Biology 322 – Ecology – Fall 2016

Dr. Stephen Threlkeld, Professor of Biology; 662-915-5803; stt@olemiss.edu; Office hours: 328 Shoemaker; Th 1-4 pm, or by appointment.

Catalog Description of Course Objectives and Learning Objectives Basic principles of ecology of plants and animals. After completing this course, students should understand variation in the distribution and abundance of plants and animals, and be able to properly interpret data related to the distribution and abundance of plants and animals. They should also be aware of contemporary issues relating to ecology, including global climate change, resource management, population growth, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and pollution.

Teaching assistants Jarrod Sackreiter; jrsackre@go.olemiss.edu; Office hours: 302 Shoemaker; M 10-12, Th 3-5, or by appointment. and Matt Abott;mjabbott@go.olemiss.edu; Office Hours: 410 Shoemaker; Tu 9-11, F 10-12, or by appointment.

Required course readings Molles, Manual C., Jr. 2005-2012. Ecology: concepts and applications. 3rd-7th edition. (3rd-7th editions can be used) McGraw-Hill; Leopold, Aldo. 1949. A Sand County Almanac and sketches here and there. Special Commemorative Edition. Oxford University Press; and other readings to be announced.

Course grading Grades will be based on pop quizzes (10%), midterm exam (20%), laboratory assignments (30%), and a final comprehensive examination (40%). Your grade will be the better of two grades determined on the following scales: Scale 1: A, > 90%; B, 80-89%; C, 70-79%; D, 60-69%; F, < 60%; Scale 2: A, > 1.5 standard deviations above the mean; B, from 0.5 to 1.5 standard deviations above the mean; C, + 0.5 standard deviations from the mean; D, from 0.5 to 1.5 standard deviations below the mean; F, > 1.5 standard deviations below the mean. No plus or minus grades will be given.

Make-up exams A single comprehensive make-up exam will be given immediately after the final exam for anyone who missed either midterm exam (no make-ups will be given for missed pop quizzes or laboratories).

Attendance Policy Attendance will be taken at various times during the first two weeks of the semester (in lecture and lab) and reported to the University in order to comply with federal regulations related to receiving financial assistance. For details see the new attendance policy

Schedule of lectures (MWF, 9-9:50 am, 209 Bryant Hall) and laboratories (M,Tu,W 1:00-3:50 pm; 225 Shoemaker or as announced).(Assigned readings in parentheses)

• 22 Aug Course objectives and requirements; What is Ecology? (Ch. 1)
• 24 Aug Life on Land (Ch. 2)
• 26 Aug Life on land, continued. (SCA: January-March)
• 22-24 Aug No labs this week

• 29 Aug Life in Water (Ch. 3)
• 31 Aug Life in water, continued. (SCA: April-June)
• 2 Sep Population genetics and Natural Selection (Ch. 4; SCA: July-September)
• 29-31 Aug Laboratory 1: HIPPO (MA)

• 5 Sep Labor Day Holiday
• 7 Sep Population Genetics and Natural Selection, continued
• 9 Sep Population Genetics and Natural Selection, continued
• 5-7 Sep No Formal Laboratory this week (Life Table Data Collection on your own)

• 12 Sep Temperature Relations (Ch. 5)
• 14 Sep Water Relations (Ch.6; SCA: October-December)
• 16 Sep Energy and Nutrient Relations (Ch. 7)
• 12-14 Sep Laboratory 2: Optimal Foraging Behavior (JS)

• 19 Sep Social Relations (Ch. 8)
• 21 Sep Social Relations, continued(SCA: Thinking Like a Mountain; Song of the Gavilan; Cheat Takes Over)
• 23 Sep Population abundance and distribution (Ch. 9)
• 19-21 Sep Laboratory 3: Life Tables, comparison with obituary and CDC data (JS)

• 26 Sep Population dynamics (Ch. 10)
• 28 Sep Population dynamics, contd.(SCA: Conservation Ethic and Land Ethic)
• 30 Sep Population Growth (Ch. 11; SCA: Wilderness)
• 26-28 Sep Laboratory 4: Bailey's woods (MA)

• 3 Oct Life histories (Ch. 12)
• 5 Oct Life histories
• 7 Oct Midterm Exam
• 3-5 Oct Laboratory 5: Discussion of Aldo Leopold's book A Sand County Almanac; assignment of teams for class debate (ST, MA, JS)

• 10 Oct Competition (Ch. 13)
• 12 Oct Competition, contd.
• 14 Oct Exploitation (Ch. 14)
• 10-12 Oct Laboratory 6: Tree rings, dendrochronology (JS)

• 17 Oct Predation and parasitism.
• 19 Oct Mutualism (Ch. 15)
• 21 Oct Species Abundance and Diversity (Ch. 16)
• 17-19 Oct Laboratory 7: Ecological Debate Assignment (JS)

• 24 Oct Species Abundance and Diversity, contd.
• 26 Oct Species Interactions and Community Structure (Ch. 17)
• 28 Oct Community Structure, continued.
• 24-26 Oct Laboratory 8: Biological Field Station (JS)

• 31 Oct Primary Production and Energy Flow (Ch. 18)
• 2 Nov Primary Production and Energy Flow, contd. (Ch. 19)
• 4 Nov Nutrient recycling and retention
• 31 Oct - 2 NovLaboratory 9: GIS and large scale pattern analysis (MA)

• 7 Nov Nutrient Cycling and retention, contd.
• 9 Nov Succession and Stability (Ch. 20)
• 11 Nov Succession, contd. (SS: Chs. 13-17)
• 7-9 Nov Laboratory 10: Ecological Footprint (JS)

• 14 Nov Landscape Ecology (Ch. 21)
• 16 Nov Landscape ecology, contd.
• 18 Nov Geographic Ecology (Ch. 22)
• 14-16 Nov Laboratory 11: Discussion of second book and other readings (ST, MA, JS)

• 21-25 Nov Thanksgiving Holidays

• 28 Nov Geographic Ecology, contd.
• 30 Nov Global Ecology (Ch. 23)
• 2 Dec Global Ecology, contd.
• 28 - 30 Nov Laboratory 12: Ecology Debate (ST, MA, JS)

• 7 Dec (Wednesday), 8 a.m. Final Examination