Fall 2009
T Th 1400 to 1515 h (sect 001)
T Th 1700 to 1815 h (sect 003)
Instructors:
Dr. Kelly B. Miller, Assistant Professor
Dr. Helen J. Wearing, Assistant Professor
Office Hours:
Miller – (First 8 weeks); F 0900-1100h, or by appointment; Room 152
Castetter Hall
Wearing – (Second 8 weeks); M 0930-1130h, or by appointment; Room 106
Castetter Hall
Text.
Freeman, S. et al. 2004. Biological
Sciences. You may use either the 2nd or 3rd
edition. Additional readings may be assigned periodically; these will be
available from the reserve desk at Centennial Library and/or on
e-reserves.
Course Description.
The course covers basic concepts of ecology and evolution including:
Darwinian principles, origin of the earth, the fossil record and
diversification of ancient life, evolution of populations, origin of
species, phylogenetics, introduction to ecology and the biosphere,
organismal ecology, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology
and conservation biology.
NOTE: Enrollment in lab (203L) is
required.
Cara Lea Council-Garcia (ccouncil@unm.edu; Room 66 Castetter Hall)
coordinates all labs and teaching assistants.
Grades.
Lecture grades will be based on four exams.
These generally consist mostly of short answer and/or short essay
questions and require a calculator.
Please note that calculators
cannot be shared during exams.
Lecture and Lab scores are combined for the total course grade.
Letter grades are assigned from a percentile scale with 90 and above
= A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D, and anything below 60 = F.
Missed exams.
Best advice -don’t miss any exams. Exams may be taken only at the
indicated time, unless prior
arrangements have been made with the instructors. If you miss an examination
you must provide a written medical excuse
within 48 hours.
If the instructors accept
the excuse, the grade will be prorated from the other three exams.
No makeup exams will be given.
Missing two exams, for any reason, will result in a failing grade.
Readings.
Readings are listed in the course schedule. Keep up with the readings!
Attendance.
You are not required to attend lecture (word to the wise – students who
don’t attend lecture generally do very poorly in the course).
You are, however, required to attend lab.
Note that it is your responsibility to request accommodations for individual
learning needs. We will make
any reasonable attempt to accommodate qualified students with disabilities,
provided that such requests are made in a timely manner.
For further information, contact one of the instructors or Student
Support Services within the Center for Academic Program Support (277.3506).
Academic Integrity.
We will not tolerate any academic dishonesty. Students who cheat will fail
the course.
Clickers.
Clickers are required for the second 8 weeks of this class (for use in Dr.
Wearing's lectures). If you have already purchased an iClicker remote for
another class, there is no need to purchase another. Please note that
clickers can be purchased in used condition, as long as you register the
clicker ID number under your own name. In most class sessions, I will ask
one or two questions that you will answer using your clickers. The main
purpose of these is for me to determine which concepts you have mastered and
which concepts need further explanation. I will allocate 15 out of the 300
points (5%) for tests III and IV to a “clicker grade”. Because the purpose
of clicker questions is to provide you and I with feedback, most of your
clicker grade (12pts) is awarded on the basis of participation, regardless
of whether you get the answer correct. A small number of points (3pts) are
given for answering the question correctly.
Course Schedule.
|
Week |
Date |
Lecture |
Text chapter
(2nd / 3rd) |
|
1 |
25 Aug |
Introduction, History of
Evolutionary Thought |
23, 24 |
|
|
27 Aug |
Natural Selection |
23, 24 |
|
2 |
1 Sep |
Populations, Types of
Selection |
24, 25 |
|
|
3 Sep |
Random evolution, Modern
Synthesis, Variation |
24, 25 |
|
3 |
8 Sep |
Nonrandom Selection |
24, 25 |
|
|
10 Sep |
Species and Speciation |
25, 26 |
|
4 |
15 Sep |
Species and Speciation |
25, 26 |
|
|
17 Sep |
Test I |
|
|
5 |
22 Sep |
Systematics and Taxonomy |
26, 27 |
|
|
24 Sep |
Phylogenetics |
26, 27 |
|
6 |
29 Sep |
Origins and history of life |
26, 27 |
|
|
1 Oct |
History of Life and Major
groups |
26, 27 |
|
7 |
6 Oct |
Diversity of Bacteria,
Archaea, Protists, Plants |
27-29, 28-30 |
|
|
8 Oct |
Diversity of Fungi, Animals,
Viruses |
30-34, 31-35 |
|
8 |
13 Oct |
Test II |
|
|
|
15 Oct |
Fall Break |
|
|
9 |
20 Oct |
Introduction to Ecology |
50 |
|
|
22 Oct |
Organismal Ecology |
|
|
10 |
27 Oct |
Demography and Life History |
52 |
|
|
29 Oct |
Population Growth and
Regulation |
|
|
11 |
3 Nov |
Population Dynamics |
|
|
|
5 Nov |
Species Interactions |
53 |
|
12 |
10 Nov |
Species Interactions |
|
|
|
12 Nov |
Test III |
|
|
13 |
17 Nov |
Community Structure and
Dynamics |
|
|
|
19 Nov |
Patterns of Species
Diversity |
|
|
14 |
24 Nov |
Ecosystems and Trophic
Structure |
54 |
|
|
26 Nov |
Thanksgiving Break |
|
|
15 |
1 Dec |
Biogeochemical Cycles |
|
|
|
3 Dec |
Human Impacts |
|
|
16 |
8 Dec |
Biodiversity and
Conservation |
55 |
|
|
10 Dec |
Test IV |
|