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Ecological & Evolutionary Theory BI 492 Spring 2012 Meeting Times and Locations:
Lecture: Mon, Wed 1:00-2:30 Union 203
Lab: Mon 2:30-4:30 Spiro Computer Lab B
Recitation: Wed 2:30-3:30 Union 203
Instructor:
Dr. Brian Palestis
Megerle Science Bldg 413
718-390-3237
bpalesti@wagner.edu
www.wagner.edu/faculty/bpalesti/
Office Hours: 2:30-4:00 Tues, Thurs; 10:30-11:30 Wed
Course Description:
This course is part of the Senior Learning Community in Biology and serves as a Senior Capstone Course. Theoretical issues in ecology and evolutionary biology are discussed, including models of population growth and community interactions, behavioral ecology, population and quantitative genetics, macroevolution, and current controversies.
Learning goals addressed are as follows: 1) competency in scientific reasoning and quantitative analysis, which promotes critical thinking and problem solving 2) knowledge of skills in a chosen field of study, which provide both the proficiency and flexibility to achieve career goals 3) skills of listening, writing, and speech that enable effective communication and self-expression
Prerequisites: BI213, 215, and senior status or instructor’s permission required
Textbook & Online Lab
Chapters from Rosenbaum (2011) Volpe’s Understanding Evolution 7th ed. and Stiling (2012) Ecology: Global Insights and Investigations, in a McGraw-Hill Create text.
Desharnais, R. and J. Bell. 2008. Biology Labs Online: Evolution Lab. Benjamin Cummings.
The Freeman text that you should already own is also a good resource.
Grading:
2 lecture exams 15% each
Comprehensive final exam 20%
Term paper 15%
Assignments 15%
Presentations 10%
Class participation 10%
Before class discussions each student must write a one to two page summary of each article read. Do not simply rephrase the abstract – summarize the paper in your own words. Also do not restate everything in the paper - you will learn much more from indentifying the key points of the paper and writing a short, but complete, summary. The summary should also include a sentence or two indicating the implications of the paper and how it fits in with material learned in the course. These summaries will be graded on a check/check-plus/check-minus scale.
Term paper: Chose one group of organisms and research aspects of evolution within this group (e.g., relationships within the group, relation to other groups, paleontology, genetics, morphological and behavioral adaptations). The paper should be approximately 10 pages long and all references must be cited. At least 3 primary sources must be used.
Student presentations: Each student will give a Powerpoint presentation reviewing an aspect of ecology & evolution not covered in lecture. Each student will also choose one long or 2 short essays/excerpts fromThe Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing (Dawkins, ed., 2008) to summarize and present to the class.
Make-up exams will only be given with a doctor’s note or a letter from Academic Advisement. Incompletes require completion of at least 70% of the work at a passing level.
Wagner College Honor Code:A copy of the Wagner College Honor Code can be found in your Student Handbook as well as on the SGA Web Page. It is your responsibility to be aware of and follow the terms of the Honor Code. You will also be expected to sign the Honesty Statement and attach it to every test and paper handed in for this class.
Week 1 (1/17-20) Textbook pages
Introduction to ecology and evolution 10-20, 24-28
Video, “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea”
Week 2 (1/23-1/27)
Phylogeny and the comparative method 1-3, 149-150, 168-169, 184-185
Population & quantitative genetics 29-33, 43-48
Lab: Online Evolution Lab 81
Discussion: Darwin’s influence on modern thought
Essays: Cronin, Mayr, Fisher
Week 3 (1/30-2/3)
Inbreeding, Genetic drift 33-39, 50-53, 57-58
Natural selection 15-20, 63-73¸ 80-84
Lab: Cladistics, Fossils
Discussion: Evidence for evolution 1-7, 256
Essays: Simpson, Maynard-Smith, Eisely
Week 4 (2/6-2/10)
Two-locus population genetics
Levels of selection, altruism 109-115, 122-127
Lab: Simulations of selection & drift
Student presentations:
Origin of life 90
Classical & vicariance biogeography 7-8, 23-24, 93-97
Discussion: Evolutionary loss of traits 3-4
Essays: Williams, Trivers
Week 5 (2/13-2/17)
Constraints on adaptation 3-5, 71
Exam 1, Wednesday 2/15
Lab: Online Evolution Lab
Week 6 (2/20-2/24)
No class Monday 2/20 (Presidents Day)
Intragenomic conflict
Molecular evolution 146-153
Lab: American Museum of Natural History (independent)
Discussion: Scaling laws; self-organization
Essays: Haldane
Week 7 (2/27-3/2)
Speciation 84-88, 162-172
Macroevolution 88-99, 153-157, 172-182
Lab: Student presentations: Physiological Ecology
Discussion: Beyond the Modern Synthesis
Week 8 (3/5-3/9)
Sexual reproduction 74-77, 115-117, 136-142
Demography 187-198
Lab: Student presentations
Human evolution 149-150, 158-160, 172
Darwinian medicine Nesse & Williams paper
Discussion: Macroevolution
Essays: Kingdon, Leakey & Lewin, Johanson & Edey
Spring Break
Week 9 (3/19-3/23)
Life history theory 219-222
Population growth 196-197, 204-219
Lab: Life Table (independent)
Discussion: Human Evol. Genetics; Evol. Psychology
Essays: Pinker, Dobzhansky, Simpson/Eiseley
Week 10 (3/26-3/30)
Population growth (cont.)
Lab: Online Evolution Lab, Simulations of population growth
Discussion:
Responses of organisms to climate change 295, 339-340, 416
Student presentation: Foraging & Territoriality 130-134
Week 11 (4/2-4/6)
Exam 2 Monday 4/2
Species interactions, mutualism 233, 261-277
Discussion:
Invasive species & deer overpopulation 243-244, 291, 315-317
Essays: Carson, Gould
Week 12 (4/9-4/13)
No class Monday, 4/9 (Easter)
Competition 182-184, 221-243, 248-257
Discussion: Complex interactions & disease
Week 13 (4/16-4/20)
Predation & herbivory 281-285, 288-294, 128-129, 303-312, 318
Parasitism 325-331, 334-335
Indirect effects 237, 345-352
Food webs and community structure 365-381, 241, 388-389
Lab: Mutualism
Student presentations: Ecosystems ecology 372-376, 426-427
Discussion: Ecosystems ecology
Essays: Hamilton, Diamond
Week 14 (4/23-4/27)
Monday class schedule on Wednesday, 4/25
Succession 447-457
Biodiversity 413-415, skim 99-105 & 425-436
Island biogeography 411-412, 463-476
Lab: Quadrats 391-392
Student presentations:
Physiology & Conservation Wikelski & Cooke paper
Landscape ecology & macroecology 474-475
Discussion: Biodiversity
Essays: Hardin, Wilson
Week 15 (4/30)
Field trip Monday 4/30 (Last day of classes)
Cheesequake State Park
Papers due Wednesday 5/2
Final exam Monday, May 7, 1:20-4:20
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