ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 325: FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGY

FALL QUARTER, 2009

 

Instructor: Dr. David Wallin Office: AH310 Phone: 650-7526 e-mail: david.wallin@wwu.edu
Text: Ecology: Concepts and Application (5th Edition), by Manuel C. Molles;

NOTE: Used copies of the 1st , 2nd, 3rd and 4th Edition of this book may be available.  For most of course, these earlier editions will have nearly the same material.  Note that some of the chapters change from one edition to the next and the later editions have a chapter or two that are not in the earlier editions.  In some cases, the chapter content remains more or less the same but the chapter title is somewhat different and the order of the chapter may change.  You are responsible for insuring that the copy you use has comparable material to the 5th edition text that I am using.  Note that the 5th edition just came out.  Although the upfront cost of buying this text new is higher, you will probably be able to resell this text at the end of the quarter.  In contrast, the upfront cost for the 4th edition (or an even earlier edition) will be lower but these older editions probably will have little, if any, resale value.  If you are the inclined to keep your books for future reference, then buying the 4th edition is probably the most cost-effective option.  On the other hand, if you are inclined to sell your books at the end of the quarter, then buying a new 5th edition text is probably the most cost-effective option.  It’s your choice.

Class Meeting: MWF 10:00-10:50, Room: ES413

Office Hours: MW 11:00 - 12:00, TTh 2:00-3:00 (sign-up on office door) and by appointment.
Additional readings as assigned: Most, if not all of these additional readings will be available online.  I may also have a class notebook on reserve in the Huxley College Library (ES545).

Prerequisites: As noted in the WWU Bulletin and the online Classfinder, One year of biology (Biol 204, 205, 206) AND one year of general chemistry (Chem 121, 122, 123) must be completed prior to enrolling in ESCI 325.  If you have not completed these courses, you SHOULD NOT enroll in ESCI 325.  Just in case you are wondering if having these prerequisites really matters, click here

Grades:  1. Midterm exam 45%
                2. Final exam 45%
                3. Homework 10%
              

Late Assignments: grades reduced by 5%/day if turned in late without a valid excuse (illness, family crisis, etc.)

Academic Dishonesty: There has been a substantial increase in the number of cases of Academic Dishonesty in recent years.  For this reason, all faculty members have been instructed by the Registrar’s Office to provide students with explicit information about Academic Dishonesty.  Briefly stated, lying, cheating and stealing will not be tolerated in any form.  Actions of this type will result in severe consequences that could include a failing grade in the class and dismissal from the university.  Hopefully, this does not come as a surprise to anyone.  All students should review Appendix D, Academic Dishonesty Policy and Procedure in the back of the University Catalog  for a more detailed discussion of what constitutes academic dishonesty.  For more information see the WWU Plagiarism Information Web Site.

 

Grading: A =93; A- 90-92; B+ 88-89; B 83-87; B- 80-82; C+ 78-79; C 73-77; C- 70-72; D+ 68-69; D 63-67 D- 60-62; F 0-59

Tentative Schedule: CHECK HERE FOR UPDATES TO THIS SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE TERM!  Due dates for assignments, exam and lecture schedule may change through the quarter.


Last Updated: 8/31/09

 

Topic

5th Edition Book Chapters & Supplementary Readings

Week 0
9/23-25

Introduction to Ecology: Historical Foundations and Developing Frontiers

SECTION 1: NATURAL HISTORY AND EVOLUTION
Population Genetics and Natural Selection

1, 4 & papers by J.R. Platt (Click here to view this paper) and another paper by Jerry Coyne (Click here to view this paper)

Week 1
9/28 -10/2

 Life on Land; Life on Water

2, 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_Floatees, tubtoys_ocean_circ.pdf

Week 2
10/5-9

 SECTION II: ADAPTATIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Temperature and Water Relations

5, 6 & paper by Waring and Franklin waring_and_franklin_1979.pdf

Sharks in fresh water(1)

Sharks in fresh water (2)

Week 3
10/12-15

 Energy and Nutrient Relations

7

Week 4
10/19-23

 SECTION III: POPULATION ECOLOGY
Population Distribution and Abundance, Population Dynamics
Click here for homework assignment: Mountain Goat Population Dynamics

9, 10

Week 5
10/26 – 30

 Population Growth  

*** DUE DATE FOR Homework Assignment: 10/30***

In class, several people have asked about the ln, the natural log.  There is lots of information about this on the web.  Here is one good source of information:

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.e.html

*** DATE FOR MIDTERM EXAM: 11/2.***

 

11

Week 6
11/2-6

Life Histories

SECTION IV: INTERACTIONS
Competition
Exploitation: Predation, Herbivory, Parasitism and Disease

12, 13, 14

Nalini Nadkarni: "How many trees per person?"

Week 7
11/9-13

Mutualism
SECTION V: COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS Species Abundance and Diversity
Optional Writing Assignment

15, 16

Week 8
11/16-20

Species Interactions and Community Structure, Primary Production and Energy Flow  

17, 18

Week 9
11/23-27

Nutrient Cycling and Retention
Succession and Stability

Click here for Second Homework Assignment: A Simple Forest Carbon Budget

NOTE: We will have class on Wednesday, 11/25.

THANKSGIVING BREAK 11/27-28

19, 20, PNW Carbon Budget Lecture

 

Week 10
11/30-12/4

SECTION VI: LARGE SCALE ECOLOGY

Landscape Ecology, Geographic Ecology, Global Ecology

*** Homework Assignment Due 11/30***

21, 22, 23

Finals Week
12/7-11

 Check University’s Timetable of Classes for date and time of final exam Click here for the WWU Online Final Exam Schedule

 

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