How To Pass An Ecology Course

Transcription

1 School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math EVSP416 General Ecology 3 Credit Hours 8 Weeks Prerequisite(s): SCIN130 - Introduction to Biology with Lab or BIOL133 - General Biology I with Lab Instructor Information Course Description Course Scope Course Objectives Course Delivery Method Course Resources Evaluation Procedures Grading Scale Course Outline Policies Academic Services Selected Bibliography Instructor Information Instructor: See information provided in the Syllabus link in the classroom Please use the internal classroom messaging system Course Description (Catalog) This course provides an intensive treatment of the field of ecology. Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions among organisms and their environment, which explains the distribution and dynamics of organisms, their traits, and the effects that they have on the natural world. Students will learn that ecology is an integrative discipline that draws from

2 various fields of biology (physiology, morphology, behavior, evolution) and natural sciences (e.g., geology and chemistry), as well as other disciplines (e.g., economics and social sciences). The focus of the course will be on identifying and recommending solutions to ecological problems, e.g., habitat destruction and fragmentation, biodiversity, global environmental change, desertification, acidification of the oceans, and others. (Prerequisite: BIOL133 or SCIN130) Course Scope This course seeks to introduce students to the study of ecology based on historical research and contemporary issues. There are no science pre-requisites; however, an understanding of basic principles of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics will be helpful in understanding general ecology concepts. Students will learn core concepts in ecology based on readings in a central textbook, independent homework assignments, and a microcosm project. Course Objectives After successfully completing this course, you will be able to: LO-1 Summarize the conceptual foundations of the field of ecology. LO-2 Assess the issues facing ecological systems in the U.S. and on the global scale. LO-3 Explain the term conservation biology and the impact of humans on the landscape. LO-4 Demonstrate how mathematical models are used to inform decision making in the field of ecology. LO-5 Evaluate literature that examines ecological theories and practices. LO-6 Analyze scientific data in terms of its real world application. Course Delivery Method This course delivered via distance learning will enable students to complete academic work in a flexible manner, completely online. Course materials and access to an online learning management system will be made available to each student. Online assignments are due by Sunday evening of the week as noted and include forum questions (accomplished in groups through a threaded forum), examination, and individual assignments submitted for review by

3 the faculty member. Assigned faculty will support the students throughout this eight-week course. Course Resources Required Course Textbooks Smith, T.M., & Smith, R.L. (2012). Elements of ecology (8th ed.). New York, NY: Benjamin Cummings. ISBN-10: ; ISBN-13: This textbook is available to APUS students as an e-book. Additional Resources: Please go to the program guides in the APUS Library for additional resources: Environmental Science: Environmental Policy and Management: Software Requirements Microsoft Office (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint) - American Public University System provides Microsoft Office 365 to AMU/APU students and faculty at no cost Adobe Acrobat Reader Evaluation Procedures Evaluation of Assignments: Forum Participation: Students are to respond to the questions posted on the weekly forum. Postings should be well thought out and address each assigned weekly forum topic. Students should conduct scholarly research to support each forum post. Pure opinion should not be presented, as this is a scientific course. Along with their original thread and follow-up discussion within that thread addressing questions from classmates and the instructor, students are required to post substantial scholarly responses to at least two other student forum threads to discuss the concepts

4 presented. Initial posts are required to cite at least one reference source using APA style (see further details below). See the Forum Grading Rubric in the Forums section of the classroom for further guidance. Homework Assignments: Four assignments (HW A-D) will focus on applying concepts covered in the weekly readings and discussions. Homework assignments may include quantitative datasets or models to help students investigate general ecological theory and application of data collection and experimentation. Assignments will be graded on correctness and completion. Specific assignment topics include: HW-A Setting up the microcosm, HW-B Critical analysis of biotic adaptations; HW-C Population modeling/species interactions using quantitative data set, and HW-D Basic calculations in community ecology. Assessments 1, 2 & 3: Questions will be in the form of true/false, multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and/or essay. Anticipate an essay question for each major topic covered. You will be given unlimited time to complete each assessment, although you will only be allowed one access/submission in the classroom. Assessments are open book/open notes. Course Project: The major course project will include the establishment and observation of a microcosm, built by the student with local available resources. There are two parts to the course project: a presentation overview, which will be shared with your peers in the Week 8 Forum, and a paper. The presentation with incorporate a total of 10 slides in Microsoft Power Point, Open Office Impress, or a similar slide show style program. Each slide will include a narration (either audio or in the 'notes' below the presentation) explaining the microcosm study. A template for what goes on each slide will be provided in the EVSP416 classroom. The paper will be a more in-depth review of the microcosm project. It will include three sections on MICROCOSM DESIGN, explaining the microcosm study (1-2 pages); APPLIED ECOLOGY, identifying three course concepts and explaining how they were addressed or applied to the microcosm study (1-2 pages); and FUTURE RESEARCH, explaining how the experiment could be expanded or redesigned to address three outstanding research questions in ecology (1-2 pages). The total paper length should not exceed 3-4 pages. Papers should be typewritten in double-spaced format using Times New Roman styles, 12-point text size. Page margins Top, Bottom, Left Side and Right Side = 1 inch, with reasonable accommodation being made for special situations and online submission variances. Your final grade will be based on the following course requirements: Grade Instruments Points Forums 3 points each) 24 Homework Assignments 4 points each) 16 Assessments 15 points each) 45 Course Project 15

5 Total Week Course Outline Please see the Student Handbook to reference the University grading scale.

6 Week Topic Learning Objectives Readings Assignment 1 2 The Physical Environment The Organism and Its Environment 3 Populations 4 Species Interactions LO-1 Summarize the conceptual foundations of the field of ecology LO-4 Demonstrate how mathematical models are used to inform decision making in the field of ecology LO-6 Analyze scientific data in terms of its real world application LO-1 Summarize the conceptual foundations of the field of ecology LO-6 Analyze scientific data in terms of its real world application LO-4 Demonstrate how mathematical models are used to inform decision making in the field of ecology LO-6 Analyze scientific data in terms of its real world application Ch 1 The Nature of Ecology Ch 2 Climate Ch 3 The Aquatic Environment Ch 4 The Terrestrial Environment Ch 5 Ecological Genetics: Adaptation and Natural Selection Ch 6 Plant Adaptations to the Environment Ch 7 Animal Adaptations to the Environment Ch 8 Properties of Populations Ch 9 Population Growth Ch 10 Life History Ch 11 Intraspecific Population Regulation Ch 12 Metapopulations Ch 13 Species Interactions, Population Dynamics, and Natural Selection Ch 14 - Interspecific Competition Ch 15 Predation Ch 16 Parasitism and Mutualism Forum #1 HW-A Forum #2 HW-B Forum #3 Assessment 1 Forum #4 HW-C

7 Week Topic Learning Objectives Readings Assignment Community Ecology Ecosystem Ecology Ecological Biogeography LO-4 Demonstrate how mathematical models are used to inform decision making in the field of ecology LO-5 Evaluate literature that examines ecological theories and practices. LO-2 Assess the issues facing ecological systems in the U.S. and on the global scale LO-3 Explain the term conservation biology and the impact of humans on the landscape LO-4 Demonstrate how mathematical models are used to inform decision making in the field of ecology LO-1 Summarize the conceptual foundations of the field of ecology LO-2 Assess the issues facing ecological systems in the U.S. and on the global scale LO-3 Explain the term conservation biology and the impact of humans on the landscape LO-5 Evaluate literature that examines ecological theories and practices. LO-6 Analyze scientific data in terms of its real world application Ch 17 Community Structure Ch 18 Factors Influencing the Structure of Communities Ch 19 Community Dynamics Ch 20 Landscape Dynamics Ch 21 Ecosystem Energetics Ch 22 Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling Ch 23 Biogeochemical Cycles Ch 24 Terrestrial Ecosystems Ch 25 Aquatic Ecosystems Ch 26 Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems Ch 27 Large-scale Patterns of Biological Diversity Forum #5 HW-D Forum #6 Assessment 2 Forum #7 Course Project

8 Week Topic Learning Objectives Readings Assignment 8 Human Ecology LO-2 Assess the issues facing ecological systems in the U.S. and on the global scale LO-3 Explain the term conservation biology and the impact of humans on the landscape LO-5 Evaluate literature that examines ecological theories and practices. LO-6 Analyze scientific data in terms of its real world application Ch 28 Population Growth, Resource Use, and Sustainability Ch 29 Habitat Loss, Biodiversity, and Conservation Ch 30 Global Climate Change Forum #8 Assessment 3 Policies Please see the Student Handbook to reference all University policies. Quick links to frequently asked question about policies are listed below. Drop/Withdrawal Policy Plagiarism Policy Extension Process and Policy Disability Accommodations Writing Expectations All written submissions should be submitted in a font and page set-up that is readable and neat. It is recommended that students try to adhere to a consistent format, which is described below. Typewritten in double-spaced format with a readable style and font and submitted inside the electronic classroom (unless classroom access is not possible and other arrangements have been approved by the professor). Times New Roman or Arial 12-point font styles. Page margins Top, Bottom, Left Side and Right Side = 1 inch, with reasonable accommodation being made for special situations and online submission variances. Citation and Reference Style Attention Please: Students will follow the APA Style 6th edition as the sole citation and reference style used in written work submitted as part of coursework to the University.

9 Assignments completed in a narrative essay or composition format must follow the citation style cited in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th edition). Late Assignments Students are expected to submit classroom assignments by the posted due date and to complete the course according to the published class schedule. As adults, students, and working professionals, I understand you must manage competing demands on your time. Should you need additional time to complete an assignment, please contact me before the due date so we can discuss the situation and determine an acceptable resolution. Submission of late assignments without prior approval is unacceptable and may result in the awarding of zero points for the assignment. Repeated late submission of assignments may result in failure of the course. It is the class professor who will make the final determination if late work will or will not receive points. Netiquette Online universities promote the advancement of knowledge through positive and constructive debate both inside and outside the classroom. Forums on the Internet, however, can occasionally degenerate into needless insults and flaming. Such activity and the loss of good manners are not acceptable in a university setting basic academic rules of good behavior and proper Netiquette must persist. Remember that you are in a place for the rewards and excitement of learning, which does not include descent to personal attacks or student attempts to stifle the forum of others. Technology Limitations: While you should feel free to explore the full-range of creative composition in your formal papers, keep layouts simple. The Sakai classroom may not fully support MIME or HTML encoded messages, which means that bold face, italics, underlining, and a variety of color-coding or other visual effects will not translate in your messages. Humor Note: Despite the best of intentions, jokes and especially satire can easily get lost or taken seriously. If you feel the need for humor, you may wish to add emoticons to help alert your readers: ;-), : ), Disclaimer Statement Course content may vary from the outline to meet the needs of this particular group. APUS Online Library

10 The APUS Online Library is available to enrolled students and faculty from inside the electronic campus. This is your starting point for access to online books, subscription periodicals, and Web resources that are designed to support your classes and generally not available through search engines on the open Web. In addition, the APUS Online Library provides access to special learning resources, which the University has contracted to assist with your studies. Questions can be directed to Charles Town Library and Inter Library Loan: The University maintains a special library with a limited number of supporting volumes, collection of our professors publication, and services to search and borrow research books and articles from other libraries. Electronic Books: You can use the online library to uncover and download over 50,000 titles, which have been scanned and made available in electronic format. Electronic Journals: The University provides access to over 12,000 journals, which are available in electronic form and only through limited subscription services. Tutor.com: AMU and APU Civilian & Coast Guard students are eligible for 10 free hours of tutoring provided by APUS. Tutor.com connects you with a professional tutor online 24/7 to provide help with assignments, studying, test prep, resume writing, and more. Tutor.com is tutoring the way it was meant to be. You get expert tutoring whenever you need help, and you work one-to-one with your tutor in your online classroom on your specific problem until it is done. Turnitin.com Faculty may require assignments be submitted to Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com will analyze a paper and report instances of potential plagiarism for the student to edit before submitting it for a final grade. Turnitin.com is now integrated into the Sakai classroom, and students submitting work in the classroom acknowledge that the work is also being run through Turnitin.com for review. Selected Bibliography The Ecological Society of America (ESA) offers several academic journals of great interest to students in the field of ecology including Ecosphere, Ecology, Ecological Monographs, Ecological Applications, and Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

11 Selected Books: Day, Jr., J. W., Hall, C. S. A., Kemp, W. M., & Yáñez-Arancibia, A. (1989). Estuarine ecology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keddy, P. A. (2010). Wetlands ecology: Principles and conservation (2 nd ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Odum, E. P. (1971). Fundamentals of ecology (3 rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders Company. Odum, E. P. (1998). Ecological vignettes: Ecological approaches to dealing with human predicaments. Printed in India. Harwood Academic Publishers. Odum, H. T. (1994). Ecological and general systems: An introduction to systems ecology (revised edition). Niwot, CO: University Press of Colorado. Odum, H. T. (2007). Environment, power, and society for the twenty-first century: The hierarchy of energy. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Real, L. A., & Brown, J. H. (Eds.). (1991). Foundations of ecology: Classic papers with commentaries. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.