Biological Sciences 380-001
“Invasions and Extinctions”
Instructor: Dr. Chuck Wimpee
HON 180, TTh 12:30-1:45
Office hours: Wednesday, 1-1:45
Office: Lapham S495
Lab: Lapham S486 (I’m usually in my lab)
Office phone: 229-6881
Course description:
Ecosystems are extraordinarily complex, consisting of communities of organisms interacting with one another and with the physical environment. In a stable ecosystem, the biological community exists in a dynamic balance that has evolved over eons. This balance is resistant to disturbances, but only within limits. One disturbance that a biological community cannot prepare for is an invasion by a new species. Some invasions happen naturally, through geological or other environmental processes, but others (most) are brought about by the intentional or unintentional actions of the most invasive of all species, humans. Consequences of invasion can include (1) displacement of native species through competition for resources, (2) direct predation or parasitism on native species, or (3) alteration of the ecosystem such that native species are unable to thrive. Any of these can potentially lead to extinction of native species. This seminar will explore the impact of invasive species on natural (and unnatural) environments.
Discussion/participation:
Seminar classes are intended to be highly interactive. Attendance is expected, of course, as well as active discussion. I do not grade people on their personality (e.g., extroverted or introverted), but participation in discussion is highly encouraged.
Student projects/presentations:
Each student will research an invasive species and present it to the class (typically as a Powerpoint, although other formats are possible). There are many thousands of invasive species, but suggested topics might include:
Burmese python Africanized bees Buckthorn
Cane toad Fire ants Nutria
Asian carp Emerald Ash borer African clawed frogs
Rats Kudzu Chytrid fungus
Brown tree snake Zebra mussels Lionfish
Garlic mustard Purple loosestrife Starling
Snakehead fish Feral hogs Water hyacinth
Tegu lizards West Nile virus White nose syndrome
Water Milfoil Japanese stilt grass Fire ants
Comb jellyfish Earthworms Caulerpa algae
Spiny water flea Rabbits Cats (yes, housecats)
Writing:
(1) A short (approximately one page) written summary will be submitted each week. The summary can take the form of a description, a synopsis, or a critique of reading, discussion, and presentations, or general thoughts about the week’s topics.
(2) Each student will write a term paper on their presentation topic. Length should be approximately ten pages, double-spaced, with appropriate references.
Grading:
Grades will be based on a combination of weekly writing assignments (25%), presentation (25%), participation (25%), and term paper (25%). Students will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit written assignments.
Course Schedule
Week 1: Introduction to ecosystems.
Weeks 2-5: Biological communities, species interactions, community dynamics.
Readings and discussion.
Weeks 6-13: Student presentations.
Weeks 14-15: Where do we go from here? Prevention, mitigation, containment,
adaptation. Readings, brainstorming, and general discussion.
Reading:
There is no book for the class. Instead, reading will include, but is not restricted to, the list below, which will be provided electronically, posted on the course website. These readings are accessible to the general reader, and will serve as an introduction to invasions and extinctions, prior to the student presentations that will begin at approximately mid-semester.
Armstrong, K and Ball, S. (2005). DNA barcodes for biosecurity: invasive species identification. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B.360: 1813-1823.
Clavero, M. and Garcia-Berthow, B. (2006). Invasive species are a leading cause of animal extinctions. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20: 110.
Gurevich, J. and Padilla, D. (2004). Are invasive species a major cause of extinctions?
Trends in Ecology and Evolution 19: 470-474.
Hulme, P.E. (2009) Trade transport and trouble: managing invasive species pathways in an era of globalization. Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 10-18
Leung, B. et al (2002). An ounce of prevention or a pound of cure: Bioeconomic risk analysis of invasive species. Proceeding of the royal society B. Vol. 269
Molnar, J., Gamboa, R., Revenga, C., Spalding, M. (2008). Assessing the global threat of invasive species to marine biodiversity. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 6: 485-492.
Mooney, Harold A., and Elsa E. Cleland. (2001) The evolutionary impact of invasive species. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98.10: 5446-5451.
Nicholls, H. (2013) Invasive Species: The 18-km2 rat trap. Nature 497, 306–308.
Paine, R. T. (1966). Food Web Complexity and Species Diversity. The American Naturalist. 100 (910): 65–75.
Pejchar, L. and Mooney, H. (2009). Invasive species, ecosystem services and human well-being. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 24: 497-504.
Pimentel, D., Zuniga, R. Morrison, D. (2005). Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien-invasive species in the United States. Ecological Economics 52: 273-288.
Prentis, P., Wilson, J., Dormontt, E., Richardson, D. Lowe, A. (2008) Adaptive evolution in invasive species. Trends in Plant Science 13: 288-294.
Sanders, N., Gotelli, N., Heller, N., Gordon D. (2003). Community disassembly by and invasive species. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100: 2474-2477.
Zavaleta, E., Hobbs, R. Mooney, H. (2001). Viewing invasive species removal in a whole-ecosystem context. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 16: 454-459.
General information:
The following sources will help students get started choosing topics.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/impact-invasive-species.html
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/index.shtml
https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Invasive-Species.aspx
http://www.fs.fed.us/invasivespecies/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/02/23/like-most-invasive-species-pythons-are-in-the-u-s-to-stay/?utm_term=.39abafefc932
http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/invasive-species/
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/main.shtml
UWM Policies
Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor early in the semester for any help or accommodations which you may need. Students' rights are detailed in the schedule of classes.
http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/SACltr.pdf
Weather
Snow Days: Call 229-4444 to determine if classes or exams are cancelled due to an emergency.
Academic misconduct
In this course you are expected to perform to the best of your ability in an honest manner. Plagiarism or any other acts of misconduct will result in a penalty according UWS Chapter 14.
See http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
For other UWM policies, see http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/SyllabusLinks.pdf