Ecology

Overview

Course description

A study of the interaction of living organisms with their environment. Population and community dynamics are examined, ending with a consideration of how human activities have an impact on natural systems.

Course content

The major topics in the course include the following:

1. Biotic and abiotic components of environments including:

- terrestrial (including soils)

- freshwater

- marine

2. Ecosystems, including:

- dynamics of ecosystems

- food chains

- distribution and abundance of organisms, including competition/predation, spatial relations, numerical/logistic responses

3. Field Techniques

- soil analysis

- plant/animal identification

- quadrat/belt transect analysis

- lake/stream analysis

- intertidal sampling

4. Energy flow and nutrient cycles

- types of productivities

- factors affecting primary/secondary productivity

- trophic structure and ecological pyramids

- energy efficiencies

5. Analysis of population structures and dynamics

- population distribution and interactions

- spatial patterns in abundance

- niches

- ecological equivalents

- ecogeographic niches

- life tables

- predator/prey models

6. Community characteristics including:

- species diversity indices

- ecotones/edge effects

- primary/secondary succession

- equilibrium models

- alpha/beta diversity

- community complexity and diversity

7. Resource Management techniques and pollutants including:

- pest control techniques

- persistence and toxicity of pollutants

- environmental impact assessments

8. Major Environmental issues, including:

- toxic waste problems

- acid rain

- air pollutants

- environmental effects of a large dam

- other land use conflicts

Learning activities

This course involves 4 hours per week of classroom instruction and four hours per week of laboratory activity or field trip. Classroom work will include lectures and tutorials, and is integrated with textbook and scientific journal readings. Field trips and laboratory activities complement and enhance understanding of the theory content of the course.

Means of assessment

Class Tests & Assignments 10-20%

Lab & Field Trip Reports 10-20%

Term Project 10-20%

Midterm examination 20-30%

Final examinations 25-35%

TOTAL 100 %

___________________________________________________________________________________________

GRADES: A+ 95-100 A 90-94 A- 85-89 B+ 80-84 B 75-79

B- 70-74 C+ 65-69 C 60-64 C- 55-59 P 50-54 F 0-49

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will

Be able to describe the biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial, marine and fresh water environments.

Be able to describe the concept and ecosystem and the flow of energy through ecosystems.

Understand the cycling of nutrients through ecosystems.

Be able to describe population structures, growth and the factors that limit the distribution and abundance of populations.

Understand the various ways in which species interact, including competition, predation, and mutualism and related evolutionary responses.

Be able to describe community structure and the dynamics of community organization and change, including biodiversity and biogeography.

Be able to use general principles of ecology to describe the management of resources and the effects of human impacts on ecosystems.

Understand the principles of field sampling and be able to conduct field research using a variety of sampling techniques.

Be able to interpret field results, perform simple statistics and write reports.

Research and write a major report on an ecological topic, and communicate the results in an oral presentation and/or poster.

Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Smith, R.L. & Smith, T.M. (2001) Ecology & field biology, Sixth Edition. Benjamin Cummings.

Ricklefs, R.E. (2001) The economy of nature, Fifth Edition. W.H. Freeman and Company.

A current ecology text, as specified by the instructor will be required.

Requisites

Prerequisites

Biology 1210 with a C- or better grade

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

September 2004 (Current)