Ecology: Theory and Concepts Syllabus For EEB 5053, Fall Semester 2015 Lectures: 8:45-10:00, Tuesday and Thursday, Ecology 505, St. Paul Campus Dr. David Tilman, 511 Ecology Phone: 612-625-5740 Email:
[email protected] Office Hours: Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:00 and Wednesdays 11:00-12:00 Adam Clark, 514 Ecology, Teaching Assistant email:
[email protected]
Readings: Lecture readings will be listed with each lecture as it is presented. We encourage you to purchase the student version of Mathematica.
Date
Lecture Topics (subject to change)
Sept.
8
Population Growth in Unlimited and Limited Environments
Sept.
10
Time Delays, Discrete Logistic Population Growth and Chaos
Sept.
15
Stability of Continuous Time Models
Sept.
17
Stability of Discrete Time Models
Sept. 22
The Lotka-Volterra Model of Competition
Sept. 24
Consumer-Resource Interactions (one resource)
Sept. 29
Optimal Foraging and Consumer-Resource Isoclines
Oct.
1
Competition for two essential or switching resources
Oct.
6
Takens Theorem & Schaffer’s Application to Ecology (Adam Clark)
Oct.
8
Takens Theorem & the Sugihara versus Granger Approach to Causality (Adam Clark)
Oct.
13
First Hourly Examination (in class, starting at 8 AM if desired, covering all lectures through October 1)
Oct.
15
Growth of Age or Stage Structured Populations: Leslie matrix, Eigenvalues, Eigenvectors
Oct.
20
Metapopulations and Hanski’s Model of Population Persistence
Oct.
22
Metacommunity Models of Coexistence, Habitat Destruction & Extinction
Oct.
27
Oct.
29
Predator-Prey: Basic Lotka-Volterra Model and the Graphical Approach with DD Growth, all with qualitative Jacobian matrices Multi-Trophic Level Interactions, and Why Is the World Green? -1-
Nov.
3
Disease Dynamics
Nov.
5
Game Theory and Evolutionary Stable Strategies (Dr. Allison Shaw)
Nov.
10
Spatial Ecology and Pattern Generation
Nov.
12
The Coexistence Paradox and Mechanisms of Coexistence
Nov.
17
The Coexistence Paradox and Mechanisms of Coexistence (continued)
Nov.
19
The Universal Tradeoff Hypothesis 24
Nov.
Multiple Stable Equilibria, Tipping Points and Ecosystem Functioning
Nov.
26
Thanksgiving
Dec.
1
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning
Dec.
3
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (continued)
Dec.
8
Second Hourly Exam (in class, starting at 8 AM if desired, focused on material since Oct 1 but covers entire class)
Dec.
10
Symposium: “Frontiers in Theoretical Ecology” (student projects)
Dec.
15
Symposium: “Frontiers in Theoretical Ecology” (continued)
Dec.
17
NOON -- Term paper due (the class has no final exam)
Grading: Grades are based a total of 300 points: first examination, 100 points; second examination, 100 points; problem sets, 50 points; term paper and class presentation, 50 points. Although you always must turn in your own work in your own writing or computer output, we encourage you to study and do homework problems with others students in the class. Exams, however, must be completed individually, without conversation or consultation with anyone. Your term paper is to be original, written solely by you for just this class. Please submit your term paper, as a MS Word file, via email to Dave Tilman (
[email protected]) on or before 12 noon on Thursday, December 17th. Its text is limited to 5 pages (12 pt type, 1” margins all around), plus no more than 20 listed references, plus no more than 8 figures.
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