BIOL 412 General Ecology

Catalog Data: An introduction to the basic principles of

ecology. The science of ecology is examined from three levels: ecology of the individual, ecology of populations, and ecology of systems. Topics covered in this course will include the importance of abiotic factors; tolerance range; organization, growth and density of populations; community structure and coactions (e.g.herbivory, predation, parasitism; ecosystem structure and diversity; trophic structure; energy flow; nutrient cycles; succession; biome systems; the place of humans in nature, and the results of human activity in the ecosystem including pollution, conservation, health, land use, and human populations.

  • Lecture: 3 credits.
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 112. Junior or senior standing. Offered in odd numbered Spring semesters.

Text: The Science of Ecology. R. Brewer. 2nd. Ed. Saunders College Publishing.

Prerequisites

by topic:

  • To have developed the necessary skills in observation, data collection, data analysis and writing to be able to write a major experimental paper.
  • To know the basic principles of animal and plant physiology, biochemistry and genetics.
  • To identify the major taxonomic groups within the five kingdoms and to know their distinguishing characteristics.
  • To know biological terminology, basic geography and chemistry.
  • To participate in the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory trip.

Professor and

Course Coordinator:Bro. A. Edward Salgado, FSC, Ph.D.,

Associate Professor of Biology.

  • Home page:
  • Office: Science Building Room 203X
  • Office Phone: 901-321-3450, ext. 3450
  • FAX: 901-321-4433
  • Email:

Office hoursClass schedule

MTWRF 8:30 - 10:30MWF 1:00 - 1:50 AM BIOL 412

T 1:00 - 1:50 AM BIOL 462

MT 2:00 - 4:00 T 1:00 - 1:50 AM BIOL 464

W 2:00 - 4:50 AMBIOL 412L

Attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures.

Attendance will be taken. Any student who has missed a total of 8 lectures may be withdrawn from the course, or given a mark of "F" at my discretion. Please, refer to page 35 of the CBU Catalog. Missing exams is a SERIOUS matter. Make up exams are not given unless prior approval has been obtained from the instructor. Make-up examscannot be made up. Students should expect the questions and the style of the make-up exam to be different. There is no make up for quizzes. There is not make-up for the final exam.

Food and drink are not allowed in the classroom. Cellular telephones, beepers, alarm watches and any other instrument with alarm must be turned off in class.

Students may not leave the room once the lecture has started.

Make sure your travelling plans DO NOT interfere

with the final exam schedule. Do not ask for an

early final exam.

Evaluation: 4 full-period exams x 100 pts = 400 pts

4 quizzes x 20 pts = 80 pts

1 final examx 100 pts = 100

TOTAL ...... = 580 pts

No grade will be dropped. The final grade is the percent of earned points. The final grade is NOT based on a curve.

Grades: A = 90 - 100

B = 80 - 89

C = 70 - 79

D = 60 - 69

F = below 60

TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

WEEK LECTURE TOPICCHAPTER

1 Aug. 19Ecology defined; Principles 1-2

Energy balance; ecotypes; dispersal 2

2 Aug. 26Abiotic factors: climate, soil… 3

Population growth 4

Population growth and regulation 4

3 Sep. 2Population organization 5

Population and evolution 5

4 Sep. 9Test #1 1-5

Foraging, herbivory 6

Predation, mimicry, etc. 6

5 Sep. 16Parasitism, commensalism, saprobism 7

Interspecific competition 8

Mathematical representation 8

6 Sep. 23Mutualism 9

Community structure 10

Competition; ecological diversity 10

7 Sep. 30Food Chains; energy flow 11

Biomass, productivity, efficiency 11

Test #2 6-11

8 Oct. 7Biogeochemistry 12

Nutrient cycles 12

Fluctuations, succession 13

9 Oct. 14FALL BREAK, 10/14-18

10 Oct. 21Climax communities; stability 13

Paleoecology 14

Field trip to the gulf of Mexico

11 Oct. 28Temperate deciduous forest 15

Southeastern evergreen forest 15

Test #3 11-15

12 Nov. 4Arctic and alpine tundra 16

Grassland, deserts, tropical biomes 17

13 Nov. 11Lakes, ponds and streams 18

Oceans 18

14 Nov. 18Wetlands and special habitats 18

Wildlife management 19

Biodiversity and preservation 19

15 Nov. 25Pollutants: types and effects 20

Water and atmospheric pollution 20

Test #4 16-20

16 Dec. 2Energy sources; farming 21

Land use; world population; 21

18Final Exams

Fall '02