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ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATERS
Bio 307, Spring 2004
GENERAL INFORMATION
STAFF:
Professor: Marianne V. Moore (Rm. 394, X3098)
Office Hours: Tues 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Wed 3:00-4:30 pm
Guest Lecturer: Shane Bradt, Ph.D. candidate, University of New Hampshire
TEXTS:
Kalff, J. 2002. Limnology: Inland Water Ecosystems. Prentice-Hall.
LECTURES & CLASS DISCUSSIONS:
Mon and Thur 9:50-11:00 am in Rm 155 SC
LABORATORIES
Labs will meet from 1:00 to 4:30 pm on Fridays (see attached lab schedule)
in Rm 384 SC.
GRADING:
Exams: 2 exams (20%) each--Total (40%)
Class discussion (25%) and paper presentations (10%)--Total (35%)
Project write-ups (20%)--Total (20%)
Problem sets and field quiz--Total (5%)
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
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Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
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CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE
LECTURE TOPIC
READING
____________________________________________________________________________________________
_
1
Jan 29
Introduction: history of limnology; lake origins;
communities in lakes
Chaps. 1, 2, 4;
p. 64-70; 6
2
Feb 2
Physical Properties I: water properties; transmission
& absorption of light; color of natural waters
Chaps. 7 (scan);
p.122-131; 10
2
Feb 5
CLASS DISCUSSION--LIMNOLOGICAL APPROACHES
1. A method for estimating potential fish production
of North-temperate lakes (Ryder 1965)
2. The goal of understanding in limnology (Lehman 1986)
3
Feb 9
Physical Properties II: temperature-density relationships; stratification, types of stratification
3
Feb 12
CLASS DISCUSSION--UV RADIATION
1. Combined effects of UV-B radiation and nitrate fertilizer
on larval amphibians (Hatch & Blaustein 2003)
4
Feb 16
NO CLASS – President’s Day
4
Feb 19
Chemical Properties I: oxygen; carbon-pH, alkalinity,
carbon dioxide
4
Feb 20
CLASS DISCUSSION--ACIDIFICATION
1. Ecological history affects zooplankton community
responses to acidification (Fischer et al. 2001)
5
Feb 23
Chemical Properties II: Algal nutrients & eutrophication-- Chaps. 17 & 18
phosphorous, nitrogen, silica
5
Feb 26
CLASS DISCUSSION--EUTROPHICATION
1. Life after death in Lake Erie: Nutrient controls drive
fish species richness, rehabilitation (Ludsin et al. 2001)
6
Mar 1
Phytoplankton & Zooplankton: Suspension mechanisms. Chaps. 21 & 23
seasonal succession; nuisance bloom. Life at low Reynolds'
Chaps. 3, 11
Chaps. 14, 15,
& 27
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
size-selective fish predation; inducible defenses
6
Mar 4
CLASS DISCUSSION—ZOOPLANKTON DISPERSAL
1. Blowing in the wind: A field test of overland dispersal
and colonization by aquatic invertebrates (Caceres & Soluk
2002)
7
Mar 8
Impact of Fish on Lake Ecosystems: Trophic cascade
model and 'top down-bottom up ' control of lake
ecosystems; fisheries in lakes
7
Mar 11
CLASS DISCUSSION--FOOD WEB EFFECTS
1. Ripple effects: How lake dwellers control temperature
and clarity of their habitat (Mazumder et al. 1990)
2. Effects of fish and plankton on lake temperature and
mixing depth (Mazumder et al. 1990)
8
Mar 15
CLASS DISCUSSION--FOOD WEBS
1. Does the fish-invertebrate-periphyton cascade precipitate
plant loss in shallow lakes? (Jones & Sayer 2003)
8
Mar 18
MIDTERM EXAM--takehome exam
Chap.26;
p.391-394
Mar 20–28 SPRING BREAK
9
Mar 29
Restoration Techniques for Lakes and Reservoirs:
principles of restoration; phosphorus precipitation,
flushing, hypolimnetic aeration or withdrawal, food
web manipulation; biological control of macrophytes;
restoration of acidic lakes.
p.430-434;
Chap. 29
9
Apr 1
Guest lecturer –Shane Bradt, University of New Hampshire
"Satellite detection of harmful algal blooms in freshwater lakes”
10
Apr 5
Stream Ecology I: River continuum concept,
nutrient spiralling, and hyporheic habitat
10
Apr 8
CLASS DISCUSSION--STREAMS
1. Multiple trophic levels of a forest stream linked to
terrestrial litter inputs (Wallace et al. 1997)
11
Apr 12
Stream Ecology II: Pulse disturbances, stream
drift, conservation issues.
Chap. 8
TBA
4
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
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Apr 15
CLASS DISCUSSION--STREAMS
1. Flow-sediment-biota relations: Implications for river
regulation effects on native fish abundance (Osmundson
et al. 2002)
12
Apr 19
NO CLASS – Patriot’s Day
12
Apr 22
Ecology of Freshwater Wetlands: Types of wetlands;
hydroperiods; biogeochemistry; biological
adaptations to wetlands; management and protection
13
Apr 26
CLASS DISCUSSION--WETLANDS
1. Wetlands function; paper TBA
13
Apr 29
CLASS DISCUSSION—WETLAND MITIGATION
1. paper TBA
14
May 3
CLASS DISCUSSION--BIOINVADERS
1.Transformation of freshwater ecosystems by bivalves
(Strayer et al. 1999)
14
May 6
STUDENT PROJECT REPORTS
5
Chap. 24
PAPERS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION
(alphabetized by author)
Caceres, C.E. and D. A. Soluk. 2002. Blowing in the wind: A field test of overland dispersal and
colonization by aquatic invertebrates. Oecologia 131:402-408.
Fischer, J.M., J.L. Klug, A.R. Ives, and T.M. Frost. 2001. Ecological history affects
zooplankton
community responses to acidification. Ecology. 82:2984-3000.
Hatch, A.C. and A.R. Blaustein. 2003. Combined effects of UV-B radiation and nitrate fertilizer
on larval amphibians. Ecological Applications 13:1083-1093.
Jones, J.I. and C. D. Sayer. 2003. Does the fish-invertebrate-periphyton cascade precipitate plant
loss in shallow lakes? Ecology 84:2155-2167.
Lehman, J.T. 1986. The goal of understanding in limnology. Limnol. Oceanogr. 31:1160-1166.
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
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Ludsin, S.A., M. W. Kershner, K. A. Blocksom, R. L. Knight, and R. A. Stein. 2001. Life after
death in Lake Erie: Nutrient controls drive fish species richness, rehabilitation. Ecological
Applications 11:731-746.
Mazumder, A. 1990. Ripple effects: How lake dwellers control temperature and clarity of their
habitat. The Sciences 38:39-42.
Mazumder, A., W.D. Taylor, D.J. McQueen, D.R.S. Lean. 1990. Effects of fish and plankton on
lake temperature and mixing depth. Science 247:312-315.
Osmundson, D.B., R. J. Ryel, V.L. Lamarra, and J. Pitlick. 2002. Flow-sediment-biota relations:
Implications for river regulation effects on native fish abundance. Ecological Applications
12:1719-1739.
Ryder, R.A. 1965. A method for estimating the potential fish production of north-temperate
lakes. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 94:214-218.
Strayer, D.L., N.F. Caraco, J.J. Cole, S. Findlay, and M.L. Pace. 1999. Transformation of
freshwater ecosystems by bivalves. Bioscience 49:19-27.
Wallace, J.B., S.L. Eggert, J.L. Meyer, and J.R. Webster. 1997. Multiple trophic levels of a forest
stream linked to terrestrial litter inputs. Science 277:102-104.
FORMAT FOR CLASS DISCUSSIONS
Class discussions will occur 1-2x per week and will focus on 1-2 scientific papers selected
from the primary literature. These papers will usually use either an experimental or an empirical
approach to test a specific hypothesis. The student in charge of presenting a paper will meet with
me at least one day prior to presenting her paper, and we will go over her presentation outline.
This meeting is also an opportunity to ask questions about the paper and to clarify your thoughts.
Following the class presentation, all students will participate in class discussion. The role of the
advocate and the critic is to participate in and enhance discussion. Specific roles of the presenter,
advocate, and critic are described below.
1) PRESENTER--This student will orally present a 10 minute condensation of the paper,
including a brief critique, and then lead the class discussion. The paper condensation should
highlight the authors' central hypothesis, salient results, interpretation, and conclusion. The
critique is perhaps the most important part of the oral presentation! The critique should critically
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
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analyze the paper and identify both its strengths and weaknesses. (See page 6 on tips for
critiquing a scientific paper)
2) ADVOCATE --During discussion, the advocate will defend the paper by identifying and
reminding the discussion group of its strengths. Although the presenter will have mentioned
some of the paper's strengths during her presentation, the advocate is likely to have identified
additional or different strengths.
3) CRITIC--Contrary to the advocate's role, the critic's role is to expose the flaws of the
paper. Remember that all scientific papers have weaknesses, some more than others! Search
for these weaknesses and help other students to see them.
All students are expected to critically read the paper(s) before class discussion and to
share their ideas or comments in class. Use the questions and advice on page 6 to aid you in
critiquing the paper.
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
Critiquing Scientific Papers
When you are critically reading a scientific paper, you must read it more
thoroughly than you have ever read a paper before!! You should be prepared to
spend at least 2 hr reading and thinking about it; but do not be surprised if critical
reading requires 4-5 hr. Remember--the published word is not gospeI and every
scientific paper has flaws or weaknesses. I suggest you critique a scientific
paper with a pencil in hand, and that you write your comments or questions in
the margin. Engage the author(s) in a dialogue. The questions below will help
you critically evaluate the work.
1. What is the hypothesis?
2. How was it examined?
a) Evaluate experimental design and methods critically
i) Were treatments replicated and was the number of replicates
adequate?
ii) If field manipulations were conducted, were appropriate cage
controls used to detect effects of caging?
b) If a model was constructed, what are the assumptions and are
they reasonable?
3. Are the data and results clear? Do results as stated in the text agree
with tables and figures?
4. Are results interpreted correctly? Does the author speculate without
substantiating her claims?
5. Can conclusions drawn from one system or field site be applied to
others? If laboratory experiments were conducted, do conditions
experienced by animals and plants relate to those in the field?
6. Are conclusions supported by the data?
7. Are problems and sources of error discussed and evaluated?
8. Is the initial hypothesis accepted or rejected?
8
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
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 LABORATORY SCHEDULE 
WEEK DATE
LABORATORY TOPIC
LOCATION
__________________________________________________________________
1
Jan 30
Class Discussion
Rm 384
2
Feb 6
Winter Limnology
Field trip--Meet in Rm 384 at 1 pm sharp!
Lake Waban
3
Feb 13
Winter Limnology
Field trip--meet in Rm 384 at 1 pm sharp!
Farm Pond
4
Feb 20
NO LAB - MONDAY SCHEDULE
5
Feb 27
Winter Limnology Sample Analysis & Wrap-up
Rm 384
6
Mar 5
The Little Things that Run the World!
(Phytoplankton/Zooplankton)
Fieldtrip—meet in Rm 384 at 1 pm sharp!
Local ponds
7
Mar 12
Vollenweider Model
Rm 384
8
Mar 19
I. Evaluation of River Continuum Concept
Field trip--meet in Rm 384 at 1:00 pm sharp!
Local streams
& Charles R.
9
April 2
II. Evaluation of River Continuum Concept
Analysis of aquatic invertebrate samples and collation
of physical/chemistry data
Rm 384
10
April 9
Field Quiz & Developing Group Hypotheses
Rm 384
11
April 16
Student Group Projects
Outdoors
Girls’ Day -- Doing/Talking Science
Science
12
April 21
Center
with young women from inner city Boston
12
April 23
Student Group Projects
Outdoors
13
April 30
Student Group Projects
Outdoors
14
May 7
Field trip & informal project reports
Meet at Rm 384 at 1:00 pm sharp
Walden Pond
or upper
Charles River
Biology 307
Ecology of Freshwaters
May 7
Spring 2004
Wellesley College
GROUP PROJECT WRITE-UPS DUE
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