Classroom lectures and your textbook reading will be assisted with a
course website in which you can review terminology, read more on
subjects
that interest you, and take practice quizzes to help you master the
material.
You can also explore the quantitative aspects of ecology using
exercises and models on this textbook website. You are not
required to use any of these tools, but many students find
that they help in ways similar to study groups, resulting in better
performance on exams.
There will be three exams and a final. No make-up exams will be given, for any reason. If you must miss an exam, the zero will become your low grade. Your lowest midterm grade will be dropped. All students must take the final. Keys will be posted on the course web page. If you feel that an error was made in the grading of your exam, you may request in writing that your test be regraded, handing in your exam with the problems described on a sheet stapled to the front of your exam.
The writing component of this course has two parts: pop
quizzes
(essays) in lecture, and an investigative paper. The five-minute
essays will pop up in lectures throughout the semester, and the best
60%
of them will be counted for a significant portion of your final
grade.
The paper will be done in stages with the continuing critique of one
instructor.
Topics will be assigned, and though multiple students will have the
same
topic, all are required to work independently on this assignment.
We will have some training in library research to help you find
references
relevant to your topic. It is advisable to start this project
early
to give yourself time to obtain references from InterLibraryLoan (if
needed),
read the scientific articles, and to put together your
ideas.
Students will turn in their papers via TurnItIn.com to verify
originality. Plagiarism is unethical and will not be tolerated in
this or any course
activity.
| Exams (20% each, a total of 2 midterms and 1 final) | 60% |
| Best 60% of "pop" essay grades | 20% |
| Investigative paper | 20% |
| Date/ day | Topic | Readings / Data Analysis Modules |
| 8 Jan T |
Introduction | chapter 1 |
| 10 Jan R |
The Physical Environment | 2 |
| 15 Jan T |
Adaptation to Environments [Project assignment] |
3 |
| 17 Jan R |
Energy in Ecosystems | 6 - module 1 |
| 22 Jan T |
Biological Communities [last names A - K - library GL 280] | 4 & 5 |
| 24 Jan R |
Biological Communities [last names L - Z -
library GL 280] |
4 & 5 |
| 29 Jan T |
Elemental Cycles | 7 |
| 31 Jan R |
*Nutrient Flow in Ecosystems | 8 - module 2 |
| 5 Feb T |
*EXAM 1 | |
| 7 Feb R |
Adaptation and Natural Selection | 9 - module 3 |
| 12 Feb T |
Life History Strategies [project stage 1 due] | 10 |
| 14 Feb R |
Sex, Family, Society, Evolution | 11 & 12 |
| 19 Feb T | Population Structure | 13 - module 4 |
| 21 Feb R | Population Growth and Regulation | 14 - module 5 |
| 26 Feb T | Population Dynamics | 15 - modules 6,7,8 |
| 28 Feb R | Population Genetics and Evolution | 16 |
| 4 Mar T |
EXAM 2 | |
| 6 Mar R |
Predation, Herbivory, Predator/prey [project stage 2 due] | 17 & 18, modules 9 & 10 |
| 11 Mar T |
Competition | 19 - module 11 |
| 13 Mar R | Coevolution and Mutualism | 20 |
| 17 - 21 Mar |
SPRING BREAK |
|
| 25 Mar T |
Community Structure and Development | 21 & 22 |
| 27 Mar R | Biodiversity |
23 - module 12 |
| 1 Apr T |
* Ecology film festival Part 1 - last names A -
K cater |
|
| 3 Apr R | * Ecology film festival Part 2 - last
names L - Z cater |
|
| 8 Apr T | History and Biogeography [project stage 3 due] | 24 |
| 10 Apr R | Conservation Biology | 25 |
| 15 Apr T | Global Ecology |
26 |
| 17 Apr R | EXAM 3 | |
| 22 Apr T | Final Exam (Cumulative, multiple-choice) |