SPECIAL  TOPICS: AQUATIC ECOLOGY Bio 2025

 

Dr. Nancy E. Todd	SPRING (2006, 2008)
OFFICE: BR 228a OFFICE HOURS:      See webpage	Mon-Thur. 10:45-12:00 Phone: x5121 Email: [email protected] Web Page:http://www.geocities.com/elephaslady

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

            This course is an introduction to aquatic ecology. Basic concepts of ecology as it applies to aquatic systems will be covered as well as an introduction to the types and variety of aquatic organisms. Students will have the opportunity to observe fish and organisms first-hand and will be able to participate in stream ecology sampling and research.

                                                                                               

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

 

• ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION:  Students are required to attend two (2)

lectures each week.  Good attendance is required and will be noted. Students are expected to answer questions and offer discussion when appropriate.

           

• READING:   Assigned reading must be read before coming to the scheduled lecture covering                          that material.  There may also be additional handouts or reading assignments to                                 accompany the reading and lecture material. 

           

• EXAMS:  There will be two (2) quizzes based on the lecture material in the first half of the course.

 

• RESEARCH PROJECTS: Students will do four (4) research projects during the second half of the course. These will involve hands-on experiements and lab report write-ups as well as library and internet research. Students will work in pairs doing the research and collecting data, but each student must turn in their own written reports.

 

            Report #1: Dissections – perch, shark, clam, starfish, adaptations and physiology

            Report #2: Aquarium observations and monitoring

            Report #3: Stream monitoring

Report #4: My favorite fish project

 

• BLACKBOARD: Students will be required to enroll in Blackboard at Manhattanville. This is an online system for downloading assignments, checking web pages and announcements and discussion. To enroll in the class, go to http://blackboard.mville.edu/. If you don’t have an account, click on “Create account” and follow the directions. Once you have an account, click on “Course catalogue”. Select “Biology” and look for this class in the list. Click on the “Enroll” button to the far right. The password is fish.

 

THERE WILL BE NO MAKEUP EXAMS. If you are going to miss a lecture or lab exam, you must contact me before the exam takes place by phone or email, and you must produce a written excuse from your doctor or the dean's office.  If you miss an exam, either lecture or lab, and do not contact me before the exam, you will receive a zero (0) for that exam. 

 

• STUDENT CONDUCT: Students are expected to do their own work on the exams, projects, and paper.  Suspected copying of any work will result in a failing grade. All students must read, print and sign the Biology Honor Code Contract, which can be found at http://www.mville.edu/biology/honorcode.html. This is to be handed in to the instructor.

 

DUE DATES: Written assignments are due on the date assigned.  A deduction of 5 pts per day will be taken on late work.

 

• ALL WORK MUST BE TURNED IN BY MAY 3. WORK SUBMITTED AFTER THIS DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

 

Graded material:   2 quizzes based on lecture material Research projects Class participation

% of Class Grade   = 40% = 40% = 20%

 

CLASS TEXT:

• Molles, M. 2002. Ecology, Concepts and Applications. New York. McGraw-Hill Pubs. 2^nd Edition.

 

SUPPLEMENTARY READING:

Chapters from the following books will be on reserve in the lab and library.

 

·        Kalff, J. 2002. Limnology. New Jersey. Prentice-Hall Pubs.

·        Hickman, C. P., L. S. Roberts, A. Larson. 2000. Animal Diversity. New York. McGraw-Hill Pubs. 

·        McMillan, B. and J. A. Musick. 1997. Oceans, Life in the Deep. New York. M. Friedman Pub., Co.

·        Nybakken, J. W. 2001. Marine Biology. New York. Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.-Benjamin Cummings. 5^th Edition.

·        Moyle, P. B. and J. J. Cech. 2000. Fishes, An Introduction to Ichthyology. New Jersey. Prentice-Hall Pubs. 4^th Edition.

·        Caduto, M. J. 1990. Pond and Brook. University Press of New England.

·        Tiner, R. W. 1998. In Search of Swampland, a Wetland Sourcebook and Field Guide. New Jersey. Rutgers University Press.

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

Class Schedule	Topics	Reading
Week 1:	• Introduction and Basic ecology	Chap. 1
Week 2:	• Properties of water and the hydrologic cycle   • Aquatic biomes	Chap. 3 Kalff, Chap. 3 Chap. 3-5
Week 3:	• VIDEO: Seas of Life   • The aquarium	Kalff, Chap. 4, 11, 14
Week 4:	• Population distribution and dynamics   • EXAM  #1	Chaps. 9-11
Week 5:	• Competition and mutualism   • Predation, herbivory, parasitism and disease   • Food webs	Chaps. 13-15 Nybakken, Chap. 10
Week 6:	• Production and energy flow light and photosynthesis   • Nutrient cycling	Chap. 17-18 Kalff, Chap. 10   Chap. 19
Week 7:	• Invertebrates: anatomy and physiology   • EXAM #2	Hickman et al. Chap. 9, 11, 13
Week 8:	• SPRING BREAK – ENJOY!
Week 9:	• Bony Fish: anatomy and physiology   • Cartilagenous fish: anatomy and physiology	Hickman et al. Chap. 15
Week 10:	• Fish evolution and diversity   • Stream Ecology I	Hickman et al. Chap. 14-15
Week 11:	• Sharks of Palau   • Stream Ecology II DISSECTOR REPORT DUE
Week 12:	• Hudson River   • Stream Ecology III
Week 13:	• Long Island Sound   • Stream Ecology IV
Week 14:	• Oceans and Coral Reefs   • In search of the giant bluefin
Week 15:	• Overfishing   • Human impact on aquatic ecosystems STREAM ECOLOGY REPORT DUE