TROPICAL ECOLOGY PCB 3373 SPRING 2008
Dr. STEVE OBERBAUER MW: 5-6:15 GL 165
| Jan 7: | First Meeting - Course Overview & Requirements |
| Jan 9: | Introduction and Overview of Tropical Ecology - Homework 1 due (email) Pages 1-17 |
| Q Tropical Climatology Pages 1-17 | |
| Jan 16: | Q Tropical Seas Not covered in Book |
| Jan 21: | Martin Luther King Holiday, University Closed |
| Jan 23: | Q Tropical Seas Pg 321-348 |
| Jan 28 : | Research Lecture: Coral Reef Ecology -Lonnie Kaczmarsky |
| Jan 30: | Tropical Mangroves Pg 299-319 |
| Feb 4 | Q Mangroves/Estuaries- Homework 2 due (email) |
| Feb 6: | Research Lecture: - Mangrove Ecology |
| Feb 11 | Tropical Rivers - Homework 3 due (email) Pg 186-220 |
| Feb 13: | Research Lecture: - Tropical River Ecology- Dr. Michael McClain |
| Feb 18: | Tropical Lakes Pg 128-168 |
| Feb 20: | Q Tropical Lakes and Wetlands - Homework 4 due (email), Pg 221-237 |
| Feb 25: | Research Lecture: - Ecology of Tropical Wetlands - Tiffany Troxler |
| Feb 27: | MID TERM 1 |
| Mar 3 | Tropical Lowlands Pg 238-279, DRAFT OF WHITE PAPER DUE (White Paper format, White Paper example) |
| Mar 5: | Q Tropical Lowlands Pg 238-279 - Homework 5 due (email) |
| Mar 10: | Research Lecture: Lowland forest ecology - Jessica Schedlbauer) |
| Mar 12: | Tropical Lowlands Pg 72-86, 50-55 |
| Mar 17: | Spring Break |
| Mar 19: | Spring Break |
| Mar 24: | Tropical Deserts Pg 18-49 Homework 6 Due (email) |
| Mar 26: | Research Lecture: Tropical Desert Ecology, - Chad Husby) |
| Mar 31: | Tropical Mountains and plateaus Pg 64-71, 280-298, WHITE PAPER DUE |
| Apr 2: | Q Tropical Mountains and plateaus - Homework 7 Due (email) |
| Apr 7: | Research Lecture: Tropical Mountain Ecology - Maureen Donnelly |
| Apr 9: | Issues in Tropical Conservation - TROPICAL SCRAPBOOK DUE |
| Apr 14 | Issues in Tropical Conservation - PANEL DISCUSSION- CRITIQUES DUE |
| Apr 16 | MIDTERM 2 |
| Apr 21-26 | Tropical Summit (Wed 23 April 3:45-6:15 GL 165) |
TEXTBOOK: Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts.
Patrick L. Osborne, 2000. Cambridge University Press.
GRADING: Grades will be assessed on in-class activities (homework
assignments, pop quizzes, scrapbook) [200 points], writing assignments
(2 page critiques) [100 points], group projects [100 points],
and two exams [50 points each for a total of 100 points]. Grades
are based on a percentage of points: A: 100-90% B: 89.9-80%, C:
79.9-70% D:69.9-60%, F: < 59.9%.
COMPORTMENT: Each student is expected to follow the FIU codes
of conduct. Violations of the codes of conduct (including language
specific to plagarism and cheating) will be reported.
POINTS: Each midterm exam is worth 50 points, quizzes (given each
class meeting except for exams and research lectures) homework
assignments (8), and a Tropical Ecology Scrapbook will be worth
200 points (quizzes = 60 points (best 6 of 7), homework = 65 points,
scrapbook = 65 points), the 2-page critiques are worth 100 points
(50 points/critique; you must critique two of the seven assigned
readings and guest lectures), the group project involves preparation
of a white paper (50 points) and an oral presentation (50 points).
Groups of two/three will be assigned randomly; each group will
select a country to report on in the white paper and during the
tropical summit held during the final exam periood (using Powerpoint).
We will provide a format for the white paper. Each team will submit
a draft of the white paper on March 3 (25 points) and the final
is due March 26 (25 points). The oral presentations will involve
all team members and will be given during the tropical summit
April 23.
HOMEWORK (#2-7): For each guest lecturer, read the assigned paper
and answer the following questions: 1. What was the purpose of
the paper? 2. What aspect of the paper did you find to be most
interesting. 3. What aspect of the paper was most confusing? 4.
Which graphical presentation was most helpful and which was most
confusing? 5. What was the most important point of the paper?
5. What question would you like to ask the speaker to increase
your understanding of his/her subject area. These homework assignments
are due by 5:00 pm on the dates indicated, submit them by email
with the subject line "PCB 3373 Homework # ". I will
describe Homework #1 on Jan 7th. late home work will be deducted
5% per class period that it is late.
TROPICAL SCRAPBOOK: During the course of the semester, collect
electronic news articles concerning the tropics. Provide the date
you found the article, the full url and write a 3-4 sentance synopsis
of the article (who, what, when, where, why). There are several
sources (Yahoo News, Google News, the New York Times, NPR). Your
scrapbook will be graded based on the number of articles included,
semester-long activity, and the quality of your synopses. Last
year Dr. Donnelly had 80 (See example)
CRITIQUES: During the semester you will submit two 2-PAGE
critiques on the assigned papers associated with our research
scientists (we will send PDFs to you over email). For each critique
you must include: your name, panthersoft number (line 1), full
citation of the paper, the purpose of the study, the basic scientific
approach, the most important result, the most interesting thing
you learned from the paper. You must also provide a one paragraph
summary of the presentation made by the associated research scientist.
The rules are: 1 inch margins all around, no font smaller than
12, single space the citation, the critique is double spaced.
Do not use page numbers. You will turn in a paper copy of the
assignment on the due date and send the electronic file by 5:00
pm on the due date to oberbaue@fiu.edu. Papers that exceed 2 pages
will be penalized as will those under 2 pages.
GROUP PROJECTS: The group project involves written and oral components
that we will describe in detail following the drop/add period.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this course, you should be able
to locate the tropics, describe basic climatological patterns
and the phenomenon responsible for them; describe tropical ecosystems
and how they function, and understand some of the conservation
issues that impact these biologically diverse ecosystems. We will
use active-learning approaches to help reinforce the learning
experience. These activities are designed to draw you into the
educational process. While this approach reduces lecture time,
it does reinforce learning of key concepts and will help you develop
critical thinking skills. Exposure to a variety of research scientists
and their work will help you grasp the importance of the research
process. The research activities involved in the course are designed
to help you learn how to work with primary scientific literature
using the world wide web and the library. Regardless of career
goals, this course will help you gain useful research and presentation
skills you can use in the future.
CONTACT INFORMATION: oberbaue@fiu.edu; email is best.
OFFICE HOURS: Oberbauer: W 9:00-12:00 h (HLS 218B).