Michigan Department of Education Secondary Program Review

 

Eastern Michigan University

 

Syllabus: Biology 310

 

Course Title: BIOL 310  Ecology

 

INSTRUCTORS:

Instructor:  Dr. Kevin A. Kuehn                                                Office Hours:    MW: 9-11

Office:  305 Mark Jefferson                                                      Lab: 329 Mark Jefferson

Phone (0ffice): 487-4393                                                          Phone (Lab): 487-0088

Email:  Kkuehn@emich.edu

 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This is a lecture course introducing the basic concepts and principles in the study of terrestrial and aquatic communities, their physical environment, and their integration into ecosystems.  Emphasis will be on properties at the ecosystem, community, and population levels.  (3 credit hours)

 

COURSE PREREQUISITES: BIOL 120; or BOTN 221 and ZOOL 222

 

COURSE GOAL:  BIOL 310 is designed to give students an understanding of basic ecological principles that govern terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.  This course will provide the foundation for students to understand and objectively analyze relevant ecological and environmental issues that currently impact the biosphere.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES: This is a course designed as an introductory course in basic ecology and its application to current ecological and environmental issues.  Students will become acquainted and master the following: 

            Explain basic ecological terminology and principles, specifically (III.5 LEC):

- describe common ecological relationships between and among species and their

  environment (e.g., predator/prey) (III.5.1 LEC)

- diagram energy flow and nutrient cycles through ecosystems (III.5.3-4 LEC)

- analyze the factors regulating population size in ecosystems (III.5.2 and III.5.6 LEC)

- explain how humans impact ecosystems (III.5.5 LEC)

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS: Smith, R.L. & T.M. Smith (2003) Elements of Ecology, 5th edition. Benjamin/Cummings.

 

COURSE SCHEDULE:

 

Date       Lecture                    Topic & Reading                                Text Chapter

Introduction

  1/6               1                         Introduction to ecology                     1

  1/8               2                         Organisms & their environment         2

  1/10             3                         Organisms & their environment       6&8

  1/13             4                         Climatic Determinates                                   3

 

Properties of Ecosystems

  Terrestrial Ecosystems:

  Biomes

  1/15             5                         Biomes, Grasslands                                  24&26

  1/17             6                         Grasslands                                                   26

  1/20             *7                       Shrublands                                                  26

  1/22             8                         Deserts                                            26

  1/24             9                         Tundra & Taiga                                       25&26

  1/27             10                       Forest                                                         25

  1/29             11                       Forest                                                         25

 

  Aquatic Ecosystems

  1/31             12                       Lakes                                                          27

  2/3               *13                     Lakes, Streams                                            27

  2/5               14                       Streams, Rivers                                           27

  2/7               15                       Wetlands                                                     29

 

  2/10                                                 EXAM I

 

  Functioning of Ecosystems

  2/12             16                       Key processes of energy exchange             6&8

  2/14             17                       Key processes of energy exchange             6&8

  2/17             18                       Light                                                             4

  2/19             *19                     Temperature                                           4, 6&8

  2/21             20                       Moisture                                                 4, 6&8

  2/24             21                       Nutrients                                                4, 6&8

  2/26             22                       Soils                                                             5

  2/28             23                       Production & Trophic Structure                   20

  3/3-3/7                                   Winter Recess

  3/10             24                       Production & Trophic Structure                   20

  3/12             *25                     Biogeochemical Cycles                    22

  3/14             26                       Biogeochemical Cycles                    22

 

  3/17                                                 EXAM II

 

  Population Ecology

  3/19             27                       Properties of Populations and

  3/21             28                       Life History Patterns                                   9&12

  3/24             29                       Life History Patterns                                    12

  3/26             30                       Population Growth                                       10

  3/28             *31                     Population Growth                                       10

  3/31             32                       Population Genetics & Speciation                 2

  4/2               33                       Intraspecific Competition                             11

 

 

  Community Ecology

  4/4               34                       Community Structure                                   13

  4/7               35                       Processes Shaping Communities                  17

  4/9               *36                     Interspecific Competition                             14

  4/11             37                       Interspecific Competition/Predation           14&15

  4/14             38                       Predation                                                     15

  4/16             39                       Mutualism/Parasitism                                   16

 

  4/23                                        FINAL EXAM (1:00-2:30 pm)

 

Course Grading:  Grades will be based on the results of two 1-hour lecture exams, the best of 5 pop-quizzes, and a final exam.  Six unannounced pop-quizzes will be given during the semester, each worth 20 points each.  The lowest scoring pop-quiz will be dropped.  The remaining will be combined and will equal 1 exam grade.  All one-hour lecture exams will be a combination of objective, short answer and essay type questions.  Pop-quizzes will be a combination of objective and short answer.

 

Your final grade will be determined as the percentage of 450 points you score correctly, with the following grading scale:

 

                        Lecture Exam I                         100 pts

                        Lecture Exam II                        100 pts

                        Pop-Quiz Exam                        100 pts

                        Final Exam                               150 pts

                        Total                                        450 pts

 

A   = 93-100%      B+ = 87-89%      C+  = 77-79%      D+  =67-69%

A-  = 90-92%        B    = 83-86%      C    = 73-76%      D   =63-66%

                              B-  = 80-82%      C-  = 70-72%      D-  =60-62%

                                                                                       F    < 60%

Make-Up Exams: As a rule, I do not like to change exam dates, or give make-up exams on an individual basis.  However, if you have a legitimate reason I will try to accommodate your needs.  Make-up exams will be all essay type questions.