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DETAILED SYLLABUS
BIOL 3350 ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
Spring 2012
CRN: 30562
Class Time: MWF; 11:00am-11:50am; AG 0146
and M; 2:00-4:50pm; AG 0151
Instructor: Phil Hightower
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 229.391.5111
Division Office: 229.391.5100
Office: King 2C (building between Conger and Bowen)
Office Hours: Listed below and by appointment as needed
M
9:00-10:00am
T
10:00-11:00am
W
9:00-10:50am
1:00-2:00pm
AAC 2:00-3:00pm
R
10:00-12:00 noon
1:00-2:00pm
F
9:00-10:50am
LECTURE Portion of the Class
TEXTBOOK: Smith, T.M. and R.L. Smith. 2009. Elements of Ecology 7th edition.
Benjamin Cummings.
ATTENDANCE: Regular class attendance is expected. Roll will be taken each class
period and generally during the first 10 minutes of class. Any student not present at the
time the roll is taken or missing a significant portion of the class will normally be counted
absent. Students absent from class due to any non-institutional reasons will usually not be
allowed to make up any missed point opportunities (quizzes, exams, in-class assignments,
etc.). In addition, the student will lose the opportunity to learn the material in a classroom
environment and may miss any announcements regarding exams, quizzes, and
assignments. It is each student’s responsibility to keep up with all classroom activities;
lecture notes (oral, written on the board, or on slides); and dates of exams, assignments,
quizzes, etc.
Students missing class due to official ABAC business are required to notify the
instructor ahead of time and make arrangements in a manner acceptable to the instructor
to ensure they do not miss any course content, assignments, or exams.
Unless an extreme effort is made to learn any missed material, a student should
expect their grades to be adversely affected due to missed classes. In an effort to
encourage classroom attendance and thus enhance a student’s exposure to the material,
the following bonus points (12 maximum pts, see table) will be awarded on a sliding
scale to students who have no or limited non-institutional absences at the end of the
semester. Be aware of the difference between points and percentage points. The
attendance points are not percentage points. Check with the instructor regularly to see
your absences. The instructor’s roll is official and will not generally be changed after
the day of class.
Use the area below to record days you are absent or miss a significant portion of the class
and to calculate bonus points. Again, these are points, not percentage points.
Dates absent (if any)
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
0 absences = + 12 pts
1 absence = + 10 pts
2 absences = + 8 pts
3 absences = + 6 pts
4 absences = + 4 pts
5 absences = + 2 pts
6 absences or more = + ZERO pts
WITHDRAWAL: A student may withdraw from the course up to the midpoint of the
semester and receive a grade of W. After midterm, students may withdraw only with the
permission of the Academic Dean and may receive a W or WF according to their
documented averages at the time of withdrawal. Students abandoning classes will still
receive a grade at the end of the semester (probably an F due to missed point
opportunities). See the college catalog for the college policy on withdrawal.
ACADAMIC RESPONSIBILITY: Cheating and Academic Dishonesty in any way,
shape, or form is grounds for an assigned grade of an F, possible dismissal from the
course, and perhaps other punitive action depending upon the circumstances. Refer
to the college catalog (www.abac.edu/ses/handbook/CodeofConduct.pdf) for a more
complete explanation. Be aware that plagiarism is also considered to be academic
dishonesty. Feel free to check with the instructor before turning in an assignment if
you are unclear on the meaning of plagiarism.
GRADING: Lecture Grades will be determined by dividing the total points you EARN
by the total number of points possible. It is estimated that there will be approximately 700
lecture points. Any late assignments accepted will receive a 15% penalty for each ABAC
work-day or any part thereof that it is late. Assignments 7 days late or more will receive a
zero. Also, be aware that any assignments turned in after the last day of the class will
receive a zero.
TESTING: There will be five lecture exams over content assigned or discussed during
class. The lowest regular lecture exam score will be dropped the end of the semester. If a
student misses one exam, then that will be the lowest grade (0) and will be dropped.
Subsequent missed exams will not be able to be dropped. For example, if a student
misses two regular lecture exams, one will be dropped and the student will normally
receive a ZERO for the other missed exam. Makeup exams are not generally given. If the
instructor chooses to allow a makeup exam, then it must be taken within one week of the
scheduled exam. The final exam will be comprehensive and will not be able to be
dropped.
Cell phones, pagers, music players, and any electronic communication device must be
turned off during any testing periods. All such items must be on mute/silent at other
times. The wearing of earbuds is prohibited at any time during class, including during
exams. Students may not use programmable calculators on in-class exams or quizzes.
Students may be asked to remove caps or turn them around during testing periods.
CLASS POINTS
Assignments, take home quizzes, and pop quizzes:
Total
100pts (Approximate)
Exam 1
100pts
Exam 2
100pts
Exam 3
100pts
Exam 4
100pts
Exam 5
100pts
Total Exam Points
Comprehensive Final Exam
Total Lecture Points
500pts (remember lowest exam grade drops)
100pts
700 pts (Approximate)
Biol 3350
Ag 0146
Hightower
CRN: 30562 MWF 11:00-11:50am
Tentative Class Schedule
Note: The instructor reserves the right to change the schedule at anytime. If the class is officially canceled,
plan on the missed day’s activities occurring on the next class day.
Monday
1/9
Roll Call & Syllabus
1/16
MLK Holiday
No class today
1/23
Ch. 3 cont.
1/30
EXAM 1: Ch. 1,2,3,4
2/6
Ch. 8 Life History Patterns
2/13
Ch. 9 cont.
Wednesday
1/11
Ch. 1 The Nature of Ecology
1/18
Ch. 3 The Aquatic Environment
Friday
1/13
Ch. 2 Climate
1/20
TBA
1/25
Ch. 4 The Terrestrial Environment
2/1
Ch. 5 Ecological Genetics
2/8
Ch. 8 cont.
2/15
Ch. 10 Population Growth
1/27
Ch. 4 cont.
2/3
Ch. 5 cont.
2/10
Ch. 9 Properties of Populations
2/17
Ch. 10 cont.
2/20
EXAM 2: Ch. 5,8,9,10
2/22
Ch. 11 Intraspecific Population
Regulation
2/29
Ch. 13 cont
2/24
Ch. 11 cont.
Ch. 12 Metapopulations (part)
3/2
Ch. 14 Predation
2/27
Ch. 12 cont. (part)
Ch. 13 Interspecific
Competition
3/5
Ch. 14 cont.
Midterm Withdrawal Day (by 4:30pm)
3/7
Exam 3: Ch. 11, 12, 13, 14
3/9
TBA
3/12
Spring Break (3/12-16)
No class today
3/14
No class today
3/16
No class today
3/19
Ch. 16 Community Structure
3/21
Ch. 16 cont.
3/26
Ch. 17 cont.
3/28
Ch. 18 Community Dynamics
(Succession)
4/4
Exam 4: Ch. 16,17,18, 19
4/11
Ch. 21 Decomposition and Nutrient
Cycling
4/18
Ch. 22 Biogeochemical Cycles
4/25
Ch. 26 Large-scale Patterns of
Biological Diversity
Wednesday 5/2
10:15am-12:15pm
3/23
Ch. 17 Factors Influencing the
Structure of Communities
3/30
Ch. 19 Landscape Ecology
4/2
Ch. 19 cont.
4/9
Ch. 20 cont.
4/16
Ch. 21 cont.
4/23
Exam 5: Ch. 20, 21, 22
COMPREHENSIVE FINAL
4/6
Ch. 20 Ecosystem Energetics
4/13
Ch. 21 cont.
4/20
Ch. 22 cont.
4/27
Ch. 26 cont.
Last Class Day
AG 0146
LABORATORY Portion of the Class
There is no lab book or packet for this course this semester. Lab assignments or handouts
will be given to you by the instructor.
ATTENDANCE: Roll will be taken each day of lab. Students absent from lab due to
any non-institutional reasons will not be allowed to make up any missed point
opportunities (quizzes, exams, assignments, etc.). It is each student’s responsibility to
keep up with all lab activities; lab notes (spoken aloud, written on the board, or on
slides); and dates of exams, assignments, quizzes, etc.
Students missing laboratory due to official ABAC business are required to
notify the instructor ahead of time and make arrangements in a manner acceptable
to the instructor.
LAB ASSIGNMENTS AND QUIZZES: There will be lab assignments and possibly lab
quizzes throughout the semester estimated to be worth a total of 175 points.
Some of the lab assignments will require outside work. Wear weather appropriate
clothing that can be gotten dirty.
TESTING: There will be one Lab Midterm Exam (25pts) and one Comprehensive Lab
Final Exam (50pts) based on the ideas, concepts, and materials covered in lab.
Cell phones, pagers, music players, and any electronic communication device must be
turned off during any testing periods. All such items must be on mute/silent at other
times. The wearing of earbuds is prohibited at any time during lab, including during
exams. Students may not use programmable calculators on in-class exams or quizzes.
Students may be asked to remove caps or turn them around during testing periods.
LAB POINTS
Lab activities and quizzes
Lab Midterm Practical
Lab Final Practical
Total Lab Points
175pts (Estimated)
25 pts
50 pts_
250 pts (Estimated)
GRADING: Points from lab will be combined for a lab point total. Lab Grades will be
determined on the percentages listed below.
A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
F zero-59%
Biol 3350
Ag 0151
Hightower
CRN: 30562 M 2:00-4:50pm
Tentative Laboratory Schedule
Monday
1/9
Roll Call & Syllabus
1/16
MLK Holiday
No Lab today
1/23
Soil Analysis (Inside Lab)
1/30
TBA
2/6
Adaptation
2/13
Species Diversity (Inside Lab with outside observations on your own)
2/20
Competition (Outside Lab-Bring Binoculars if you have them for bird observations)
2/27
LAB MIDTERM
3/5
Predation Lab (Outside or Inside Lab depending on weather)
3/12
Spring Break (3/12-16)
No Lab today
3/19
Community Structure (Outside Lab)
3/26
Possible Field Trip to Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog
4/2
TBA
4/9
Analysis of a natural community (Outside or Inside Lab depending on weather)
& Class Biome Presentations
4/16
COMPREHENSIVE LAB FINAL
4/23
Class Biome Presentations
FINAL COURSE GRADE
An assigned final grade for the 4hr course will be determined using the
letter/percentages above by combining the percentages from lecture and lab. The lecture
grade will count 75% of the final grade and the lab grade will count 25% of the final
grade.
For example, if you made a 0.78 in class and a 0.88 in the lab; you would figure your
grade as (0.78 X 0.75) + (0.88 X 0.25)= (0.585 + 0.22) = 0.805 and thus you would have
earned a B for the 4 hour course.
If there is a student in this class who has properly documented specific needs because of
learning disabilities or any other disability, please feel free to contact the instructor.
Spring 2012
Biome Assignment (50 pts Total)
You will be given one of the following biomes as a topic for your paper and presentation.
Tropical Rainforest
Tropical Savanna
Temperate Grassland
Temperate Rainforest
Temperate Broadleaf (deciduous) forest
Temperate Coniferous Forest
Boreal Forest
Chaparral
Tundra
Desert
Mangroves
Paper portion of assignment (40pts)
After thoroughly researching your assigned biome, you will prepare a paper
containing the following components as detailed below. Read the parameters carefully
and be sure your paper conforms to these standards.
Title page: The one-page title page should include your name, the title of the paper, the
course title, the instructor's name, and the current semester.
Table of contents: The table of contents should briefly list the sections of your paper
along with their corresponding page numbers.
Body of text: The body of the text should contain at a minimum these sections:
Introduction (basics of your biome and a foretelling of what you will be discussing),
Locations (location of majority of the biome, any relevant biome subcategories, and
specific places you will use as examples, any relationship to latitudes, etc.), Defining
vegetation (vegetation types, specific flora or possibly fauna species of certain areas),
Soil types, Prevailing climate, and Conservation issues. A conclusion sections may be
appropriate or a well-written conservation section might suffice. You should also include
sections discussing any other defining characteristics or material you deem
necessary to describe, enumerate, or explain the ecology of your biome. Each section
should be clearly labeled in the text.
Each page should be numbered. Do not put the title on each page or any other
header. The body of the text shall be between 12 and 18 pages of double-spaced material.
Font should be either Cambria, Calibri, Times, or Times New Roman. Font size should
be no larger than 12. Margin spacing should be no larger than 1" on the top and bottom
and 1.25" on the left and right.
In text source citations shall be used for any information that is not general
knowledge. Follow APA style.
(See http://www.library.cornell.edu/resrch/citmanage/apa)
Bibliography
The bibliography shall be in APA style and should include all the sources that you cited
in the text. Be sure to collect all needed information at you gather resources.
Appropriate reference material and minimum requirements:
Peer-review scientific journal articles -You must use a minimum of 10 total of
which 5 must be primary research articles. Primary research articles present original
research (hypothesis or discover based) done by the authors. You are required to submit
copies of the abstracts of 5 of your primary research articles for verification.
Journal articles that do not present original research can also be used. Examples
would include articles that review others' research or that present the views or thoughts of
a recognized authority on a particular subject. Books by recognized authorities are also
acceptable but do not count towards the minimum of 10 peer-reviewed journal articles.
PLAGIARISM IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. If you do it, you can
expect to receive a ZERO for this assignment. See "What is
plagiarism?" at
http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_what_is_plagiarism.html
Paper Due Dates:
Wednesday 2/29/12: 5pts-Turn in copies of 5 abstracts of primary research articles that
you are certain you will use in your paper.
Friday 4/13/12: 5pts-Turn in your rough draft for review. Body of text should be at least
3/4 complete. All other components should be in place and up to date.
Wednesday 4/25/12: 30pts-Turn in your completed paper for grading
Presentation portion of assignment (10pts)
Presentations should be 10-15 minutes long and include visual aids. You should give
proper credit for any graphics that you use. Practice is expected so that your presentation
flows well. You should include the main points of your paper in an informative and
hopefully interesting manner.
Presentations will be held on Mon. 4/9 after the lab exercise and on Mon 4/23 during lab
time.