Course Instructor
|
PLTL Leader
|
Lab Instructor
|
Dr. Suzanne
Koptur
|
Jose Alberte
|
Bryan Dewsbury
|
|
OE
232, ph. 305-348-3103; email: kopturs@fiu.edu |
R
5 - 6:15 pm |
M
1 - 5 pm, OE 160 |
|
office
hours Wed 9:30 am - 12 pm and by appt. |
The goal of this course is for you to understand ideas and concepts of
ecology, and be able to integrate information to formulate solutions and solve
ecological problems in modern life. We will emphasize connections with
mathematical, physical, and chemical processes, as well as biological
ones! Readings should always be done before the lecture for which they
are assigned. Material covered in lecture will supplement what you read
in the text, and understanding the lecture will depend on your having read the
chapter before class. The best grades will be achieved by doing the
reading, attending lecture, participating in class activities, working the
problems, taking all exams, and turning in/presenting assignments on
time.
Classroom activities 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 will also explore the quantitative aspects of
ecology using exercises and models. The PLTL session each week will focus
on strengthening math and statistics ability, and the data analysis modules
from the textbook. The lab will complement the lecture class, with
exercises in the field and lab to provide real data to analyze as well as solve
how best to answer certain questions and test hypotheses. We hope that
all parts of the course will work together to give you a dynamic understanding
of this science and its interfaces with mathematics and other sciences.
There will be three exams and a final. 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 lecture course has
two parts: pop quizzes (essays) in lecture, and a group project called a
jigsaw. 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 jigsaw will be done in stages with topics assigned;
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 present their findings as group powerpoint presentations in class,
and also 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 (best 2 of 3) midterms and 1 final) |
60% |
|
Best
60% of "pop" essay grades |
15% |
|
Jigsaw
- oral and written presentation |
15% |
|
PLTL
- participation, math review, and completed modules |
10% |
Textbook: Ricklefs, R.E.
2008. Economy of Nature, 6th edition, W.H Freeman and
Company, New York. Website resources:
http://www.whfreeman.com/ricklefs6e
plus: Harris, M., G. Taylor, and J. Taylor. 2005. CatchUp
Math and Statistics for the Life Sciences. Scion Publishing Ltd.
|
Date/
day |
Lecture
Topic |
Readings
- Ricklefs chapter |
|
|
11
Jan T |
Introduction
|
1
|
|
|
13
Jan R |
The
Physical Environment - Water and Nutrients |
2 |
|
|
18
Jan T |
The
Physical Environment - Light, Energy, Heat |
3 |
|
|
20
Jan R |
Variation
and Biomes |
4
& 5 |
|
|
25
Jan T |
Biomes
Presentations |
|
|
|
27
Jan R |
Evolution
and Adaptation |
6 |
|
|
1
Feb T |
Life
Histories |
7 data analysis module # 1 |
|
|
3
Feb R |
Sex,
Family, Society |
8
& 9 |
|
|
8
Feb T |
Exam
1 |
||
|
10
Feb R |
Population
Structure [jigsaw assigned] |
10 d.a.m. # 2 |
|
|
15
Feb T |
Population
Growth and Regulation |
11 d.a.m. # 3 |
|
|
17
Feb R |
Population
Dynamics |
12 d.a.m. # 4 |
|
|
22
Feb T |
Population
Genetics and Evolution |
13
|
|
|
24
Feb R |
Species
Interactions - Competition |
14,
16 d.a.m # 5 |
|
|
1
Mar T |
Predation |
15 d.a.m. # 6 |
|
|
3
Mar R |
Evolutionary
responses and Coevolution |
17 |
|
|
8
Mar T |
Jigsaw Presentations |
||
|
10
Mar R |
Jigsaw Presentations |
||
|
15
Mar M |
SPRING
BREAK |
||
|
17
Mar W |
SPRING
BREAK |
||
|
22
Mar T |
Exam 2 |
||
|
24
Mar R |
Community
Structure |
18 |
|
|
29
Mar T |
Special
Lecture – Nature’s Revenge, Professor Daston |
||
|
31
Mar R |
No
Class Meeting Today |
||
|
5
Apr T |
Community
Development |
19 |
|
|
7
Apr R |
Biodiversity |
20 |
|
|
12
Apr T |
Energy
in Ecosystems |
22 |
|
|
14
Apr R |
Elemental
Pathways and Nutrient Regeneration |
23,
24 |
|
|
19
Apr T |
Extinction
and Conservation |
26 |
|
|
21
Apr R |
Exam
3 |
||
|
28
Apr R |
Final
Exam 12-2 pm (Cumulative) |