Biol/Env St 204
Instructor:
BIODIVERSITY
Dr. Lynn G. Clark
Department of EEOB
345 Bessey Hall
294-8218; lgclark@iastate.edu
Spring 2008
Office Hours: T Th 11-noon or
by appointment
Text (required): Novacek, M. J. (editor). 2001. The Biodiversity Crisis: Losing What Counts.
New York: The New Press. 224 pages.
Course Description: This course is an introductory survey of ecological, evolutionary and
conservation aspects of biological diversity. It is designed to fulfill a requirement for the
Environmental Studies major. IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR MAJOR CREDIT FOR BIOLOGY
MAJORS.
Course Web Page: http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/classes/Biol204/index.html
Meeting Time and Place: T Th 9-10:50 a.m. in 210 Bessey
Courtesy: All cell phones must be turned off during class. Please be considerate of your
classmates!
Grading:
25%
35%
10%
30%
100%
5 in-class discussion/exercises [5% (10 pts) each]
Two quizzes [Quiz 1, 15% (30 pts); Quiz 2, 20% (40 pts)]
Written assignment (20 pts)
Final Exam (60 pts)
(200 pts total)
I will use a straight scale for determining grades. A = 90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D =
60-69%; F = 59% and below. Plus/minus grades will be given, however, with each grade range
divided approximately into thirds (upper third, +; middle third, straight grade; lower third, -).
Final Exam: Thursday, May 8, 7:30-9:30 a.m. The final exam is comprehensive, but with an
emphasis on the material covered in the latter third of the course. Graduating seniors are
required to take the final exam. Note that the final will take place in 210 Bessey.
Make-Ups: Make-up quizzes, exercises and exams will be given only for emergency or prearranged absences with valid excuses. Make-ups may be essay or oral tests.
Readings: In addition to the book we will use as a text, readings are taken from a wide variety of
sources. Some are intended to reinforce lecture material, while others are designed to extend
lecture material in a thought-provoking way. All readings will be on reserve at Parks Library or
available on the Web. Most are available through the reserve on-line system, but for books from
which we use more than one chapter, this isn’t possible, and you’ll need to go to Reserve to read
or photocopy the material.
Honesty: In-class exercises will be done in groups. Group studying can be a very effective
learning tool and students are encouraged to form study groups. However, exams, quizzes and
outside assignments must be your own work. All sources for your written assignment must be
identified, and all direct quotations must be attributed. Disciplinary action will be initiated in
any suspected case of academic dishonesty.
Disability Accommodation: ISU complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Any student who may require an accommodation under
such provisions should contact me privately as soon as possible and no later than the end of the
first week of class or as soon as he or she becomes aware of the need for accommodation. No
retroactive accommodations will be provided in this class. Those seeking accommodations based
on disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form from
the Disability Resources (DR) office located on the main floor of the Student Services Building,
Room 1076 (phone: 515-294-6624; TDD 515-294-6335).
Selected General Web Sites:
Biodiversity and Biological Collections: http://www.biocollections.org/
The Tree of Life: http://phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/phylogeny.html
Convention on Biological Diversity: http://www.biodiv.org
National Biological Information Infrastructure: http://www.nbii.gov/
Invasive Species: http://invasivespecies.gov/
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
Tentative Schedule of Lectures, Readings, and Class Activities
Note that activities in class (quizzes, in-class exercises, etc.) are in boldface.
March 11:
Introduction; Ecosystems and Communities
Reading:
M. J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis: 1) What’s This Biodiversity and
What’s It Done for Us Today? by N. Myers (pp. 22-25) and 2) Biodiversity:
What it is and why we need it by P. R. Ehrlich and S. A. Levin (pp. 46-49).
Books on reserve: E. O. Wilson, The Diversity of Life, Krakatau (Ch. 2, pp. 1623).
March 13:
Ecosystems and Communities; Topics assigned for the written assignment
Reading:
Books on reserve: E. O. Wilson, The Diversity of Life, The Creation of
Ecosystems (Ch. 9, pp. 163-182).
March 17-21:
SPRING BREAK (NO CLASS)
March 25:
Species and Populations*; In-class Exercise I
Reading:
Essay (handout): J. Avise, A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose, p. 73 from Meffe et al.,
Principles of Conservation Biology; Books on reserve: E. O. Wilson, The
Diversity of Life, New Species (Ch. 5, pp. 51-64).
March 27:
Genetic Diversity
Reading:
Books on reserve: E. O. Wilson, The Diversity of Life, The Forces of Evolution
(Ch 6, pp. 75-88).
April 1:
Tree of Life (Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes); QUIZ 1 (on Ecosystems, Communities,
Species, and Populations)
Reading:
OLogy: Tree of Life Cladogram
http://ology.amnh.org/biodiversity/treeoflife/pages/cladogram.html
April 3:
In-class Exercise II; Tree of Life (Protists, Plants)
Reading:
OLogy: Tree of Life Cladogram
http://ology.amnh.org/biodiversity/treeoflife/pages/cladogram.html
April 8:
Tree of Life (Fungi, Animals)
Reading:
Article: “Interview with a fungus”, The Economist (pdf on course website);
OLogy: Tree of Life Cladogram
http://ology.amnh.org/biodiversity/treeoflife/pages/cladogram.html
April 10:
Measuring Biodiversity; In-class Exercise III
Reading:
M. J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis, Strategies and Solutions: Mapping
the Biodiversity by P. M. Hedao (pp. 180-183). Book Chapter: K. Gaston and J.
Spicer, Biodiversity, pp. 43-62 (through 3.4.3).
April 15:
Rarity and Extinction; QUIZ 2 (on Genetic Diversity and Tree of Life)
Reading:
M. J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis, 1) What we have
lost, what we are losing by P. Raven (pp. 58-62) and 2) Evolution, extinction and
humanity’s place in nature by N. Eldredge (pp. 76-80).
April 17:
Disturbance/Global change; guest lecture*
Reading:
M. J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis, Brown-Eyed,
Milk-Giving…and Extinct: Losing Mammals Since A.D. 1500 by R. D. E.
McPhee and C. Flemming (pp. 95-99); The Endangered Species Program
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
April 22:
Iowa Biodiversity; Written Assignment Due
Reading:
Books on reserve: J. J. Dinsmore, A Country So Full of Game, Chapter
19, Humans and Wildlife in Iowa (pp. 178-192).
April 24:
Invasive Species*; In-class Exercise IV
Reading:
M.J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis, Deforestation in the Tropics by R.
Repetto (pp. 32-39). Invasive Non-Native Species: http://www.ecopros.com/invasive_non-native_species.htm
April 29:
Value and Maintenance of Biodiversity; In-class Exercise V
Reading:
M. J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis: 1) The Audubon Guide to Seafood
by C. Safina (pp. 27-31) and 2) The Economic Value of Earth’s Resources by G.
Chichilnisky (pp. 166-174). On-line: Bryant, P.J. 2002. Biodiversity and
Conservation, A Hypertext Book
(http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/bio65/Titlpage.htm), Chapter 24, Human
Population Growth and Its Impact.
May 1:
Ethics, Policy, and Biodiversity; Review for Final
Reading:
M. J. Novacek (ed.), The Biodiversity Crisis: Biodiversity and Human Health by
F. Grifo (pp. 40-44). Books on reserve: B. B. Burgess, Fate of the Wild, The
Endangered Species Act and the Future of Biodiversity, Chapter 2, The
Endangered Species Act Today (pp. 20-28); Endangered Species Act
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/policy/pol001.html
May 8:
FINAL EXAM, 7:30-9:30 a.m., 210 Bessey Hall
* Guest lecturer