Dr. Suzanne
Koptur - Professor
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OE
232, ph. 305-348-3103 |
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office
hours: T, R 12:30 – 1:45 pm, W 12 – 1:30 pm, and by appt. |
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email:
in Moodle course or kopturs@fiu.edu - note on
SUBJECT line PCB 3043 student |
Course description: The goal of this course is for you to understand ideas
and concepts of ecology, and be able to integrate information to formulate
solutions for ecological problems in modern life. Assigned 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.
Our “crash course” in General Ecology passes by in just seven
weeks - the summer A term passes quickly. It is easy to get behind, but should also be
easy to keep up with the reading (ahead of lectures) so that the material is assimilated
smoothly; try your best to always come to class, and be on time. The best grades will be achieved by doing
the reading, attending lecture and your PLTL session, taking all exams, and
turning in assignments on time. Classroom lectures and your textbook reading
can also be assisted with the textbook’s website, in which you can review
terminology, read more on subjects that interest you, do problem sets related
to the topics we study, and take practice quizzes to help you master the
material. You will be required to use only some of these tools, but many
students find that they all help in ways similar to study groups.
There will be three exams and all are cumulative. No make-up exams will
be given, for any reason. If you must miss an exam, the missing grade
will be the average of your other two. Keys will be posted on the course
web page. On exam days, we will have the exam during the first half of
the class; after the break, the second half of the class will be a lecture on
the next part of the course.
The writing component of this course has two
parts: pop quizzes (essays) in lecture, and Peer-Led Teaching/Learning
(PLTL) activities. The five-minute essays will pop up in lectures
throughout the semester, and the best 75% of them will be counted for a
significant portion of your final grade. The data analysis modules (problem
sets) may be done in PLTL groups, and will be graded with more emphasis on
effort than getting the right answers; PLTL participation also makes up a
substantial portion of your final grade. I expect students to conduct
themselves honestly in the course and uphold the student code of conduct. Plagiarism is unethical and will not be
tolerated in any course activity.
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Exams
(2 midterms and 1 final, all cumulative, and of equal weight) |
70% |
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Best
75 % of "pop" essay grades |
20% |
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PLTL
participation and activities |
10% |
Textbook: Ricklefs, R.C.
2008. Economy of Nature, 6th edition.
Necessary supplies: Students should have paper to write
in-class essays when needed. You may
print out lecture notes from the course website, and make your own notes as we
conduct class, elaborating points and examples, discussing things, and doing
various activities. All exams will be
multiple-choice with bubble sheets, so students should come prepared with
pencils (#2) and erasers. You will also
be required to show your ID when you turn in your exams.
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Date/
day |
Topics |
Readings
- Ricklefs chapter |
PLTL
– data analysis |
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10
May T |
Introduction
- The Physical Environment – Water and Nutrients |
1
& 2 |
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12
May R |
Light,
Energy, Heat; Variation and Biomes |
3,
4, 5 |
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17
May T |
Evolution
and Adaptation; Life Histories |
6
& 7 |
Module
1 |
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19
May R |
Sex,
Evolution, Family, and Society |
8
& 9 |
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24
May T |
Exam
1 ; Population Structure |
10 |
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26
May R |
Population
Growth and Regulation; Population Dynamics |
11
& 12 |
Module
2 or 3 |
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31
May T |
Population
Genetics; Species Interactions, Competition |
13,
14,16 |
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2
June R |
Predator/Prey
Interactions, Mutualism, Coevolution |
15,17 |
Module
4 |
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7
Jun T |
Exam
2; Community Structure |
18 |
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9
Jun R |
Community
Development; Biodiversity |
19,
20 |
Module
5 |
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14
Jun T |
Energy
in Ecosystems; Elements and Nutrient Regeneration |
22,23,24 |
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16
Jun R |
Extinction
and Conservation; Global Ecology |
26,
27 |
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21
Jun T |
Exam
3 [teaching evaluations today] |
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