BIOLOGY 354, Ecology and the Environment
SFall
pring
20035 Syllabus
Professor: Dr. Helen Regan Dr. Janet Franklin
Office: PS ###255-257 PS-145
Hours: MW 1400-1500 and by
apt.. M 1300-1400; Tu* 1400-1500; F
1400-1500
(*except 2/8, 3/8, 4/5,
5/3) and
by apt.
Phone: 619-594-####-2738 619-594-5491
E-mail: hregan@sciences.sdsu.edu janet@sciences.sdsu.edu
Each
of us will hold our office hours during the weeks we present lectures. If the
scheduled office hours are not convenient for you, please arrange an appointment.
The best way to reach us is by e-mail,
but feel free to talk with us after arrange an appointment
by talking to us after class or phone us at our offices. You may also
leave messages for us in our mailboxes outside the Biology Office (LS 104).
Please recognize that we have other responsibilities besides Biology 354 and
that these responsibilities often take us out of our offices. If you are having problems in class, please
see the instructors as soon as possible. We will do everything we can to help
you improve your achievement, but don’t wait until mid-semester or immediately
before exams to contact us.
General Course
Information
Prerequisites:
Bio 201, Bio 215, and Math 122. You are required to have passed those
courses before taking this course. Please see page 92
of the General Catalog (2002-2003) if you have questions about prerequisites.
Lecture: MW 112:00-112:50, NE 60
Friday Discussion
Sections and Teaching Assistants
|
Sec |
Schedule # |
Time |
Room* |
TA |
|
Sec 1 |
03614 |
800-850 |
LS134 |
Emily Floyd |
|
Sec 2 |
03625 |
900-950 |
PS140 |
Kirstin Skadberg |
|
Sec 3 |
03636 |
1000-1050 |
LS132 |
Kirstin Skadberg |
|
Sec 4 |
03640 |
1100-1150 |
LS134 |
Damien Cie |
|
Sec 5 |
03651 |
1200-1250 |
LS134 |
Damien Cie |
*Discussion section
will meet in LS126 on days when you do EcoBeaker exercises (see Schedule)
|
TA |
Office |
Phone |
E-mail |
Office
Hours |
|
Damien Cie |
LS209 |
594 0114 |
cie@rohan.sdsu.edu |
|
|
Emily Floyd |
LS239 |
594-1308 |
emfloyd@yahoo.com |
T 10-11am F 9-10am |
|
Kirstin Skadberg |
PS252 |
594 2884 |
skadberg@sunstroke.sdsu.edu |
W 11am-12n Th 10-11am |
Course Materials
Blackboard (http://blackboard.sdsu.edu/ ) will
be used for electronic posting of all course announcements, grades, and other
materials (such as reading assignments for the Discussion Section) on the
Web. A copy of this syllabus, and the
course schedule, can be found there. Adobe Acrobat reader free software will be needed
for materials distributed in PDF format (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html).
Text Books (required)
Krebs, Charles J.
2001. Ecology: The Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance. 5th
Edition. Benjamin Cummings. We will use most parts of this text. Assigned chapters
are shown in the Schedule and fFrom
time to time we will indicate what sections you should be studyingemphasizing,
but the whole text will enhance your understanding of ecology.
(The
publisher's online resources include chapter learning objectives and sample
multiple choice exams that you may find helpful. Go to the following Web site : and
click on "Student resources”: http://occawlonline.pearsoned.com/bookbind/pubbooks/krebs_awl/ and
click on "Student resources.")
EcoBeaker lab manual/workbook
(Montezuma publishing):The
title is: ECOBEAKER LABS FOR
ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT (SIMBIOTIC SOFTWARE). Each student must purchase their own copy from the Aztec
Bookstore. The workbook will be handed in periodically, graded by the TA, and
returned to you.
Scantrons
(required) -- available at the Aztec bookstore -- you must have the correct forms You’ll
need one scantron form (#882-ES) and
#2 pencils for each exam (4 scantrons total). Small scantron forms #815 or #815E are
required for in-class assessments (quizzes). The #815 forms come in packs of 15; bring them to each class meeting.
Lecture Materials
We can modify this,
Helen
Lecture
outlines or
slides will normally will be posted on the Blackboard website
before class so that you may use topical points and
figures as a guthemide
during lecture. Note that these outlines are not the total lecture
but are an aid in note-taking during lecture. The Power Point
presentations during lecture will not be posted on the web because we believe it is important for
you to develop note-taking skills in lectures are
not fostered in this manner and because we encourage your attendanceThese do not
substitute for your own note-taking which is critical for reinforcing the
learning process.
Discussion Materials
Articles
for discussion and other course materials will be posted on the Blackboard
website as Adobe pdf files. You can print these articles from the website or
ask your teaching assistant for hard copies(made available to
you for use only in this course under Fair Use exemptions to
copyright laws).
Students
will be able to view, read, print, download, and/or save the information posted
on the course Blackboard web site. Given disk space limitations, class material
older than 2 weeks may be removed from the web site.
Scantrons (required)
-- available at the Aztec bookstore -- you must have the correct forms
You’ll need one scantron form (#882-ES)
and #2 pencils for each exam (4 scantrons total). Small scantron forms
#815 or #815E are required for in-class assessments. The #815 forms come
in packs of 15; bring them to each class meeting.
Because
this course includes an extensive writing
component (worksheets for discussion sections, project paper), an additional text
we suggest you obtain is the Elements of Style by Strunk and White. This is one of the
best books on English usage ever written, and should be one of the most
important books you will buy and read as a student Note: if you want to access a web-based version of this text for
free, go to: http://www.bartleby.com/141/index.html
Course Goals &
Objectives
This
class provides an introduction to the science of ecology and the physical and
biological processes that affect our environment. A main objective of the
course is for you to learn about the conceptual framework of ecology.
The
Biology faculty at SDSU realize that to succeed in your educational and career
objectives, you need scientific knowledge and a variety of skills. Therefore,
our goal is that at the end of this course you’ll be able to demonstrate:
1) knowledge of basic concepts in
ecology/environmental biology, including the dynamic nature of ecological
processes and the importance of variation in space and time.
2) an ability to make a scientific
argument and support it with appropriate examples or scientific justification.
3) knowledge of and ability to apply
the scientific process.
4)
an
ability to find, evaluate, and use published scientific information.
5) competence in scientific writing
and oral communication.
6) an ability to work together in
teams.
7) an ability to integrate concepts
within and among disciplines of science.
8) understanding an ability to recognizeof and articulate the relevance of ecology
to society.
Discussion sections
You
will gain experience evaluating and critiquing the primary ecological
literature. Students will be discussing published papers relevant to the
lecture topics. Critiquing and discussing papers objectively is fundamental to
evaluating scientific studies. Worksheets outlining these papers will be
required as a pre-cursor to discussion.
For several discussion sessions, you
will be using the computer program, EcoBeaker, to simulate and explore
ecological concepts. These discussion
classes will meet in the LS126
computer lab. (See schedule for details)
In addition, you will work
in groups to develop a project that addresses an ecological
issue or environmental problem. Because human activities continue to impact the
natural environment, these issues or problems, and their ecological relevance
have become focal areas of study. This
exercise will involve your working in teams on a study of your choosing, with
guidance from your instructors. You will identify an ecological issue or
problem, provide a history of its impacts and , relevance,
and identify
potential solutions.
Participation in
discussion: Since tThis is a discussion
section, and attendance is required. You are permitted one unexcused absence without
losing points. Therefore, aAfter one
unexcused absence, 6 pts will be deducted from the total course points for each
subsequent unexcused absence, in addition to missing any graded activities. For
an excused absence, your TA will require written justification from a doctor or
other official providing verification of your absence at the date and time of
your discussion section.
Grading Policy and
Exams
The four
exams will be worth 100 points each. You may earn up to 70 points from in-class
assessments and
quizzes. Your performance in the discussion section of the course will
account for about 33%1/3 of your final grade and a detailed
breakdown of that will be discussed in class. The final score and grade will be
based on your total accumulated points in class and discussion (roughly 705
pts). Final grades will be determined by class averages and our judgment
regarding class performance. Plus/minus grades will be given.
Policies for Missing
Exams and Graded In-class Activities
You should let the instructor or TA know
immediately (by the next day after your absence from exam, lecture or
discussion) if you miss any graded activity (except for
in-class quizzes). You should have a valid excuse for which you can provide evidence (such as a note from student health services)
that your absence was the result of a serious, unavoidable problem including
illness. Please confirm that the professor has received your communication. Arrangements
will be made so that you are not penalized for missing a midterm or graded
in-class activities, if you have a bona fide reason for having done so. Make-up exams (upon
verified excused absence) will consist of essay or oral questions, and will be
given for the first 3 exams only.
|
Grading
schedule (approximate): |
points |
percentage |
|
Midterm Exams (4 @ 100 pts) |
400 |
57% |
|
In-Class Quizzes/Activities |
70 |
10% |
|
Discussion activities |
100 |
14% |
|
Project |
|
|
|
a) Rough draft |
|
14% |
|
b) Final draft |
|
|
|
c) Group presentation |
|
|
|
Discussion
participation
(35 pts total): |
|
|
|
a) TA evaluation |
|
5% |
|
b) Group evaluation |
|
|
|
Total |
705 |
100% |
JANET, I don’t
understand this grading table – how do the points in parentheses affect the
overall grade?
Policies for Missing Exams and Graded In-class
Activities
You should let the instructor or TA know
immediately (by the next day after your absence from exam, lecture or
discussion) if you miss any graded activity (except for
in-class quizzes). You should have a valid excuse for which you can provide evidence (such as a note from student health
services) that your absence was the result of a serious, unavoidable problem
including illness. Please confirm that the professor has received your
communication. Arrangements will be made so that you are not penalized for
missing a midterm or graded in-class activities, if you have a bona fide reason
for having done so. Make-up exams (upon verified excused absence) will
consist of essay or oral questions, and will be given for the first 3 exams
only.
Policies for Missing
Exams and Graded In-class Activities
You should let the instructor or TA know
immediately (by the next day after your absence from exam, lecture or
discussion) if you miss any graded activity
(except for in-class quizzes). You should have and
have a valid excuse for which, and you
can provide evidence
(such as a note from student health services) that your absence was the result
of a serious, unavoidable problem including illness. Please confirm that the
professor has received your communication. Arrangements
will be made so that you are not penalized for missing a midterm or graded
in-class activities, if you have a bona fide reason for having done so. Make-up exams (upon verified excused absence) will
consist of essay or oral questions or be oral,
and will be given for the first 3 exams only.
Exams:
Exams will be 50 min. long (100 pts each), and take place in the lecture room.
Each exam will cover material presented since the previous exam, recognizing
that your knowledge will build over the semester. The final exam will only
cover material since the last midterm exam (100 pts). Exam dates are given in the schedule.
Exam
#1:
Exam
#2:
Exam
#3:
Final
Exam: (NOTE: This exam is from 10:30 to 12:30)
Graded in-class
activities (“quizzes”): Eight in-class activities typically will include 1-3 questions, take no
longer than 5 minutes, and take place at any time during the class period. No
make-ups will be given for quizzes, but your lowest quiz scores will be
dropped. Because these quizzes will
involve what is going on with course material (context specific), it will be important for you to be in class
each day and to
have read the assigned chapters.
Tips
for excelling in BIOL. 354:
• Attend class and
take notes
• Ask Questions!
• Be prepared.
Read the appropriate assignments sections of the text book and other reading
assignments before
class
• Be an active learner.
Answer study questions in the text, take notes on the book, use the textbook
publishers’ Web site for self-quizzing. Make study sheets and flash cards.
• Collaborate with
your classmates. Form study groups, quiz each other....
Other
Information:
Cheating
Cheating
has rarely been a problem in Biol. 354, and warning you
about the consequences may seem unnecessary. Nevertheless, to
avoid any possibility of you not recognizing what the consequences are, this is
our policy: If you are caught cheating
in an exam or on an assignment, you will receive a zero on the exam or
assignment. In addition, the event will be reported to campus judicial
authorities and may lead to additional actions from the University. Incidents of plagiarism are particularly serious, and the
instructors of this course have the right to expel you from the course or
determine any suitable punishment as they see fit. Remember, your responses
must be your own words. We strongly recommend that you review the Web site below
to obtain a clear explanation of plagiarism, cheating, and similar inappropriate
academic conduct.
If you are unsure of what constitutes plagiarism, see your instructor or T.A.
http://science.widener.edu/svb/essay/plagiar.html
Dropping
The last day to drop
is ####. February 11, 2005. After
that date you must present documentation of a work related issue or other
problem (not low grade) to the Undergraduate Advising Office of the Biology
Department. Unfortunately, the last day to drop without the risk of penalty
comes very early in the semester. If you are unsure what to do, please feel
free to talk with one of the course instructors about your concerns.
Schedule
Month |
Date |
Day |
Lecture Topic |
Chpt.* |
Lecturer |
|
Jan. |
24 |
M |
Goals, Objectives; |
p. 10-13; Ch 4 |
Regan, Franklin |
|
|
26 |
W |
Distribution factors: dispersal, habitat selection |
|
Regan |
|
|
28 |
F |
Discussion: Introduction |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 |
M |
Distribution factors: other species |
6 |
Regan |
|
Feb |
2 |
W |
Distributions: physical factors |
7 |
Regan |
|
|
4 |
F |
Discussion: Group
Projects |
|
|
|
|