GENERAL INFORMATION
Course description:
A study of the fundamentals of ecology. Topics include the relationships between organisms and their physical environment; population growth, regulation and interactions; the nature and diversity of biological communities; and ecosystem structure and function. Approximately half of the weekly laboratories will involve off-campus field trips for the collection of data from various ecosystems, while the remaining half will involve identification of collected samples, processing of data, and computer simulation exercises.
Prerequisite: BIO 112.
Instructor: Prof. Martin A. Connaughton
Office: 116 Dunning
Phone: Ext. 7727
e-mail: martin.connaughton@washcoll.edu, drc@washcoll.edu
Office Hours: Thur. 2:30-3:45 or by appointment or drop-in
Communication:
Class and individual communications will be sent via Blitzmail and students are expected to check Blitzmail daily. I am easier to reach by Blitzmail than by phone.
Lecture: Section 10, 11 - TTh 10:00-11:15, Daly 106
Section 12, 13 - TTh 11:30-12:45, Daly 106
Lab: Section 10 - Tue. 1:30-4:30, Decker 02
Section 11 - Wed. 1:30-4:30, Decker 02
Section 12 - Mon. 1:30- 4:30, Decker 06
Section 13 - Fri. 1:30-4:30, Decker 02
Required books:
Elements of Ecology, R.L. Smith & T.M. Smith.
BIO 206 Ecology Lab Manual photocopy packet, M. Connaughton
Web Page: www.connaughton.washcoll.edu - is my home page, click on BIO 206 Ecology to find the course home page. On the course home page I will post the text of my lecture notes and I will provide downloadable copies of the PowerPoint presentations used in class.
Course Goals and Objectives
Goals:
1. To familiarize the students with the major processes of ecology, including the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors and the interactions among living organisms.
2. To increase the student's appreciation of the science of ecology through laboratory and field exercises focusing on the recognition of ecological principles in nature and the collection and analysis of scientific data.
Objectives:
1. The student will become familiar with the factors responsible for seasons, major weather patterns and global climate zones.
2. The student will become familiar with the wide range of ways in which individual species interact with and adjust to variations in their environment.
3. The student will become familiar with the many levels of interaction between living organisms
- within a population (one species)
- within a community (multiple species)
- within an ecosystem (multiple species and physical factors)
4. The student will become familiar with the flow of energy through an ecosystem and the cycling of matter and nutrients within an ecosystem.
5. The student will become familiar with how evolution, biogeography and the influence of humanity have impacted global biodiversity.
6. The student will be exposed to various ecological principles in the field and through computer simulation, in order to make these principles more familiar and recognizable in day-to-day life.
7. The student will be exposed to data collection and analysis techniques pertinent to the study of ecology, so that they might appreciate the quantitative nature of the science of ecology.
8. The student will be exposed to the usefulness of computer simulations in demonstrating ecological principles.
Assessment Techniques
Your course grade will be determined from 3 exams, a cumulative final exam and the laboratory grade.
The material covered on each of the exams is listed on the syllabus, and exams will include short answer questions (matching, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, etc.) and brief essay questions. Exams must be taken at their scheduled times. Make-up exams must be taken within one week of the missed exam and will only be given if there is a valid, documented excuse (extreme illness accompanied by a physician's note). If you know that you have a conflict with a scheduled exam, the instructor must be notified at least one week in advance.
Exams will be graded on a 10 point scale, as follows:
100 - 97.5 = A+
97.4 - 92.5 = A
92.4 - 89.5 = A-
89.4 - 87.5 = B+
87.4 - 82.5 = B
82.4 - 79.5 = B-
79.4 - 77.5 = C+
77.4 - 72.5 = C
72.4 - 69.5 = C-
69.4 - 67.5 = D+
67.4 - 62.5 = D
62.4 - 60 = D-
below a 60 = failing
Failure to receive a passing grade (60 or greater) on at least one of the four exams will result in failure of the class, regardless of the laboratory grade.
Grade Breakdown:
Exam 1 18%
Exam 2 18%
Exam 3 18%
Final Exam 21%
Laboratory* 25%
*Breakdown of the laboratory grade can be found on the laboratory syllabus.
Honor code:
The Honor Code policy of Washington College is supported in BIO 206 and will be enforced if necessary. Students are expected to write and sign a brief statement of the honor code at the top of all exams and written assignments.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance at lecture is required and will be checked. It is important to understand the facts and concepts of each lecture in order to be adequately prepared for following lectures. More than three unexcused absences will result in a 10% reduction the final course grade.
Any student late to class twice will lose one of their three 'free' unexcused absences. This will continue until, if need be, the student's grade is reduced, as in the case of three unexcused absences from class. Being late for lab is equivalent to being late for class and will count in the reduction of 'free' absences.
Any student on Academic or Continued Probation must abide by college policy and be present at ALL classes. Any unexcused absences will be reported to the Assistant Dean's Office.
Laboratory attendance is mandatory. If you know in advance that you cannot attend a given lab, contact the instructor no later than the preceding week so that you may be scheduled to participate in the other lab section. Athletes must present, in writing, the dates of competitions that conflict with labs to their instructors no later than the second week of classes. Any lab work missed for valid, documented reasons must be made up as soon as possible. Unexcused absence from a lab, or missed work that is not made up, will result in a reduction of 10% from the final course grade.
FALL 2000 LECTURE SCHEDULE
| Date | Topic | Chapters |
| . |
|
. |
| Aug. 29 | Introduction, Organism & environment | 1, 2 |
| Aug 31 | Seasons and climate | 4 |
| Sept. 5 | Light & photosynthesis | 3, 5 |
| Sept. 7 | No class - Rita Colwell lecture | . |
| Sept. 12 | Temperature | 6 |
| Sept. 14 | Moisture | 7 |
| Sept. 19 | Periodicity, Nutrients & Soil | 8, 9, 10 |
| Sept. 21 | Exam 1 | 1-10 |
| . |
|
. |
| Sept. 26 | Population structures | 11 |
| Sept. 28 | Life histories | 12 |
| Oct. 3 | Sex | 12 |
| Oct. 5 | Population growth and regulation | 13 |
| Oct. 10 | Flex | . |
| Oct. 12 | Behavioral ecology | 14 |
| Oct. 17 | Exam 2 | 11-14 |
| Oct. 19 | (Interspecific) Competition | 15 |
| Oct. 24 | Advising Day - no class | . |
| Oct. 26 | Predation | 16 |
| Oct. 31 | Parasitism & mutualism | 17 |
| Nov. 2 | Flex | . |
| . |
|
. |
| Nov. 7 | Evolution & speciation | 19 |
| Nov. 9 | Community structure | 20 |
| Nov. 14 | Community dynamics | 21 |
| Nov. 16 | Exam 3 | 15-17, 19-21 |
| . | Ecosystems ecology | . |
| Nov. 21 | Processes effecting communities | 22 |
| Nov. 23 | Thanksgiving break - no class | . |
| Nov. 28 | Production in ecosystems | 23 |
| Nov. 30 | Flex | . |
| Dec. 5 | Trophic structure | 24 |
| Dec. 7 | Extinction and global environmental change | 26 |
| TBA | Final exam (50% new, 50% cumulative) | . |