INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY (BISC 315L) FALL 2006



DRAFT (as of 5/09)

INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY (BISC 315L) FALL 2008

Syllabus* Lecture Class Number 133445R (file:BISC 315Lec-Lab syllabus Fall 08)

Laboratory Class Numbers 13300R (M) and 13301R (W)

Instructor: Gerald J. Bakus, Ph.D. Professor of Biology. (Course Administrator) AHF B-4A,

Tel. (213) 740-5790 Fax 213-740-8123 Email: bakus@usc.edu

TA: Roman Barco AHF 143 Office 213-740-1336 Cell 213-308-5293 Fax 213-740-

email: barco@usc.edu 8123

Textbook: Smith & Smith (2006) Elements of Ecology, Latest Edition (paperback) - required

Lecture: MW 2-3:30 ZHS 163 Laboratory: MW 3:30-6:20 ZHS 460

Office Hours: Bakus : WTh 11-12:30 Roman: TuTh 11-12:30

Course Information: URL: -for lecture material

In PowerPoint and PDF formats.

Blackboard:

Course Description: Organism-environment interactions; dynamics of populations,

communities, and ecosystems; evolutionary forces.

Date Lecture Topics Reading (Chapter)

Aug. 25 Introduction. Diversity of Ecosystems 1, 23-24

27 Diversity of Ecosystems 25

Sept. 1 Holiday

3 Modeling Ecosystems, Landscape Ecology 19, Handout

8 Sampling Methods, Biometrics, Multivariate

Analysis Handouts

10 Biogeography and Biodiversity 26

*** 13 Saturday Fieldtrip - Terrestrial 1 . BRING LUNCH AND WATER.

San Gabriel Mts. & Mojave Desert. Depart USC 9 a.m.

Return to USC approx. 6 p.m. BRING BINOCS AND CAMERA. Mandatory fieldtrip.

* It may be necessary to make some adjustments to the syllabus during the semester

p. 2 of 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date Lecture Topics Reading (Chapter)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sept. 15 Environmental Impact Assessments Handout (CD)

17 Risk Analysis, Decision Making Handout (CD)

22 Physical Environment, Soil, Plant Adaptations, 3-6, 21

Decomposition and Nutrient Recycling

24 Midterm 1 Lecture Examination (100 pts)

29 Fieldtrip (Marine - Palos Verdes) Depart 2 p.m. No lecture

0.3 ft @ 4:04 p.m. Wear jeans and old tennis shoes.

Bring water. Attend one trip only - on your lab day.

Oct. 1 Fieldtrip (Marine - Palos Verdes) Depart 3 p.m. No lecture

0.3 ft @ 5:20 p.m. Wear jeans and old tennis shoes.

Bring water. Attend one trip only - on your lab day.

6 Ecosystem Energetics 20

8 Biogeochemical Cycles, Global Climate Change, 7-8, 22, 29

Animal Adaptations, Life History Patterns

13 Fieldtrip (Castaic Lake) No lecture. Attend one trip only - on your lab day. Wear shorts & tennis shoes. Plan to wade in water and mud. Depart USC 2 p.m.

15 Fieldtrip (Castaic Lake) No lecture. Attend one trip only - on your lab day. Wear shorts & tennis shoes. Plan to wade in water and mud. Depart USC 2 p.m.

20 Natural Selection, Evolution 2

22 Species and Speciation 2

27 Properties of Populations, Population Growth 9-10

29 Intraspecific Population Regulation, Interspecific 11-13

Competition, Metapopulations

p. 3 of 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date Lecture Topics Reading (Chapter)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nov. 3 Fieldtrip (Terrestrial 2 - San Gabriel Mts.) Depart USC 2 p.m.

No lecture. Attend one trip only - on your lab day. Bring water.

5 Fieldtrip (Terrestrial 2 - San Gabriel Mts.) Depart USC 2 p.m.

No lecture. Attend one trip only - on your lab day. Bring water.

10 Midterm 2 Lecture Examination (100 pts)

12 Predation 14

17 Parasitism, Mutualism 15

19 Human Ecology 27-28

24 Community Structure 16

26 Community Function 17

Dec. 1 Community Dynamics 18

3 Chaos, Fractals, Artificial Neural Networks Handout (CD)

FINAL EXAMINATION: Friday December 12 2-4 p.m.

The final examination will cover lectures after Nov. 10

plus some questions on earlier lectures that tested poorly

on the midterm examinations or chapters not covered in lecture.

Total value for the final examination = 150 pts

No make-up exams! No extra credit points!

P. 4 of 4

IMPORTANT!

Last day to register and settle without late fees is August 22

Last day to register and add classes is September 12

Last day to drop a class without mark of "W" is September 12

Last day to change enrollment status to Pass/No Pass or Audit is September 12

Last day to purchase or waive Tuition Refund Insurance is September 12

Last day to drop a class with mark of "W" is November 14

Point Breakdown (Summary)

Midterm I Lecture Exam 100 pts

Midterm II Lecture Exam 100 pts

Final Lecture Exam 150 pts

Lecture Study Guides 50 pts

Lab & Field Trips 600 pts (see other handout for details)

Course Policy

See other handout for details.

INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY (BISC 315L) FALL 2008

Bakus (file: 315 Lec-Lab syl Fall08)

LABORATORY SYLLABUS*

Week Activity

(8/25-8/27) Computer Programs in Biology (hands-on – ZHS 257)

(9/1-9/3) Holiday - No lab

(9/8-9/10) Introduction/Organization. Grading Policy

Library Resources. Terrestrial Fieldtrip 1 Preparation.

Landscape Ecology Project.

(WEEKEND) TERRESTRIAL FIELD TRIP I Sept. 13 (Saturday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

(9/15-9/17) Terrestrial Field Trip I Follow-up.

Terrestrial videos.

(9/22-9/24 Marine Field Trip Preparation. Coral Reef Video.

(9/29-10/1) Marine Field Trip

(10/6-10/8) Marine Field Trip Follow-up.

Freshwater Field Trip Preparation. Lab Exam 1.

(10/13-10/15) Freshwater Field Trip

(10/20-10/22) Freshwater Field Trip Follow-up. Wetlands Video.

(10/27-10/29) Freshwater Field Trip Follow-up. Evolution Video.

Terrestrial Field Trip Preparation. Lab Exam 2.

(11/3-11/5) Terrestrial Field Trip II

(11/10-11/12) Terrestrial Field Trip II follow-up. Terrestrial Videos.

(11/17-11/19) Terrestrial Field Trip II follow-up. Terrestrial Videos

(11/24-11/26) No lab. Thanksgiving (Holiday

(12/1-12/3) Lab Exam 3

* It may be necessary to make some adjustments to the syllabus during the semester.

-----------------------

[pic]

[pic]

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download