Instructor:
Dr. Paul Weihe
Office: VSC 127; Phone:
628-5204 (ext. 5204)
Office hours: M, F 10-11; T 8:30-9:30; R 1-3; or by appointment.
Mail: Box 015; also tray in kitchenette outside office; e-mail: weihep@central.edu
Course Description: Ecology is the sub-discipline within Biology which
considers how organisms interact with the environment. This course attempts to
provide an overview of modern ecology: the patterns and processes operating in
populations, communities, and ecosystems. Students will learn quantitative
methods, field techniques, and practice the scientific method.
Lectures meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings; all students attend. Students are enrolled in one of the lab sections, and should attend that section. Labs are an essential part of the course, and must be attended. Missed labs cannot be made up.
Global Sustainability: this class carries the “GS” Core designation. Students will learn about how Ecology helps inform the concept of sustainability. We’ll use the Brundtland Commission (1987) definition: “ ‘sustainability is the ability of the current generation to meet its needs while preserving the ability of future generations to do the same. ”
Course Objectives: Students will...
Laboratory work is a very important part of this course. Labs are designed to provide first-hand study of some of the concepts being presented and to illustrate other material. Data will be collected and analyzed in many exercises. Careful recording of data and accurate presentation of data will be essential. Lab handouts will be provided for some exercises and must be thoroughly read before the lab period. Concepts illustrated and major results obtained from lab activities are "fair game" on quizzes and tests! A major portion of the lab is an ecological research project to be performed in small groups.
Textbook: Ecology and Field Biology (6th ed.) by Smith & Smith. (c) 2001 Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco. In addition, selected readings will be provided on the class Web Page, as handouts, or put on reserve in the library as needed. Availability will be announced in class.
Resources for the class include lab exercises and handouts, tutoring, the Center for Academic Excellence, and of course your instructors. If you ever want an update on your grade, have questions about policies, or would like to discuss the course material, please see me. I also encourage students to form study groups.
COURSE POLICIES:
Plagiarism and Other Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism and cheating of any form are serious offenses and may result in an F
for
the assignment, the course, or expulsion from the college. The details of
Central's
Academic Integrity policy are found in the Student Handbook, on the web. A copy
will be sent to you via e-mail during the first week of the semester. It is
your
responsibility to read and understand the contents of that policy before you
submit
work to be graded. Questions regarding the policies and enforcement of the
policies
may be addressed to me during class or during office hours.
Disabilities:
Central College abides by interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities
Act and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that stipulates no student shall
be
denied the benefits of an education "solely by reason of a handicap."
Disabilities
covered by law include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, hearing,
sight, or
mobility impairments, and other health related impairments. If you have a
documented disability that may have some impact on your work in this class for
which you may require accommodations, please see me and Nancy Kroese, Director
of Student Support Services and Disabilities Services Coordinator, (x 5247)
during
the first two weeks of the semester so that such accommodations may be
arranged.
Notification of Participation in College Sanctioned Events:
Mock Trial participants, choir tour participants, athletes, and others who must
miss
a class for participating in a college sanctioned event are expected to notify
me in
advance and complete work including tests in advance of the absence. It is the
student's responsibility to communicate with me in advance regarding their
absences and determine a schedule for make up work.
COURSE GRADING:
Letter grades will be assigned at the end of the course using the standard percentage scale: 93% or more of possible points is an A, 90-92% is an A-, 87-89% is a B+, 83-86% is a B, 80-82% is a B-, etc. These are based on the total points for the course distributed as follows:
|
2 exams
@ 100 |
200
|
|
Final
Exam |
120 |
|
Labs/assignments
|
180
|
|
Group
Project |
100
|
|
TOTAL
points possible |
600 |
No "extra credit" assignments are available. Note that
the final course grades may be adjusted (curved) at the end of the semester to
raise the average if needed. Grades will not however be curved downward
(lowered).
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
|
Week |
Major
Theme |
Chapters
in text |
|
23
Aug. |
Intro/overview;
scientific method |
1 |
|
30 Aug.
|
Climate,
water, light/heat energy |
2
& 3 |
|
6 Sept.
|
Adaptation |
5
& 6 |
|
13
Sept. |
Plant
adaptations II; animal adaptations |
8 |
|
20
Sept. |
Properties
of populations |
10
|
|
27
Sept. |
Population
growth |
11
|
|
**
|
First Exam: 5 October |
**
|
|
4 Oct
|
Intraspecific competition |
12
|
|
11
Oct |
Life
history patterns |
13
|
|
18
Oct. |
Interspecific competition, predation |
14
& 15 |
|
25
Oct. |
Predator/prey,
coevolution |
16
& 17 |
|
1
Nov. |
Community
ecology |
20
& 21 |
|
8
Nov. |
Community
dynamics; landscape ecology |
22
& 23 |
|
**
|
Second Exam: 9 November |
**
|
|
15
Nov. |
Ecosystems |
24
|
|
22
Nov. |
Biogeochemistry |
25
& 26 |
|
29
Nov. |
Grassland
ecosystems |
27
|
|
6 Dec. |
Freshwater
ecosystems |
30 |
|
** |
FINAL
EXAM: DEC 15, 3:30 PM |
*** |