BIOL 321: Ecology                Fall 2005

Instructor: Dr. Christopher J. Paradise
Office: Watson 272
Phone: 894-2890
e-mail: chparadise@davidson.edu
Office hours: Monday 1:30-3:20; Tuesday 9:30-11:20; Friday 9:30-10:20, by appointment, and anytime I’m in my office and my door is open.

Class meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30-9:20, Chambers 1027
Laboratory meets on Tuesday 1:00-4:00 (A) or Wednesday 1:30-4:30 (B) either in Watson 243 or, if going in the field, at another announced location.

Prerequisite: Biology 111 and 112; or permission

Bush, Mark B (2003) Ecology of a Changing Planet (3^rd ed.).  Prentice Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Paradise CJ (2005) Ecology Laboratory and Field Manual. Davidson College, Davidson, NC. (Available for download - see Laboratory Syllabus below)

            By the end of the course you should be able to understand and critically examine many facets this science, including (but not limited to): 1) the interrelatedness of the environment, 2) the link between ecology and evolution, 3) population growth and biotic interactions among populations, 4) the ecosystem concept, 5) the links between community stability and diversity, and 6) the ecological impacts of humans on the environment and our place in the world.  In addition, this course will continue your development of critical thinking, written and verbal communication, quantitative reasoning, and experimental design skills.  See separate laboratory syllabus for laboratory format.

Group Activities: There will be four group self-directed learning activities during the course of the semester.  You will be asked to address four major ecological questions or topics with two of your classmates.  Each activity will involve significant in-class work, but will also require you and your group mates to work outside of class to prepare for the in-class assignments.  In addition, evidence of outside work will be presented as weekly reports and written group summaries.  Each group activity will be worth 50 points, and most of that will be a group score.

Writing Assignments: There will be one writing assignment, an essay (6-8 pages in length).  The format will be discussed in class, but the topic will be from one of the group activities.  This paper will be worth 100 points, equal to 10% of your course grade.  All papers must be typed and double-spaced with 2.5 cm margins, with your name and title at the top of the first page (no title page).

Class Participation and Attendance: Be prepared for each class, whether the format for that day will be lecture, group activities, or class discussion.  Material covered in lecture will supplement the text, and understanding the lecture will depend on your reading before class.  Additionally, problem-based learning exercises will be used in class, and they will require preparation prior to class.  Unavoidable absences may occur, and in such cases, will require a legitimate excuse.  The first absence for which there is no valid excuse will result in a 10% deduction from your Attendance grade.  Each subsequent absence will result in a further 20% deduction.  If you miss four classes, for example, you will lose 70 points (7% of your grade). 

            Tardiness is not acceptable.  I start on time, and I expect you to be in class or at a meeting place when I begin; I will not wait for anyone for field trips.  It’s distracting and disrespectful to come in late, and unless you have a valid excuse (oversleeping for this 8:30 class is not acceptable), it will affect your grade.  If you are going to be absent or late and think you have a valid excuse, see or e-mail me regarding the missed time.  This applies to assignments; any assignment not turned in on time, and without a valid excuse, will receive an automatic 10% deduction, with another 20% for each additional day it is late.

EVALUATION
        Grades will be assigned using the following scale.  If you are unsure about your standing, please contact me:  

         Final grades will be based on 1000 points to be distributed as follows;

HONOR CODE, ACADEMIC DISHONESTY, AND PLAGIARISM
        You will pledge all assignments in this course under the Honor Code.  For writing assignments, it is important that you understand and are aware of proper citation procedures.  Please see the Department of Biology’s statement on plagiarism at http://www.bio.davidson.edu/dept/plagiarism.html.  There is a link to this site on our Ecology home page, and I will also provide formatting instructions for citations and references in handouts and on the ecology web page.

BIOL 321: Ecology Laboratory                Fall 2005

Instructor: Dr. Christopher J. Paradise

MATERIALS:  Paradise (2005) Bio 321: Ecology Laboratory & Field Manual; graph paper; calculator; proper clothes for field (shoes, not sandals; hat; etc.)

Laboratory meets on Monday 1:30-4:30 or Tuesday 1:00-4:00, Watson 243

MATERIALS:  Paradise (2003) Bio 321: Ecology Laboratory & Field Manual; graph paper; calculator; proper clothes for field (shoes, not sandals; hat; etc.)

ASSIGNMENTS, PARTICIPATION & EVALUATION

Writing Assignments: There will be 3 laboratory reports, or portions thereof.  The format will be based on a scientific paper, and will be discussed in class.  Each report will be worth 100 points, and will be prepared individually.  For each report, you will write two or more sections of the report, depending on the assignment.  Your paper must be typed and double-spaced with 2.5 cm margins.  There will also be other short, in-class (usually), assignments from exercises not subject to laboratory reports.

Class Participation and Attendance: Because this is an interactive laboratory course, active participation is critical.  I expect you to be present and to actively partake in the exercises.  Participation and attendance are part of your overall course grade (see above) and includes the laboratory and field.

Evaluation: The laboratory portion of your grade will be based on a total of 250 points to be distributed as follows; 1) three reports (300 points total); and 3) participation and attendance (included in overall P&A).

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