BIOL206 ECOLOGY Gonzaga University Spring 2015 Course Time: MWF 10:00 – 10:50AM Course Room: Hughes 035
INSTRUCTOR: DR. STEVEN WHITFIELD Phone: x5607
Email:
[email protected] Office: Hughes Hall 008 Office Hours: M 1:00pm-‐3:00pm W 1:00pm-‐2:00pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION: _ BIOL206: Ecology. This course examines the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that determine the distribution and abundance of species. We will explore biogeography, the principle of allocation, species interactions, feedbacks between diversity and community and ecosystem structure, and human effects on other species Prerequisites: BIOL106 Minimum Grade C-‐ Course Overview: Ecology is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and their abiotic environment. This class will familiarize students with characteristics of the abiotic environment, with population ecology (the branch of ecology that focuses on populations are structured and change over time), with community ecology (the branch of ecology that focuses on interactions among all of the species in an environment), and with ecosystem ecology (the branch of ecology that investigates the flow of energy and cycling of nutrients through ecosystems). Through this course, students will learn the types of methods that ecologists use to collect data (observations, experiments, and modeling), and students will learn how ecological information can be applied in conservation and environmental issues. BIOL206 Laboratory BIOL206L is the laboratory portion of this course. All students enrolled in BIOL206 are also required to be enrolled in BIOL206L. The two courses are closely linked, and you will be expected to apply information and experiences across them both. Nonetheless, they are two separate courses, and your grade in BIOL206 does not depend in any direct way on your grade in BIOL206, or vice versa. Methods of Instruction: Lectures: Course activities will include regular lectures to present new information to students. All lectures will be posted on BlackBoard after they are presented in class. These posted lectures are designed as outlines of material presented in class on a given day. Lectures posted on BlackBoard are designed to supplement – but not replace – class attendance and note-‐taking. Students are encouraged to ask questions during lectures.
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Discussion: Course activities will include regular discussion to gauge student comprehension of material, to practice critical thinking, and to illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of human ecology. Group Work: Through the semester, students will be asked to work in small groups on a number of in-‐class assignments and class activities. Students should ensure that they are sufficiently engaged in work with their groups and that they actively participate in all group work. Ecology on Social Media: This course will have a Facebook presence, where your instructor will regularly link articles from popular media that relate to the course, help reinforce concepts presented in lecture, or help revisit topics from earlier in the semester to keep material fresh in students’ minds. Participation in the course on social media is not required, but is highly encouraged. You can join the Facebook group for this course by searching Facebook for “BIOL206 Ecology.” Students are encouraged to contribute to the Facebook group when appropriate. LEARNING OUTCOMES: _ This course is designed specifically around several learning outcomes. All class activities (lectures, class discussions, quizzes, exams, group work, etc.) are designed to help students achieve these learning outcomes or evaluate student performance in light of these specific outcomes. Learning Outcome 1: Students will be able to demonstrate a detailed understanding of how ecological populations grow over time, and will be able to evaluate which factors limit growth of ecological populations Learning Outcome 2: Students will be able to distinguish among different types of ecological interactions between species (including competition, host-‐resource interactions, commensalisms, and mutualisms) Learning Outcome 3: Students will be able to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the principles of nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems Learning Outcome 4: Students will be able to apply evolutionary theory to ecological phenomena Learning Outcome 5: Students will be able to use data and observations to formulate research questions, hypotheses, and predictions Learning Outcome 6: Students will be able to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of different scientific methodologies as used in ecology (including observational research, experimental research and ecological modeling) Learning Outcome 7: Students will be able to apply fundamental theories in ecology to current environmental challenges and conservation concerns Learning Outcome 8: Students will demonstrate an ability to communicate research in ecology both to scientists and non-‐scientific audiences
MATERIALS: _ Textbook: The textbook for this course is Stiling’s Ecology: Global Insights and Investigations. The second edition is recommended, but the first edition is suitable. Class Readings and Resources: Readings supplemental to lectures will be provided on the Blackboard class site.
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Technology and software: During the course of the semester, we will conduct in-‐class group activities that require each group to have laptop computers equipped with web browsers and Microsoft Excel. Other class activities will require the use of smartphones and specialized apps. Students will be given notice in advance of any class requiring specialized technology and software.
REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS: _ Exams: There will be four exams during this semester: three exams during the semester and one final exam. The final exam for this course will be held Thursday, 07 May from 8:00am – 10:00am. Online Quizzes: Each week through the semester, students will take quizzes administered through Blackboard. Quizzes will be open book and open notes. You can take the online quizzes as many times as you like, and only the most recent grade will be counted. These quizzes should help ensure that students comprehend material from the textbook and lectures. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Science Translation Micro-‐Papers: As scientists, it is important to be able to communicate both with other scientists and with non-‐scientific audiences. One way to compare how science is communicated to different audiences is to read a popular news article that translates a primary scientific paper to the public. During the semester, each student will read three such pairs (a scientific article and a general news article written about the science). Students will then write a concise (one-‐page) micro-‐paper comparing communication styles. Details on this assignment will be provided on Blackboard. POLICIES: _ Grading: For Gonzaga University general policies regarding grading, see: http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Undergraduate/General-‐Degree-‐Requirements-‐and-‐ Procedures/Grading-‐Policies.asp % > 92 90-‐ 88-‐ 83-‐ 80-‐ 78-‐ 73-‐ 69-‐ 67-‐ 62-‐ < 60 91 89 87 82 79 77 72 68 66 Grade A A-‐ B+ B B-‐ C+ C C-‐ D+ D F Assessment..…………….Percentage of Grade Online Quizzes……………………………..………..20 Science Translation…………….………………….15 Exam 1………………………………………………….15 Exam 2………………………………………………….15 Exam 3………………………………………………….15 Final Exam…………………………………………….20 Late Policy: Any assignments turned in after the due date will endure a penalty of 10% loss of the total possible grade for each day they are late. No work will be accepted more than five days after the due date.
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Class Participation Policy: Learning requires the active participation of both the students and the instructor. Your contributions to the class and your interactions with the class are an essential component of your learning experience and of the learning experience of your classmates. I expect you to ask and answer questions, share observations with the class and listen respectfully to your classmates questions and observations. I expect everyone to respect the rights of others to express their views, and to be able to participate in civil discourse. Disagreement is encouraged; disrespect and disruption will not be tolerated. Class Attendance Policy I follow strictly the university’s standard policy on absences: the maximum allowable absence is two class hours (100 minutes) for each class credit. For a three-‐credit class meeting three times a week, the maximum number of absences allowed is six. For a three-‐credit class meeting twice a week, the maximum number of absences allowed is four. The grade for excessive absences is “V”, which has the same effect as “F” (Fail) and is counted in the GPA. (See also “Class Attendance Policy” on page 68 of the University’s online catalogue: http://www.gonzaga.edu/catalogues/PDF-‐ archive/2014-‐2015UGCatalogue.pdf Missed Exams Policy: Any exams that are missed will only be excused with documentation of a legitimate excuse (note from a doctor, note from athletic coach, etc). Any exam that is missed without appropriate documentation will receive a grade of zero. Make-‐up Exams Policy: There will be no make-‐up exams. For any exam that missed for an excused absence, the average of the other two mid-‐term exams will be substituted for the missed exam. Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is expected of all Gonzaga University students. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, and theft. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty is subject to disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to, (1) a failing grade for the test or assignment in question, (2) a failing grade for the course, or (3) a recommendation for dismissal from the University. (See also “Academic Honesty” on page 67 of the University’s online catalogue: http://www.gonzaga.edu/catalogues/PDF-‐archive/2014-‐ 2015UGCatalogue.pdf Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct: Consistent with its mission, Gonzaga seeks to assure all community members learn and work in a welcoming and inclusive environment. Title VII, Title IX and Gonzaga’s policy prohibit harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct. Gonzaga encourages anyone experiencing harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct to talk to someone from the Campus and Local Resources list found in the Student Handbook: www.gonzaga.edu/studenthandbook about what happened so they can get the support they need and Gonzaga can respond appropriately. There are both confidential and non-‐confidential resources and reporting options available to you. Gonzaga is legally obligated to respond to reports of sexual misconduct, and therefore we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of a report, unless made to a confidential resource. Responses may vary from support services to formal investigations. As a faculty member, I am required to report incidents of sexual misconduct and thus cannot guarantee confidentiality. I must provide our Title IX coordinator with relevant details such as the names of those involved in the incident. For more information about policies
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and resources or reporting options, please visit the following websites: www.gonzaga.edu/eo and www.gonzaga.edu/titleix. Diversity and Inclusivity: Gonzaga University supports an inclusive learning environment and recognizes that our individual differences can strengthen our understanding of ourselves and the world in which we live. I strive to create an inclusive learning environment where all students feel respected and welcomed into a learning community. In this class, I encourage students of all ethnicities, religions, ages, disability statuses, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders and gender identities, and sexual orientations to share their perspectives and experiences. I ask that all students be actively aware that their experiences may differ from others in the classroom, but that all human perspectives and experiences are valid and that exposure to others different from themselves is a rewarding opportunity for personal growth. If any student feels that their differences isolate them from the learning community, I encourage you to speak with your professor early in the semester about your concerns. Students with disabilities/medical conditions The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-‐discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability/medical condition requiring an accommodation, please call or visit the Disability Resources, Education and Access Management (DREAM) office (room 209 Foley Library). Classroom Technology Policy: Personal technology (laptop computers, tablets, smartphones) may have either positive or negative impacts on individual student success in learning, yet personal technology is often distracting to other students in the classroom. If you wish to use personal technology such as laptop computers or tablet computers for note-‐taking, please consult with your instructor.
PROVISIONAL COURSE SCHEDULE: _ This schedule should provide an approximate outline of class activities, but is likely to change over the course of the semester. Exam dates and dates for group presentations will not change.
Week 1 2
3
4
Day 14-‐Jan 16-‐Jan 19-‐Jan 21-‐Jan 23-‐Jan 26-‐Jan 28-‐Jan 30-‐Jan 2-‐Feb 4-‐Feb 6-‐Feb
Topic Course Introduction Road Map for the Semester Martin Luther King Jr. Day -‐ NO CLASS Nature and Ecosystems Climate and Biomes I Climate and Biomes II Natural Selection and Evolution Evolution and Biogeography Behavioral Ecology Behavioral Ecology Temperature Relations
Chapters to Read Ch 1 Ch22, Ch23 Ch24 Ch2, Ch3 Ch3 Ch4 Ch4 Ch5
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Week 5
6
7
8 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Day 9-‐Feb 11-‐Feb 13-‐Feb 16-‐Feb 18-‐Feb 20-‐Feb 23-‐Feb 25-‐Feb 27-‐Feb 2-‐Mar 4-‐Mar 6-‐Mar 16-‐Mar 18-‐Mar 20-‐Mar 23-‐Mar 25-‐Mar 27-‐Mar 30-‐Mar 1-‐Apr 3-‐Apr 6-‐Apr 8-‐Apr 10-‐Apr 13-‐Apr 15-‐Apr 17-‐Apr 20-‐Apr 22-‐Apr 24-‐Apr 27-‐Apr 29-‐Apr 1-‐May
Topic Water Relations Nutrients EXAM #1 President's Day -‐ NO CLASS Population Structure and Demography Life Tables in Population Ecology Life Tables in Population Ecology II Population Growth and Population Models Modeling Population Growth Interspecific Competition I Interspecific Competition II Mutualisms and Commensalisms SPRING BREAK! WOO! Mutualisms and Commensalisms Predation Herbivory Parasitism and Disease Ecology Parasitism and Disease Ecology EXAM #2 Population Regulation Species Diversity Good Friday -‐ NO CLASS Easter Monday -‐ NO CLASS Species Richness Patterns Species Richness and Community Services Ecological Succession Island Biogeography Food Webs and Energy Flow Biomass Production Nutrient Cycling EXAM #3 Carbon Cycle and Climate Change Ecological Response to Climate Change Exam Review
Chapters to Read Ch6 Ch7 Ch8 Ch9 Ch9 Ch10 Ch10 Ch11 Ch11 Ch12 Ch12 Ch13 Ch14 Ch15 Ch15 Ch16 Ch17 Ch18 Ch19 Ch20 Ch21 Ch25 Ch26 Ch27
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