BIOL 207 Ecology Fall 2009 —

Final exam: February 3, 2010 (2 to 5 pm), Khoury 134

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*Ecology

* Directions for book critique –> ecology-critical-book-review

* Directions for article commentary –> For extra credit points, read and comment on any article posted from September 2009 onwards  in the categories of environment, agriculture, ecology, and/or climate change on the main page (www.greenresistance.wordpress.com). You are welcome to comment on all articles on the website, but you only get potential credit for commenting on environmentally-related, recent articles.

Homework:

(1)  For your practice tests and study aids and your chapter quizzes – go to: http://www.whfreeman.com/ricklefs/, click on ‘The Economy of Nature – 6th edition,’ and then click on Q&A Self Tests, register as a student, include my email (rania.masri@balamand.edu.lb) as your instructor’s email, and begin doing each of the chapter quizzes after we finish that chapter in the class. The online quizzes are due 2 days after the class introduces the chapter. Example: Chapter 1 is due Friday October 16.

(2) Homework due October 28: Email me – as a MS Word Attachment – answers to the following question:  (1) What are environmental and/or particular ecological questions that you want answered from this class? (2) Talk to elderly people in your communities (such as your grandparents) and tell me how the physical landscape of the environment in your village / neighborhood has changed during the past 50 years.  Be specific. Be sure to use correct grammar – both in the paper and in the email itself.

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Lectures: from the book, ‘The Economy of Nature – 6th edition.’ I suggest bringing these slides to class, and taking careful notes. Do not depend solely on these presentations. You should read the chapter, take notes during class, and use the slides as your guide.

• * Homework assignments are not included in these presentations. It is your responsibility to attend class and take note of the homework assignments.

*  chapter 1  -> ch01

* chapter 2 -> ch02

* chapter 3 -> ch03 and chapter 3 in another version – ch03

* chapter 4 ->chapter 4

* chapter 5 –>(internet problems. slides forthcoming. Please use slides from chapter 5 below in the meantime)

- supporting material for chapter 5: another view of biomes and see more images of traditional biomes and more images here and here

* anthropogenic biomes (not in the textbook but you are responsible for this information and analysis):

– Read this text: (http://www.eoearth.org/article/Anthropogenic_biomes)

– Putting People in the Map – read this article ellis_2008

– Here is the new lecture anthromes_v1

- Check out this lab: http://www.ecotope.org/ and see the excellent maps here: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Anthropogenic_biome_maps and this map specifically: http://www.ecotope.org/projects/anthromes/

- additional information on El Nino and La Nina from the US Climate Prediction Center

Note: As voted during class — the second time — , the first exam will be Wednesday November 18 in the exam hall from 1.45 to 3.30.Note: Student Exam questions: submit questions to me via email that could be used on the exam.  The questions should have the same format as those on the practice quizzes (i.e., multiple choice with 4 options).  You may also email essay questions. When you email questions to me please put “BIOL 207: questions for exam” in the subject line.  For each question of yours that we use on the exam, you will receive 1 extra credit point.  I will limit you to 2 extra points (questions) per exam, but it is in your best interest to submit several (8-10) questions.  Also, writing questions is a very good way to study for exams.

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Ecology Exam 1: Mean (before average) – 60%; Mean (after average) – 75%

Schedule of your oral presentations: eco presentations

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Chapter 7: chapter 7 only

Chapter 8-part1: chapter 8-1

Chapter 8 – part2: chapter 8-2

note: no classes the week of December 1st.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS –>

Chapter 10 — ch10

Chapter 14 –ch14

• see this slide show for excellent pictures on camouflage
• see this article on ‘breakthrough in fight against malaria‘

Chapter 15 – ch15

CC — be very familiar with this site (particularly the issues and the data): Guardian’s complete guide to the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit,

and spend some time on this site as well: Test our climate simulator

Exam 2: December 23, 2 – 3.30 pm, in the classroom. – all the new material since Exam 1 (including climate change) will be on the exam

Supporting material:

*Freeze tolerance – Laboratory for Ecophysiological Cryobiology

* What is scientific literature? Scientific_Literature-1

Homework assignments

* Homework 1 due November 4. 3% of your grade.

Summarize an article (no older than 2005) from the scientific literature on the topic of climate change. Email me the article by October 28 for my approval. Email me the summary by November 4 (before class time). Give a 5-7 minute presentation on the topic during class. Late papers will not be accepted.

==== Material from last semester ====

• Chapter 1: ch01.ppt
  • news topic talked about in class: magnetism of cows (see: cows_nsand cow magnetism)
  • new chapter 1 (as presented in class) -> ch012
• Chapter 2: ch02.ppt
  • news discussed in class (Feb 25, 2009) – (1) Jabal Moussa, Lebanon (Daily Star article); (2) Cedar Island (Epoch Times)
  • new chapter 2 – as presented in class ch021
• Chapter 3: ch03.ppt
  • secrets of the ice man (discussed briefly in class)
  • new chapter 3 – as presented in class: ch03
• Chapter 4: ch04.ppt
  • new chapter 4 – as presented in class: chapter-4
• Chapter 5: ch05.ppt
  • convergence and other aspects of evolution. Check out this debate. From one side, Simon Conway Morris of the Guardian and a retort from Science Blogs
  • must read: the material on climate change. (1) this post and all the articles that are linked to that post; (2) this summary
  • make up: Thursday March 26, 5.30 – 7.00 pm, Khoury 132
• • • chapter 10 – new chapter (remaining 5 + 10) – ch5101
      • quiz grades – grades-for-students
    • chapter 11 – new chapter –ch11
    • chapter 16 – new chapter - ch16-s2
      • do you want more information on the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium? check this out - a data analysis
      • more on endangered species and their population dynamics, etc? Check out this page by the New Scientist
      • (not on the exam. my apologies for not having time to go over ‘the origin of life’. here are two lectures that may help you – (1) originoflifeand (2)lecture-9-evolution-of-life)

    Exam I: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, and 16 (8 chapters)

• Chapter 6:ch061.ppt
  • new chapter 6 – ch06 and new chapter ch061 (April 1 and 3)
• Climate Change: science-of-cc
• Chapter 17 – new chapter ch17-new  (April 3)Chapter 18 – old chapter slides - ch18

Exam II will cover: chapters 6, 17, 18, 20.  Use the old slides below for the corresponding chapters

exam II will be held on May 15 – unless students who have exams on May 15 petition otherwise. 2 – 3.30 pm

• Chapter 7: ch07.ppt
  • Chapter 7 – without images ch07b

grades thus far –> Remaining grades

make up ecology grades:

• A0810890. Exam 2: 28%. Grade thus far: 34%
• A0510139. Exam 2: 35%. Grade thus far: 45%
• A0510781. Exam 2: 45%. Grade thus far: 49%
• A0510198. Exam 2: 80%. Grade thus far: 64%

For extra assignments:

Ecology Extra Assignments to Raise the Grade in Exams
Due Date: no later than June 10 – but could be submitted earlier
Directions:
(1) Go to the Ecology Website, (http://www.whfreeman.com/ricklefs/), click on ‘The Economy of Nature’, go to Living Graphs. Do all the exercises – from all the chapters (Chapters 14 (4 parts), 16, 18, 19, and 23). Through the website, send me the answers  to the questions at the end of each tutorial. My email is: rania.masri@balamand.edu.lb
(2) Tell me which Exam grade you want lifted (exam 1 or exam 2).  If you want to improve both exams, let me know soon and I’ll give you another assignment.

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Next chapters: Chapters 23, 24, 25, and 26

Chapter 23: ch23 (lecture)

Chapter 24: ch24(2)

For your information: dinosaurs and what killed them ?

Lectures for chapters 25 and 26 are found at the bottom of this page

Last lecture is on June 10th. No class June 12th.

Last lecture is on the state of the environment in the Arab world. — lecture based on the following presentations (Plenary Session I – Mr. Ahmed Abdelrehim and Plenary Session I – Ms. Rania Masri)

plus chapter 26 is extra credit

be sure to read:

• Global Impact Of Climate Change On Biodiversity – January 2009
• Global warming increasing death rate of US trees, scientists warn and  Tree deaths double across western US
• New book plants seed for biodiverse food production

and these three articles

• habitat-fragmentation
• biodiversity-ethics-and-law
• biodiversity-and-lebanon

Read this very relevant news article -> Malaria parasites ‘resist drugs’

=+==================Final Exam ===++++++++++=============

• Chapter 8 – ch08
• Chapter 9 ch09
• Chapter 10 – without images ch1

ecology-essay-questions

• Chapter 11 – without images ch1
• Chapter 12 – without images – ch12
• Chapter 13 – without images – ch13
• Chapter 14 – without images – ch14
• Chapter 15 ch15
• Chapter 16 – without images – ch16
• Chapter 17 – ch17
• Chapter 20 – without images – ch20 (if you want more information on honeyguides see here (after figure 15.9))
• Chapter 21 – without images – ch21 (see GAIA, for more information on James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis)
• ==> Climate change tree atlas and climate change bird atlas (Go here)
• Chapter 22 – ch22
• Chapter 25 – without images – ch25
• and chapter 25 – with images (the new chapter) – ch25
• ecology readings to accompany chapter 25 (mandatory readings below.)
  • The Great Plains
  • more on the impacts of the Dust Bowl - and with this powerful conclusion-remark: “Violating nature’s natural patterns turns into a noose made for man. Ask Gulf Coast hurricane victims. Think of polar bears swimming to nowhere and drowning because the Arctic ice sheet is melting. Consider, despite general consensus that it’s a fact, that almost nothing has been done to slow down global warming. Then ask yourself the unavoidable question: What will be the next hard time?”
  • extinction articles
    • “A rare piece of good news from the world of conservation: the global extinction crisis may have been overstated. The world is unlikely to lose 100 species a day, or half of all species in the lifetime of people now alive, as some have claimed. The bad news, though, is that the lucky survivors are tiny tropical insects that few people care about. The species that are being lost rapidly are the large vertebrates that conservationists were worried about in the first place.” – read all the article. the economist. January 15, 2009
    • do you eat frog legs? Are frogs being ‘eaten to extinction’? Some researchers say yes. read the article and all the articles that are cited in the blog. Read – January 2009
    • good news. Growing Bird Populations Show Conservation Successes – January 2009.
  • as for ethics and our relationship with our world, check this out: multifaith statements and http://www.nansealove.com/Quotes.html

  chapter 26 without images – ch261 and the new chapter 26 slides (ch26) – please note that the new chapter is rather large

• - and here’s another attempt at the new chapter 26 –> (newch261)
• • Global Ecology and the Common Good (article)
  • an introduction to ecological economics (article)
  • macroeconomics and the environment (article)
  • 3 Gorges Dam in China – Experiment in Habitat Fragmentation
  • more on the 3 Gorges Dam (international river)
  • and the last word from Lovelock (One last chance to save mankind)

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