Sala, Anna

English

University of Montana

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Syllabi Course Syllabi Fall 9-1-2001 BIOL 121N.01: Introductory Ecology Anna Sala University of Montana - Missoula, sala@mso.umt.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation Sala, Anna, "BIOL 121N.01: Introductory Ecology" (2001). Syllabi. 5383. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/5383 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. BIO 121 INTRODUCTORY ECOLOGY COURSE SYLLABUS FALL 2001   Instructor:  Dr. Anna Sala.  Contact:  Natural Sciences 117. Phone: 243 6009. Email: sala@selway.umt.edu  Meeting days/time: Tuesday and Thursday 12:40 - 2 p.m.  Room:  BOT 307  Office hours: Tuesday 4:00-5:00 p.m. and Thursday 3:00-5:00 p.m.  Course Content: Introductory Ecology (BIOL 121) is a course for undergraduate students taking their first ecology course.  My goal is to provide students with sufficient ecological background to appreciate the complexity of natural systems and to understand daily life ecological and environmental issues. The course is appropriate for students of all disciplines with an interest in the areas of ecology, environmental science, or general biology. The first part of the course will concentrate on how the physical environment shapes the natural world in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.  We will see how living organisms interact with factors such as temperature, water, light and other environmental features. The second part of the course will focus on the collective characteristics of populations (groups of organisms of a single species), such as distribution, geographic dispersion, dynamics and growth. How organisms interact with each other (e.g. competition, predation, mutualisms) will be the focus of the third part of the course. The features of natural communities in which populations of different organisms interact, and the main properties of the ecosystems they live in, will occupy the fourth part of the course. Our goal here will be to provide a framework for understanding the dynamics of communities and movement of energy and elements within ecological systems.   Classroom attendance is essential and mandatory.  Your participation in class is very important. Because this is a non-major class, I realize many students will have little science background. Therefore, questions at all levels are encouraged. Your comments and questions in class will stimulate discussion and help other students to clarify concepts. Even if you are not pursuing a science-oriented career, my goal is to provide students with a solid ecological background to deal with daily life ecological and environmental issues.   Text: Molles, M.C. Jr. 1999. Ecology: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill.  The textbook should be used as a reference to clarify class notes. The textbook also offers excellent web resources.   Examinations: there will be two in-session exams (100 points each), and a final exam (150 points). All exams will be largely based on class notes.  The final exam will be partially comprehensive. Each exam will consist of a set of objective questions (multiple choice) as well as short-answer questions (subjective). No make-up exams will be made unless justified arrangements have been made prior to the scheduled time.   BIO 121            Tentative Class Schedule                            Fall 2001 Dr. Anna Sala  (Exam dates will remain unchanged)  REVISED SYLLABUS FOR MOLLES 1999   Date Topic    Pages  9/4 Course Introduction  1-9  9/6 Climate   16-18       9/11  Climate (cont.) and Soils 456-460      470-472 9/13 Responses to Physical Factors:   Energy and Nutrients   136-157  9/18 Responses to Physical Factors: Water    110-134  9/20 Responses to Physical Factors: Temperature   85-108  9/25  Terrestrial Biomes   19-29 Tropical Forest    Tropical Dry Forest Savanna  Desert  9/27  Terrestrial Biomes (cont.) 29-34 Woodland and Shrubland Temperate Grassland Temperate Forest  10/2  Terrestrial Biomes (cont.) 34-40  Temperate Forest (cont.)  Boreal Forest   Tundra  10/4  Review  10/9  EXAM I  10/11  Life in Water  Oceans   49-66  10/16 Life in Water (cont.)  67-77  Rivers and Streams  Lakes  10/18  Social Relations  Not Covered  Date Topic    Pages  10/23  Populations: Genetics     and Natural Selection Not Covered  10/25 Populations: Distribution     and Abundance   163-185  10/30  Populations: Dynamics  187-207  11/1  Population Growth  209-226  11/6  Life Histories Not Covered  11/8  Review  11/13  EXAM II   11/15 Species Interactions:  Competition   231-251  11/20  Species Interactions:  Exploitation   254-278  11/22 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY  11/27  Species Interactions:  Mutualism   280-299  11/29  Communities and Ecosystems:  Species Diversity  303-321  12/4  Communities and Ecosystems:  Food Webs   323-341  12/6  Communities and Ecosystems:  Primary Production  343-361  12/11  Communities and Ecosystems:  Nutrient Cycling  363-380  12/13 Communities and Ecosystems:  Succession and Stability  382-404  TBD REVIEW  12/18  FINAL EXAM 3:20-5:20 p.m. 

BIOL 121N.01: Introductory Ecology

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BIOL 121N.01: Introductory Ecology

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