor. American
Journal of Alternative Agriculture 15 (4):146-153.
Feldman,
R. S. 1999. Using a small-scale demonstration farm as a teaching arena
in biology and
environmental science. Journal
of College Science Teaching 28(3):186-191.
Recent
Presentations American Society of Agronomy,
Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of
America, 21-25 October 2001. Mulching
with fabric and compost in a low tillage, permanent
bed system: effects on yield & labor.
New York Natural History
Conference, 26-29 April 2000.
Weeds of farmland: an herbarium
collection of sedges, grasses and wildflowers.
Carol E. Holmes, undergraduate research
advisee, first author and presenter.
International Conference
on Agriculture and Nutrition, 1997.
Objectives and structure of
a community-supported farm in the mid-Hudson River Valley and its
effects on diet.
CoursesIntroduction to Environmental Issues - An overview of basic environmental science and several major environmental problems, e.g. global warming, deforestation, species extinction, human population growth, food production, and water pollution. Includes much discussion, especially about current news and personal experiences. Freshman - seniors.
Ecology - A close examination of the interrelationships among organisms in their natural habitats, and between organisms and their environment. One of my favorite courses, where I include descriptions of my personal experiences with different ecosystems and species. Sophomores - seniors.
Field and Lab Ecology - Sequel to preceding course. Practical experience in doing field and lab studies to help understand basic relationships in nature. Sampling techniques, identification skills, and data analysis are learned. Emphasis on fieldwork in local habitats. Individual and group investigations, term project. Juniors and seniors.
Tropical Ecology - Includes a trip to Costa Rica during winter or spring break. Focuses mostly on tropical moist forests, providing an introduction to the diversity of flora and fauna in some of the most species-rich ecosystems of the world. Examines interrelationships among species, including human interactions with species and systems. Juniors and seniors.
Invertebrate Zoology - A broad overview of the most diverse group of species on earth. Invertebrates are everywhere, influencing all other species, including humans. We learn about their ecological roles, e.g. decomposition, pollination, and their impacts upon human health, e.g. Lyme disease and malaria. Much time dedicated to studying insects because of their incredible diversity, abundance and strong interactions with humans; each student creates an insect collection. Sophomores - seniors.
Relating the Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts to the Environment - An honors course that brings in faculty from several disciplines to explain the relationship of their field to environmental problems or to nature. Poets are inspired by nature, economists must determine costs of depleting resources, historians can trace the interactions of civilization with nature. The goal is to emphasize the inherent interdependence of humankind with the environment. Juniors and seniors.
Limnology - An advanced ecology course that delves into the biological, chemical and physical features of lakes, rivers and streams. Some topics include seasonal changes in lake conditions and their influence upon organisms; organism adaptations to physical conditions and to each other; different kinds of lakes and rivers. Juniors and seniors.
Photos of course related and research related fieldwork.
If you have any comments please email me at Richard.Feldman@marist.edu