Bio122: Ecology Fall 2015

BIO 122: ECOLOGY, Fall 2015

Instructor: Dr. Michelle Paddack Phone: (805) 965-0581 x2328 Email:

Instructor's Office Hours (EBS 319): Tu10:30-12:30, W 1-2:30, or by appointment

Lecture Schedule

Note: This schedule may adapt to our class – check class website frequently:

Required Text: Ecology, 3rded (2014), ML Cain, WD Bowman, SD Hacker

Text website (really useful!): sites.sinauer.com/ecology3e

Wk / Date / Lecture Topics / Reading / Assignments
1 / Aug. 28 / Lecture 1: Intro to Ecology,
Climate,
Biomes - Activity 1 (campus gardens) / Ch. 1
Ch2:22-27
Ch 3: 50-69 / HW1: Lecture 1 Study Questions due 9/4
2 / Sept. 4 / Lecture 2: Physical Environment,
Temperature & Water
Activity 2 – Ectotherm Physiology / Ch2: 44-48
Ch4
3 / Sept. 11 / Lecture 3: Photosynthetic Pathways
Activity 3 – C3 vs C4 simulations / Ch. 5: to p125 / HW2: Lecture 3 Study Questions
4 / Sept. 18 / Test 1
Lecture 4: Evolution; Life History / Ch.6, 7
5 / Sept. 25 / Lecture 5: Population Abundance & Distribution; Life History
Activity 4- Populations (docks)
Project Topic Due / Ch. 9,10 / HW 3: Web Problem 7.1
Review your exam
6 / Oct. 1 / Lecture 6: Population Regulation
Activity 5 – Life Tables / Ch.10,11 / HW 4: Life Table
7 / Oct. 8 / Lecture 7: Competition; Predation
Activity 6- life table discussion
Project Outline Due / Ch. 12, 13 (to p 306) / HW 5: Study Questions
8 / Oct. 15 / Test 2
Lecture 8: Predation Impacts; Parasitism; Commensalism / Ch. 14,15 / HW: Work on Projects (progress report)
9 / Oct. 22 / Lecture 9: Mutualism;Communities
Activity 7-Species Diversity
Project Progress Report 1 Due / Ch. 16 / HW 6: Study Questions
Finish Activity 7
10 / Oct. 29 / Lecture 10: Succession; Biodiversity
Activity 8- Intermediate Disturbance / Ch. 17, Ch. 19: 434-437 / HW: Work on Projects (progress report)
11 / Nov. 5 / Lecture 11: Production
Activity 9-Botanic Gardens
Project Progress Report 2 Due / Ch. 20 / HW: Study for test
12 / Nov. 12 / Test 3
Lecture 12: Energy Flow; Nutrient Cycles / Ch. 21, 22 / HW 7:
13 / Nov. 19 / Lecture 13: Conservation Biology Landscape Ecology; Global Ecology
Activity 10- / Ch. 23-25 / HW 8:
14 / Nov. 26 / No class - Thanksgiving
15 / Dec. 4 / Final presentations
16 / Dec. 10 / Final Exam (8am-10am)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the physical laws of thermodynamics, the driving force attributed to electromagnetic radiation, and the flow and cycling of matter through ecosystems.
  2. Explain biomass transfer via food chains and food webs and the direction, rates, and efficiencies of transfer for different types of ecosystems such as aquatic versus terrestrial and homeothermic versus poikilothermic models.
  3. Research and create essays that critically evaluate fluctuations of populations in time and space, outlining the principles and outcomes of key-factor analysis using specific examples of real populations.
  4. Evaluate the differing hypotheses used to define populations and communities based on biological parameters and geographic range.

This is a 3-unit non-major’s biology course which satisfies the SBCC General Education requirement in Natural Sciences. This course is transferable to both the UC and CSU as a general education science course. Biology majors are welcome to take this course, however they will not receive credit toward their major for this course.

Final Course Grade is based on the following distribution of points:

Activity / Points / %
3 tests @ 50 points each / 150 / 29%
8 homeworks (10 pts each) / 80 / 16%
10 in-class activities/discussion (10 pts each) / 100 / 25%
Final Exam / 100 / 19%
Project Outline / 5 / 1%
Project Progress Report 1 / 15 / 5%
Project Progress Report 2 / 15 / 5%
Project / 100 / 19%
Total / 565 / 100%

Participation

The study of ecology is the study of interactions among organisms and their environment, and the ecological classroom is no exception. This course is not a traditional lecture format where you sit silently taking notes – you will be expected to take part in the class fully. We encourage questions and discussion that are relevant to each lecture and will be providing you the opportunity to truly interact with the material you are learning through in-class activities. Here are some pointers on how to be an excellent student in this class and get the most from this amazing opportunity to learn:

  • Read the assigned text chapters prior to each class. Write out questions that you have about sections you do not understand.
  • Read through the study questions at the end of each chapter and jot down some responses to each.
  • During lectures, stay attentive. Merely being present in the room does not necessarily count as participation. Students who are not paying attention or causing a distraction for the class will lose participation points and may be asked to leave.
  • Stay engaged in class activities.
  • Study with your class mates and come to office hours to increase your understand. Be proactive. Do not wait until the day before a test to try to understand.

Activities Discussions

This is a very dynamic & interactive class. In each class period, you will have a graded activity, which you may be doing alone or in a group, that will be based upon the reading material for that week.Each activity is worth 10 points and may include worksheets, on-line activities or small group discussions in which students work together in reading and critically analyzing a Case Study from the text. For discussions, students will be graded on their participation within their group and on their contribution to maintaining an interactive discussion by raising questions/insights/and criticisms to the study.

Tests

Lecture tests will be a combination of multiple choice, short answer and short essay questions. Test material is based on text readings, lecture material, and in-class activities. Make-up tests will only be considered for a documented emergency.

Final Project

  • Students will work with 1 partner on a project that will be presented orally to the class during the last two weeks of the semester.
  • Students will sign up for project topics by the 5th week of the semester (but only 1 presentation per topic, so sign up early if you want to ensure your 1st choice).
  • Your project will require library research, as a term paper would, but will also require some time in the field, conducting your own observations and collecting data.
  • Each team will select an ecosystem to study. Our focus this semester will be local ecosystems (e.g., rocky intertidal, chaparral forest, mountain stream, coastal grassland, sandy beach, etc.).
  • Projects will consist of the following sections:
  1. An overview of your ecosystem, including the key species within each trophic level (i.e., who are the major photosynthesizers, grazers, predators) and overall structure of the system.
  2. A more in-depth look at the ecosystem from one of the following ecological levels: individual, population, or community. For example, the individual level would mean focusing on the adaptations (physical and/or behavioral) of a particular species and making observations of that species in the field. On a population level, you may survey the size of the population and how it changes (or may change) over time. On a community level, you may look at the overall biodiversity of the ecosystem and examine some of the competitive or predatory interactions among species.
  3. A broad look at how this ecosystem fits into the larger ecosystem of this area – for example, how does it affect the ecology of the region?
  4. An investigation of human impacts/threats to this system and ways that these are or could be addressed.
  • You will be required to submit an outline and 2 progress reports during the semester as you prepare your project.
  • All projects will be presented orally, but the method of presentation is up to you. We will provide pointers & training on using PowerPoint, but you are welcome to use another method of your choice – the key is to be clear & engaging. Artistic touches are always welcome!

Santa Barbara City College has a strict policy on academic honesty and I maintain a zero tolerance for any act of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty, as defined by SBCC, includes, but is not limited to: cheating on a test (e.g. looking at or copying from someone else’s test, talking to someone during a test, using cell phones or texting, bringing prepared “cheat sheets”, studying from old versions of the test or getting answers to a test from another student who has previously taken the test, using any type of translator or dictionary), copying someone else’s work or answers on worksheets or assignments, plagiarism, or submitting a paper or essay in which any part is written by someone else.

ALL instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the academic dean for institutional action. In addition, the dishonest student will receive a zero score for the test/paper/assignment on which the cheating occurred.

Disabled Student Programs & Services (DSPS)

SBCC students with verified disabilities who are requesting academic accommodations should use the following procedure:

Step 1: Obtain documentation of your disability from a licensed professional. You may contact DSPS to request aDisability Verification Form.

Step 2: Make an appointment to meet with a DSPS Specialist to review your documentation and discuss reasonable accommodations. To schedule a meeting, please call DSPS at (805) 730-4164.

Step 3: Bring your disability documentation to your DSPS appointment. The DSPS office is located in room 160 of the Student Services building.

Step 4: Each semester, reach written accommodation agreement with the DSPS Specialist and your instructor.

Please complete this process in a timely manner to allow adequate time to provide accommodation.