Download LIFS 3160 Ecology - Division of Life Science

LIFS 3160 Ecology
(Previous Course Code: BIOL 216)
Fall 2014
1. Instructors:
Stanley LAU (SL)
Phone: 2358 7329
Email: [email protected]
Office: Room 5479 (L25/26), Division of Life Science
Ice KO (IK)
Phone: 2358 8923
Email: [email protected]
Office: Room 5444 (L25/26), Division of Life Science
2. Meeting Time and Venue: Monday & Wednesday, 10:30 - 11:50 am; Room 2464 (L25/26)
3. Course Description
Credit points: 3
Pre-requisite: Nil
Exclusion: Nil
Brief description: This course is designed to equip students with basic understanding in
ecology, which includes the diversity of life in major ecosystems (weeks 1 – 3), the definition
and intrinsic characteristics of population as a basic biological unit in an ecosystem (weeks 4 6), intra- and inter-specific interactions (weeks 6 – 11), as well as human impacts on
biodiversity and ecosystems (weeks 12 -13).
4. Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Describe in detail the diversity of species and habitats.
2. Examine the different levels of organization within the biosphere (i.e. individual, population,
community and ecosystem).
3. Assess the interactions between different species of organism, and between living things and the
physical environment.
4. Identify major environmental problems and categorize the scientific basis for evaluating and
addressing these problems.
5. Critically evaluate scientific research so as to determine how to identify scientific questions and
define research objectives, and how to apply the principles of experimental design, data collection
and analysis to draw a scientific conclusion.
5. Assessment Scheme
Midterm exam: 50%; Final exam: 50%
6. Student Learning Resources:
Recommended reading - Smith TM and Smith RL (2012) Elements of Ecology. Eighth Edition.
Pearson Education, Inc.
Relevant research articles will be provided through LMES before lectures
7. Teaching and Learning Activities
Three hours of lecture per week
8. Course Schedule
Week
Date
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
1/9
3/9
8/9
10/9
15/9
17/9
22/9
24/9
29/9
1/10
6/10
8/10
13/10
15/10
20/10
22/10
27/10
29/10
3/11
5/11
10/11
12/11
17/11
19/11
24/11
26/11
Topic
Introduction and background (Ch. 1)
The terrestrial environment (Ch. 4, 24)
The aquatic environment (Ch. 3, 25)
Land-water margins (Ch. 26)
Plant adaptations (Ch. 6)
Animal adaptations (Ch. 7)
Properties of populations (Ch. 8)
Population growth (Ch. 9)
Life history patterns (Ch. 10)
No lecture - Public Holiday
Life history patterns - continued
Instructor
IK
IK
IK
IK
IK
IK
IK
IK
IK
IK
Interspecific competition (Ch. 14)
IK
Midterm
IK
Predation (Ch. 15)
SL
Parasitism (Ch. 16)
SL
Mutualism (Ch. 16)
SL
Community structure and dynamics (Ch. 17 – 19)
SL
Large scale pattern of biodiversity (Ch. 27)
SL
Human impacts on natural ecosystems (Journal Articles)
SL