FLORIDAATLANTICUNIVERSITY DAVIE,FL-SUMMER2016
COURSESYLLABUS FRESHWATERECOLOGY LAB PCB4301L
SummerTerm2,2016
INSTRUCTOR:NathanDorn,Ph.D.
Office:DW #436
Telephone:(954)236-1315E-mail:
OfficeHours: W10:30-11:30 am,3:15-4:15pm,byappt.
TA:Daniel Hagood
Office:DW #431
Email:
OfficeHours:W10-11:30am
1Credit:ES#317. F9-11:50am.
Labsincludefourfieldtripsawayfromcampusandmostdaysthemeetingplacewill beonsiteawayfromcampus. Labtimemaybecombinedwithlecturetimesothat lectureshappeninthefield.Thetripsmayrequiresometimebeyondscheduled classtimeduetotraveldistancesandweather conditions (soplanaccordingly).
FreshwaterEcology2ndedition,Dodds,W.andWhilesM.,Academicpress. PondLife.2001.(AGoldenGuide)St.Martin'sPressbyReid,Kaicherand
Dolan.(canbepurchasedfor<$10online)
Otherrequired readings(e.g.,researchpapers,bookchapters)willbeposted toBlackboard.
Co-requisites:PCB4301FreshwaterEcology,PCB4301LFreshwaterEcologyLab Pre-requisites:BSC1010,BSC1010L,BSC1011,BSC1011L,CHM204,CHM2045L, CHM2046,CHM2046L(C-minimum)
DESCRIPTION:
Thislabisahands-onfieldcoursefocusedontheecologyandbiodiversityofvarious freshwaterecosystems. Fieldtripsemphasizefunctionsofecosystems,species identification,andquantitativedifferencesbetweenenvironments.
You willbeexposedtoadiversityoffreshwaterecosystemsandthecommunitiesof organismsthatlivetherewithaseriesoffieldtripsandsamplingstudies.You will alsolearnaboutrestorationscienceandmethodsforquantitativeanalysisof
freshwater animalsandplants. Thelabisintegratedwiththelectureandyoumust takethembothsimultaneously.Youareexpectedtoaskquestionsduringlab.You areexpectedtoreadassignedreadingsbeforelab.
OBJECTIVES:Thislabisintended provideexposuretothediversityandfunctioning offreshwater ecosystemsaswellasthediversityoforganismsinhabitingthose ecosystems.Whenyouleavethiscourse,youshouldhave1)ageneral
understandingoffreshwaterecology,2)theabilitytorecognizeandidentify commonfreshwaterplantsandanimalsand3)extensiveknowledgeaboutthe ecology(andrestorationof)ofFlorida'sfreshwater ecosystems. Finally,youshould improveyourabilitytoidentifyandquantifyecologicalpatternsandprovide hypothesesaboutthecausesofobservedpatternsinfreshwaterecosystems.
1.COURSE POLICIESANDPROCEDURES
Thiscoursewillbetaughtwithaseriesoffieldtrips,includingcomparativeand observationalexercises.
Attendance:Thisisanintellectuallychallengingandtime-demandingcourse. Studentswithothertime-consumingresponsibilities(heavycourseloads,jobs20 hrjwk,athletics,musicgroups,etc.)shouldseriouslyconsidertheirabilitytomeet thesedemands.You areexpectedtoattendandactivelyparticipate ineverylab.You willnotbeabletomakeupmissedlaborfield activities.
WorkandTimeOutsideofClass:Itisexpectedthattheweeklyreading,report writingandworkonyourlabnotebookswillrequireanother5-6hoursperweek outsideofclass.
FieldTrips:Therewillbefourfieldtripsawayfromcampusduringthiscourseand theyareallmandatory.FieldtripswillbeonFridaysand,giventraveltime,several mayextendbeyondthelistedclasshours. You willnotbeabletomakeupmissed fieldtrips.Ifyouhaveconflictsthatwillpreventyoufromparticipatinginanyof thesefieldtrips,pleasetalktomeassoonaspossible.Thefieldtripsaredesignedto introduceyoutoadiversityoffreshwaterecosystemsandorganisms,make observationsandquantifyecologicalrelationships.Attendanceismandatory
becauseclassroomstudyis insufficientforlearningandunderstandingthesetopics. Comeprepared forfieldtrips.Youarebeingtrainedasfieldecologistsandas such, youmustbepreparedtogetcold,hot,wet,ormuddy,dependingonwhatweare doing.Oldsneakersorwatershoespluslightweightpants(quick-dry)are
suggestedforwadinginwetlandsandcanoeing. Forthefirstfieldday,oncampus,it
wouldbeagoodideatohaveachangeofclothesaswellbecausewewillspendpart oftheday indoorsaftergettingwet/dirtyinthemorning.
Anoteaboutfieldactivities:Thefieldactivitiesthatarepartofthisclasscanbe physicallytaxing,andmayplace yousomedistancefromhelpifyouhavea medicalproblem.PARTICIPATIONisanimportantpartofthegrade.Ifyouhave
concernsaboutyourabilitytoparticipateinthefieldactivities,orotherhealth concerns(e.g.,seriousallergies)pleasetalkwithmeassoonaspossible.
Classroom Etiquette:Behaviorthatisresponsibleandconsiderateofothersisexpected atalltimes. Astudentengaginginpersistent(i.e.,repeatedwithinoracrossmeeting times)anddeliberatelydisruptiveorantagonisticbehaviorwillbeaskedtoleavethe
class,andwillreceiveanFinthecourse. Personsengaginginthreatsorbullyingwillbe
reportedtotheUniversityPoliceDepartment.
Grade:Thegradeforthelabwillbedeterminedbytotalpointsobtainedontwo written(individual)reports(70total),participation(60total),anfloraandfauna identificationtest(60points) andthelabnotebook(60points).
LabPointDistribution:Reports
(2reports) Participation IdentificationExam
70points
60points
60points
LabNotebook 60points
Total:250points
TherewillbeNOindividualizedextracredit inthecourse.
GradingScale: A= 93-100% A-= 90-92%
B+= 86-89%
B= 83-85%
B-=80-82%
C+=76-79%
c=70-75%
D=60-70% F=60%
Assienmenteradepolicy:Ifnootherlatepolicyisinplacethenthedefaultisthatlate assignments(latemeansaftertheduedateatthestartofclass)receiveaZERO. Assignmentsthatarenothandedinaccordingtothespecifiedformatorotherwise accordingtotheinstructionsforthatassignmentwillbeconsideredlateandalsoreceivea ZERO.Reportsthatarehandedinlatereceivea10%initialdeductionandaZEROifthey aremorethan24hourslate.
MAKE-UPEXAMS:Amake-upexaminationmustbetakenifthestudentmissesthefinal identificationexaminationforareasonconsideredappropriateintheundergraduatecatalog.Itisupto theinstructortodecideifamake-upexaminationwill begivenif a studentmissesanexamforanyotherreasonandwillonlybegivenafteranautomatic penaltyof10%.OnlyONEmakeupexaminationperstudentwillbeallowed.Advanced scheduleconflicts(e.g.,athleticcompetitions,religiousobservance)mustbe
discussedwiththeinstructorinthefirstweekofclasstobeeligibleforamake-upexam. Make-upexaminationwillonlybeallowedifthestudentbringsinappropriatemedical
documentation(withtheDoctorsnameandofficenumber)ordocumentationoflegal obligationsformissingtheexam.
DisabilityPolicy:IncompliancewiththeAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA),studentswhorequirereasonable accommodationsduetoadisabilitytoproperlyexecutecourseworkmustregisterwiththeOffice ofStudent Accessibility Services(SAS)andfollowallSAS procedures.SAS hasofficesacross threeofFAU'scampuses-BocaRaton,Davie,andJupiter,however,disabilityservicesareavailableforstudentson allcampuses.
AcademicIntegrity:FAUstudentsareexpectedtomaintainthehigheststandardof academicintegrityasoutlinedintheUndergraduate Catalog.Academicdishonesty, includingcopyingtheworkofsomeoneelse(i.e.,plagiarism)whetherthatsomeone isaclassmateoraninternetsource,isconsideredaseriousbreachoftheseethical standards,becauseitinterfereswiththeuniversity missiontoprovideahighquality educationinwhichnostudentenjoysanunfairadvantage. Academicdishonestyis destructiveoftheuniversitycommunity,whichisgrounded inasystemofmutual trustandplaceshighvalueonpersonalintegrityandindividualresponsibility.
Harshpenaltiesareassociatedwithacademicdishonesty. Formoreinformation see
UniversityRegulation4.001at
of Academic lntegrity.pdf
Plagiarisminthiscourseincludesaidingthepersonwhoplagiarizedandthepenalty forlettingsomeonecopyyourworkwillresultinazero.Morethanoneinstance of plagiarismwillresultincoursefailureandanofficialwriteuptothechairofthe BiologydepartmentandtheDeanofStudentServices.
5.IncompleteGrade:AgradeofIncomplete("I")isreserved forstudentswhoare passingacoursebuthavenotcompletedalltherequired workbecauseof
exceptionalcircumstances.Agradeof"I"willonlybegivenundercertainconditions andinaccordancewiththeacademicpoliciesandregulations putforwardinFAU's UniversityCatalog.Thestudentmustshowexceptionalcircumstanceswhy requirementscannotbemet.Arequestforanincompletegradehastobemadein writingwithsupportingdocumentation,whereappropriate.Asperuniversity
policy,anincompletegradewillonlybegiventoastudentwhofulfillsallofthe
followingcriteria:
a.missesmultipleexamsorthefinalexaminationduetoalegitimately documented emergencyasdefinedbytheFAUAcademic PoliciesandRegulations (
b.hasagradeofCorbetter
c.submitsevidenceoftheemergencyandsignsanincompleteagreement.
AdditionalPolicies
DisabilityPolicy
IncompliancewiththeAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA),studentswhorequirereasonable accommodationsduetoadisabilitytoproperlyexecutecourseworkmustregisterwiththeOffice ofStudent Accessibility Services(SAS)andfollowallSAS procedures.SAS hasofficesacross threeofFAU'scampuses-BocaRaton,Davie,andJupiter,however,disabilityservicesareavailableforstudentson allcampuses.
ReligiousAccommodations:
Studentswho wishtobeexcusedfromcoursework,classactivitiesorexaminations mustnotifytheinstructorinadvanceoftheir intentiontoparticipateinreligious observationand requestanexcusedabsence,butfieldtrips cannotbemadeupfor credit.
CourseSchedule
DATE / TOPIC/QUIZ / Reading(chapter orpages) / AssignedWorkMay15 / FIELDandLABDAY:
(DavieCampus) Introductiontoaquaticlife andsampling;
FreshwaterSurvey(s)of localponds/wetlands. (9am-3:15pm) / PL(pp4-37,74-75,
120-128) / Repot11:Pondcatch
ratecomparisons, repot1dueatstat1of class(8pp). Dueon May20
May22 / FIELDDAY:Wetland
waterdepths,floraand faunalresponses.
(9am-3:15pm) / PL(pp42-72,114-
115,136-150)
*notelabspecieslists
Lodgech.3 / UpdateNotebook
May29 / FIELDDAY:Freshwater
biotaandriverrestoration. KissimmeeRiver(allday fieldtrip6am-4:30pm) / Cheeketa!.2014 / UpdateNotebook
Handinnotebookon
June3.
June5 / FIELDDAY:Animal communitypatternsin
pondsandwetlands. (JonathanDickinsonState Parkwetlands)(8am-4 pm) / PL(pp74-119), DW238-251 / Report2:JDSP invet1ebratecontrasts (9-12ppincl.3-4pp withtables/figures) DueonJune10
UpdateNotebook
June12 / FIELDDAY:
LoxahatcheeRiver
(Riverbend Park,8:45am-
3:30pm)Lotic ecosystems.
Flow,riverhabitats,
speciesdistributionand / Lodgepp168-172
PaperonInvasive
Molluscs(TBA) / UpdateNotebook
Handinnotebookon
June19.
FinaldraftofReport
2(DueJune19)
abundance. / StudyforIDexam.
June19 / FloraandFauna
IdentificationTest
June22 / ENDOFSESSION
IDW-DoddsandWhiles,PL-PondLifebooklet,Lodge-EvergladesHandbook
(LodgechaptersanddiscussionpaperswillbemadeavailableonBlackboard)
ImportantDates
June15:LastdaytodropwithoutreceivinganF.
Forotherimportantdates see