Justin D. Yeakel bio photo

Fundamentals of Ecology

"The Earth is what we all have in common"
-Wendell Barry

Fundamentals of Ecology (BIO/ESS 148) :: Schedule, Fall 2020

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Please note that the schedule is subject to change at any time. Check back frequently for updates!

T = Tuesday
R = Thursday
L = Lecture
D = Discussion

Date Lect/Disc_# Lecture_Topic Description Required Readings Assign.
8/27 (R-L1) Web of Life Introduction & Roadmap Bowman Ch. 1  
    No Disc No Discussion section    
9/1 (T-L2) Scales Ecological questions across scales Bowman Salmon case study: Chp. 2 beginning/end  
9/3 (R-L3) Data to theory Collecting and analyzing data to inform theory Leopold; excerpts  
9/4 (F-D1) Disc 1 Investigating ecological problems with R What does ecology have to do with me?  
9/8 (T-L4) Biosphere Distinguishing among the major Earth’s biomes Bowman Ch. 3  
9/10 (R-L5) Energy 1 Variation in temperature and water Bowman Ch. 4  
9/11 (F-D2) Disc 2 Temperature as an ecological constraint Gunderson & Leal 2015  
9/15 (T-L6) Energy 2 Variation in energy Bowman Ch. 5 HW-1 due
9/17 (R-L7) Allometry Allometry & Macroecology West & Brown  
9/18 (F-D3) Disc 3 Macroecology    
9/22 (T-L8) Evolution 1 Ecology as the driver of natural selection Bowman Ch. 6 HW-2 due
9/24 (R-L9) Evolution 2      
9/25 (F-D4) Disc 4 Evolution by natural selection    
9/29 (T) EXAM 1      
           
           
10/1 (R-L10) Life history Life history diversity and tradeoffs Bowman Ch. 7  
10/2 (F-D5) Disc 5 Life history strategies    
10/6 (T-L11) Behavior Behavioral ecology Bowman Ch. 8, Sinervo  
10/8 (R-L12) Games Evolutionary Game Theory Easley & Kleinberg  
10/9 (F-D6) Disc 6 Ecological Games    
10/13 (T-L13) Populations 1 Density dependence and population dynamics Bowman Ch. 10 HW-3 due
10/15 (R-L14) Populations 2 Logistic Growth & Discrete dynamics    
10/16 (F-D7) Disc 7 Exponential and Logistic Growth    
10/20 (T-L15) Populations 3 Fluctuations Bowman Ch. 11.1-11.3 HW-4 due
10/22 (R-L16) Populations 4 Extinctions    
10/23 (F-D8) Disc 8 Exponential and logistic growth 2    
10/27 (T) EXAM 2      
           
           
10/29 (R-L17) Competition 1 Competition Bowman Ch. 14  
10/30 (F-D9) Disc 9 Population growth review    
11/3 (T-L18) Competition 2 Competition dynamics    
11/5 (R-L19) Competition 3      
11/6 (F-D10) Disc 10 Lotka-Volterra competition dynamics    
11/10 (T-L20) Predation 1 Herbivory and Predation Bowman Ch. 12 HW-5 due
11/12 (R-L21) Predation 2      
11/13 (F-D11) Disc 11 Lotka-Volterra predation dynamics    
11/17 (T-L22) Predation 3 Predation dynamics    
11/19 (R-L23) Parasitism Parasites and Parasitoids Bowman Chap. 13  
11/20 (F-D12) Disc 12 LV dynamics review   HW-6 due
11/24 (T) EXAM III      
           
           
11/26   No Class Thanksgiving Break    
11/27   No Disc No Discussion Section    
12/1 (T-L24) Disease 1 The dynamics of disease Bowman 13.4-end, Blackwood to 2.2.2  
12/3 (R-L25) Disease 2 Epidemics and pandemics R0 is just an average  
12/4 (F-D13) Disc 13 Disease dynamics    
12/8 (T-L26) Interactions Mutualisms & commensalisms Bowman Chap. 15  
12/10 (R-L27) Food webs Ecological networks Bowman Chap. 16  
12/11 (F-D14) Disc 14 Species interaction networks   HW-7 due
12/15 (T) FINAL EXAM Comprehensive (3-6PM)