Syllabus

Prerequisite:

Successful completion of 34BIOL103 and 34BIOL113 is a prerequisite for this course. Completion of Sophomore Cell Biology and Genetics is recommended. Freshman Chemistry is a pre- or corequisite. It is assumed that all students enrolled in Ecology have mastered the material and lab skills learned in the previous classes and that students have their lab notebooks from previous courses available for reference. Students who have not taken or have not passed the previous courses will have difficulty passing this course. It is recommended that students not set themselves up for failure by taking courses for which they do not have the prerequisites.

Course Description:

4 undergraduate credits. This lecture-lab course covers basic principles of ecology including evolution, natural selection, ecosystem components, biomes, population biology, and behavioral ecology. Current and historical research and etymology of terminology are discussed. Field work demonstrates ecological sampling techniques. Labs include water and soil analyses and use of computers for statistical analyses. Offered as a Web-assisted course. Prerequistes: Freshman Majors’ Biology Lecture and Lab, Pre- or Corequisite: Freshman Chemistry, or permission of instructor

Course Objectives:

1. To explore and develop one’s understanding of the concepts, principles, and processes of ecology, the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment, emphasizing an evolutionary perspective.
2. To study current issues in the major subdisciplines of modern ecology.
3. To become familiar with basic quantitative and statistical techniques used in ecological research.
4. To observe and analyze ecological principles in action in natural ecosystems.
5. To communicate in ways appropriate to the biological sciences about the processes studied and results obtained.
6. To become familiar with the use of computers to gather and analyze data.

Methods of Reaching These Objectives:

1. You will prepare for class by reading and thinking about the assigned textbook readings, Web pages, and/or lab handout(s) provided. Note that related Web-based course materials may be viewed/obtained by following the appropriate links from the navigation bar at the top of each of the course-related Web pages (Note: if you are using Internet Explorer, this will be presented as a list of links, instead.). From this introduction, you should have a basic understanding of the topic being discussed/investigated and any laboratory procedures to be followed.
2. Each class/lab period, you will participate in the scheduled activity for that day: field work, lab activity, note-taking, discussion, and/or test. In order to benefit maximally from the related lab activities, you need to plan to spend the whole lab period working on each lab, and not attempt to rush to finish early. Taking the time to observe closely, be thorough in your work, and take good notes will both yield better data and allow you to better absorb and learn the material, thereby improving your ability to perform well on tests.
3. You will prepare and maintain a laboratory notebook into which you will put all information and handouts as well as your own lab notes, data, and analyses. This notebook will be organized according to the format specified in Freshman Biology Lab and will serve as a permanent record of your lab work.
4. Ecology involves the study of organisms interacting in their environment, and thus, you will be expected to participate in field hikes to see ecological concepts “in action” and to learn how to gather and analyze ecological data.
5. After you have completed each laboratory exercise, you are expected to spend time analyzing what you did and the significance of your results. These written analyses should be included in your lab notebook in an acceptable format.
6. For many of the lab exercises, you will use Web pages to collect and analyze your data.
7. You will complete (in your lab notebook) the problems on the worksheet handouts in a timely manner.
8. Using a computer, you will prepare a final report summarizing and distilling the data collected in lab. (View examples of past papers.)
9. Several times during the quarter, you will be asked to summarize an article in the popular press and turn this in to be duplicated for class discussion.
10. You will be expected to accurately define key terms, translate pertinent wordstems, reproduce explanatory diagrams, and explain important concepts in your own words. Test structure will include short essays and will cover both lecture and lab. Wordstems provide a fundamental tool to understanding language, thus etymology of major terms will be derived and tested. For more information on test structure, see: Freshman Lecture Test structure and Freshman Lab Test structure.

More detailed explanations of these expectations and assignments will be given in a series of handouts and verbal instructions.

Schedule:

Note: Since most of the lab activities involve being outside, unless the weather is really bad, we will be going out, so please dress accordingly. Please wear/bring clothing suitable for hiking through brambles and/or mud and/or poison ivy. Due to various safety regulations, long pants and sturdy boots/shoes are mandatory for field hikes. Inappropriately-dressed students will not be permitted to participate in lab activities and will, thus, not have notes for any lab(s) missed. Some of the hikes may be mildly strenuous, so people with hypoglycemia, diabetes, and/or asthma should plan ahead and come prepared to deal with any possible reactions they might have. In the event of uncooperative weather, the lab schedule may be altered. Tests, quizzes, and other due dates will be at the stated times unless an announcement to the contrary is specifically made beforehand.

In the event that all classes are canceled due to inclement weather, the University will make that information available via the local media and via other means. In the event that classes are not canceled, but I cannot make it in due to weather or illness, I will send an e-mail message to all students for whom I have e-mail addresses. If you wish to receive that notification, please provide me with an e-mail address for an account which you check regularly.

Required Text:

Smith, Robert Leo and Thomas M. Smith. 2001. Ecology and Field Biology, 6th. ed. Benjamin Cummings Publ. Co., Inc. San Francisco. (available in bookstore)

Print Lab Manual from this course Web site.

Required Equipment:

1. A bound 10 × 7⅞ inch composition notebook with graph rulings (available in the bookstore). All notes taken during lab should be entered DIRECTLY into this notebook.
2. A BLACK water- and solvent-proof pen, such as “Pilot Precise®” (Extra Fine tip), “Tombow Roll Pen, Jr.®” or Rapidiograph, which writes with indelible (waterproof) ink. Water-soluble markers, ballpoint pen (which is soluble in alcohol, etc.), and felt-tips which “bleed” through the page are NOT acceptable.
3. Clear contact paper to mount handouts, specimens, etc. into lab notebook (see protocol from Freshman Biology Lab).

Optional Resources and Equipment:

1. The publisher of your textbook has created a Web site to accompany the text. The address of this Web site is listed inside the front cover of your textbook.
2. Copies of my lecture notes are available on-line by clicking on the navigation links, above.
3. The following root-word resources may be of use:

   Borror, Donald J. 1960. Dictionary of Root Words and Combining Forms. Mayfield Publ. Co. (available in bookstore)

   Marchuk, William N. 1992. A Life Science Lexicon. Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Dubuque, IA. (available in bookstore)

4. Any field guides to local flora and/or fauna which you may have or wish to purchase. A number are available in the bookstore as well as the Cincinnati Nature Center, the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, the Cincinnati Zoo, and various local bookstores.
5. The following book may aid you in learning how to write like a biologist:

   Pechenik, Jan A. 1993. A Short Guide to Writing about Biology. 2nd. Ed. HarperCollins College Publ., New York. (available in the bookstore)

6. A scientific calculator with trigonometric and statistical functions would be helpful for some labs.
7. If you still have your Freshman Biology textbook,

   Campbell, Neil A. et al.. 2002. Biology, 6th ed. Benjamin Cummings Publ. Co., Inc. Menlo Park, Ca. (available in bookstore — newer or older edition is acceptable, but chapter/page numbers, above, may be different)

   that may be used as a reference for some topics.

Assigned Readings:

Textbook reading assignments should be done prior to the class time for which they are listed. The course Web pages which I have prepared should also be of use to you as you prepare for each class. Past students have indicated that reading and interacting with the Web pages before a topic was discussed in class enabled them to be better prepared for class, while reading and interacting with the Web pages after class was a good review and helped them to fill in holes in their own notes and further clarify confusing issues. These Web pages are freely accessible from anywhere in the world. Students are, therefore, strongly encouraged to make use of the course Web pages in addition to the textbook. Note that these Web pages were designed to be interactive and include a number of “games,” pronunciations, and other interactive features to help you to better understand and learn the various topics. Thus, you are encouraged to spend time exploring the Web pages, and not merely print them for future reference. Extra readings (“literature research”) on your own is encouraged. If you find a good reference on a topic to be covered, please share it with the rest of the class. Please read lab handouts prior to the lab period for which they are scheduled because we will need as much time as possible in the field.

Econews:

Outside reading on ecological issues is encouraged. So that you may share your most interesting or exciting recent “discoveries” in these areas, lecture sessions have been designated as “EcoNews” discussion times. One week prior to those class periods, you are asked to turn in a typed abstract in your own words of an article pertaining to some aspect of ecology. You should include some analysis of the topic: what was the article about, why is this significant — what consequences will result from this, and what questions do you have — what was unclear in the article? Also include the citation in proper bibliographic form at the top of your page. These will be photocopied for distribution to your classmates. These will potentially be worth 10 points each.

Tests:

There will be three (3) tests worth 100 points each. These will include questions on meanings of Greek/Latin words used in forming biological terminology, definitions, concepts & processes, etc. as well as problems to solve. Lab procedures will also be covered. The final exam will be 200 points and will be comprehensive with emphasis on the material covered after the third test. (Note: A number of students have found it useful to make “flash cards” from which to study wordstems and definitions.) For more information on test structure, see: Freshman Lecture Test structure and Freshman Lab Test structure.

Students who miss a test should make arrangements with the instructor to make it up BEFORE the next class period. Requests to make up tests after the tests have been returned and discussed may either be denied or, optionally, a more difficult make-up test may be written (but graded on the same curve as everyone else). Only one test may be made up late, and then only with a valid excuse. If more than one test is missed, subsequent tests will receive a “zero.” This means that if you skip one test because you “don’t feel like it,” then miss a second test due to illness, you have used up your one chance and will receive a “zero” on the second test. It has been my experience that students who don’t take a test on time because they think they need more time to study end up doing no better (if not worse) when they do finally take the test. There will be a 10% per class period penalty for a late test.

Grades:

Grades will be determined based on the total points from your three test scores (100 pt. each), final exam, (200 pt.), final lab report (200 pt.), two lab notebook gradings (200 pt. each), EcoNews summaries, and any homework assignments. A histogram (curve) of total scores will be constructed and analyzed using statistical methods. In general, the class mean will serve as the dividing line between “B” and “C” scores, and only those students whose scores are above the mean plus one standard deviation unit, thereby demonstrating superior mastery of the material covered, will receive an “A”. An “F” will be given when an individual repeatedly scores at the bottom of the class and shows blatant disregard for good study habits and class attendance. Ten percent (10%) of the total possible points will be deducted per class period for late assignments. Any student who stops attending class and does not go through the official withdrawal process will be given the grade of “UW” — unofficial withdrawal — the equivalent of an “F”. Grades will be awarded based on a straight A-B-C-D-F grading scale.

I realize that there are some medical conditions which, legitimately, can preclude a student from having an equal chance to learn in this course. A very obvious example would be a student who had trouble hearing me speak, thus was at a great disadvantage because (s)he would miss what I was saying in lecture. However, other, more subtle, conditions such as ADD and dyslexia can also adversely affect an equally-intelligent student’s opportunity to obtain information and/or communicate to me that (s)he has learned the needed material. It is not “unfair” to anyone to make arrangements to compensate for such medical conditions, but rather, this can help insure that such people have an equal chance at doing well in this course. Obviously, however, such students would still have to demonstrate that, given reasonable accommodations, they are capable of mastering the required material. Thus, students who need some type of accommodations in order to “level the playing field” and put them on a par with the rest of the class should speak with me now, not after grades have suffered.

Some important, related links:

• Suggestions on Study Habits
• Various Academic Policies

Wordstem List:

Here are many of the wordstems from Ecology, but this list is definitely not 100% complete. Invariably, there are always a few wordstems we discuss and for which you will be responsible that are not on this list. Check the individual Web pages and lab protocols for additional wordstems.