BIOL 110L&L
Environmental Science
Department of Life Sciences
Course Information
BIOL 110L&L – Environmental Science
Credit Hours:
4 (6 contact hours)
Prerequisites:
None
Catalog Description
An introductory laboratory course for all students. A study of local natural communities and human
impacts on the environment. Through service learning, students will apply the scientific process by
collecting, analyzing, and then presenting local ecosystem data to interested community members.
Ecosystem monitoring at local sites may possibly extend beyond scheduled lab times and field trips
may include a boat trip, a brownfield tour, wastewater treatment tour, analytical laboratory visit, and a
renewable energy building tour. (4 credits, 6 contact hours, 3 lecture/3 lab)
Faculty Information
Lecture
Professor: Tom Szten
Office Location: Room 243-E, Life Science Department
Office Hours: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Fridays
Telephone: [231] 777-0273 (department secretary)
Email: thomas.szten@muskegoncc.edu
Lab
Professor: Tom Szten
Office Location: 243-C, Life Science Department
Office Hours: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Fridays
Telephone: [231] 777-0273 (department secretary)
Email: thomas.szten@muskegoncc.edu
Major Course Goals
1. Understand the nature of science, ecology, environmental science, and the scientific
process/method.
2. Apply scientific process by collecting, analyzing, and presenting local ecosystem data .
3. Explain ecological concepts such as food webs, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
4. Explore local and Great Lake environmental history particularly of Muskegon County and
understand how current societal pressures may affect local ecosystems.
5. Discuss environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.
Textbook: Enger and Smith, 2010. Environmental Science. 12th ed. McGraw-Hill. (ISBN 0-07-338320-1)
Grading Policies and Assessments
Grading Scale
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 1 of 9
100 - 92.0
91.9 - 90.0
89.9 - 88.0
87.9 - 82.0
81.9 - 80.0

A
AB+
B
B-
79.9 – 78.0
77.9 – 72.0
71.9 – 70.0
69.9 – 68.0
67.9 – 62.0
C+
C
CD+
D
61.9 – 60.0
59.9 or less
DE
Please note that final grades are not rounded up or down.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used extensively during this term. Handouts will be available for download. It is
highly recommended that you download these items PRIOR to the lecture and bring them to class. I
will not be providing copies of these for you except through Blackboard. Any other handouts, review
sheets, rubrics, assignments, etc., will all be distributed through blackboard unless otherwise stated.
To access blackboard:
 Go to http://blackboard.muskegoncc.edu
 Your username and password are the same as your network login.
Attendance Policy
While attendance is not required, it will be in your best interests to attend all lectures as this is a very
detailed and discussion oriented course with a significant amount of material presented from sources
other than the text. If you stop attending class, the instructor reserves the right to automatically drop
you from the course.
Exam Make-Up Policy
All exams must be taken on the scheduled date. If you miss exam due to illness or family emergency,
you must make up the exam within 24 hours at the testing center. To make up an exam:
 You will need to call the testing center at 231-777-0394 to schedule an appointment.
 You need to email me a confirmation note listing the date and time that you will be making up
the exam.
Failure to complete the missed exam within the 24-hour window will result in a zero. Please note that
the make-up exam will be a completely different version of the exam than the one given during the
lecture. Only 1 exam per semester may be made up outside of the regularly scheduled exam time.
Statement on Student Behavior
Muskegon Community College is a community of scholars whose members include students, faculty,
staff, and administrators. Mutual respect and civility are expected in the classroom, or other college
related academic settings, as well as in any communication. The college has a duty to provide students
privileges, opportunities, and protections that best promote learning.
Students have the right to a non-threatening learning environment. Students have the responsibility to
refrain from infringing on the right of others to learn or the right of teachers to teach. Any student
whose behavior disrupts learning may be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Muskegon
Community College Student Handbook/Planner. The instructor reserves the right to remove students
from class that do not behave in such a manner. Please turn off all cellular phones, pagers, or other
electronic devices.
Statement on Academic Dishonesty
Academic Dishonesty consists of, but is not limited to:
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 2 of 9

Cheating – Cheating is defined as using or attempting to use, giving or attempting to give, and
obtaining or attempting to obtain materials, or information, including computer material
pertaining to a quiz, examination or other work that a student is expected to do alone.
 Plagiarism – Plagiarism is defined as the use of another’s words or ideas without
acknowledgement.
Dishonesty of any kind will NOT be tolerated in this course. Any acts of cheating and/or plagiarism will
result in dismissal from the course and a grade of E given at the end of the semester. Taking during
exams for any reason to anyone but the instructor will result in an automatic zero for that assessment.
Communications From MCC
All email communication originating from MCC to students will be via their MCC email account. CHECK
YOUR MCC EMAIL FREQUENTLY!
Miscellaneous Notes
All student work will be returned to students in a timely manner. All exams will be kept by the
instructor and destroyed two weeks into the following semester.
Tentative Course Schedule
The dates for the topics on the calendar below are tentative, as are the exam dates.
I will try to adhere to the calendar but situations often arise that prevent the class from
following the exact schedule printed on the calendar.
BIOL 110 Syllabus
Lab schedules subject to revisions as needed
** Field Trip Schedule finalized
* Lab or Field trip awaiting scheduling or approval or backup contingent
LEC 1; CH 1-4; INTERRELATIONSHIPS, ETHICS, RISK,
SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES, MATTER AND ENERGY
LAB 1;
Measurement, Statistics and Graphing,
Experimental Analysis, Sampling and microscope.
Photosynthesis and Respiration.
Introduction to Final Presentation:
Explaining Environmental Science
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 3 of 9
LEC 2; CH 5;
KINDS OF ORGANISM INTERACTIONS; Quiz
LAB 2
Ecological and Organism Interactions: Observation & Analysis Part I
Kasey Hartz Natural Area, Presentation work
*EPA P2 initiative: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Intro to Composting
LEC 3; CH 5;
COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM INTERACTIONS; Quiz
LAB 3
Community and Ecosystem Interactions: Observation & Analysis Part II
Kasey Hartz Natural Area, Presentation work
*EPA P2 initiative : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Intro to Composting
LEC 4; CH 6;
SUCCESSION; Quiz
LAB 4;
*LAKE MICHIGAN DUNES, primary date.
Gillette Nature Center
Hoffmaster State Park
Lake Harbor at Pontaluna Rds
Norton Shores- Rain or Shine.
*EPA P2 initiative : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Intro to Composting
*Presentation work
LEC 5; CH 6;
BIOMES; Quiz
LAB 5
Major Biomes of the United States
Invasive Species Identification
*EPA P2 initiative: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Intro to Composting
LEC 6; CH 7;
POPULATIONS; Quiz
LAB 6
**GVSU JACKSON research vessel
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 4 of 9
LEC 7; CH 8-10; ENERGY HISTORY, NON-RENEWABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY; Quiz
LAB 7
*LAKE MICHIGAN DUNES, back-up date
Gillette Nature Center
Hoffmaster State Park
Lake Harbor at Pontaluna Rds
Norton Shores- Rain or Shine.
*EPA P2 initiative : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Intro to Composting
Population estimate by Capture/Recapture
LEC 8; CH 11-12; BIODIVERSITY ISSUES, LAND USE PLANNING; Quiz
LAB 8
Biodiversity estimation, Species and Taxonomic richness,
Land Use Planning Simulation
Presentation work
LEC 9; CH 13; SOIL AND ITS USES; Quiz
LAB 9
Soil: New Horizons and Core Investigation
Presentation work
LEC 10; CH 14; AGRICULTURE METHODS AND PEST MANAGEMENT; Quiz
LAB 10
Environmental Assessment
Runoff, 4 mile pond or other sampling site(s),
temperature, inorganic nutrients, oxygen, bod assessments
Presentation work
LEC 11; CH 15; WATER MANAGEMENT; Quiz
LAB 11
*Wastewater Treatment Plant
LEC 12; CH 16; AIR QUALITY ISSUES; Quiz
LAB 12
Photochemical Smog; Development of temperature inversions
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 5 of 9
Presentation work. Review.
LEC 13; CH 17-18; SOLID WASTE, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; Quiz
LAB 13
*Trace Analystical Labs, Presentation work
LEC 14; CH 19; ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND DECISION MAKING; Quiz
LAB 14
Review, Lab practical,
Presentation work
LEC ;
Quiz; FINAL REVIEW/FINAL
LAB
FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Audience TBD.
OVERALL CLASS GRADING
Lecture
700 pts = 70%
Laboratory
300 pts = 30%
Total class
1000 pts = 100%
LECTURE
Quizes
280 pts = 28%
Midterm Exam
100 pts = 10%
Final Exam
160 pts = 16%
Paper 1
Historical Review
80 pts = 8%
Paper 2
Current Issues
80 pts = 8%
Lecture Sub-total
700 pts = 70%
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 6 of 9
LABORATORY
Lab Class Work
140 pts = 14%
Lab Practical
60 pts = 6%
Lab Presentation
100 pts = 10%
Lab Sub-total
300 pts = 30%
Total
1000 pts = 100%
Lecture
14 Quizes – 20 questions, multiple choice/true-false/matching.
Midterm - essay format
Final - essay format comprehensive , 20% material before midterm, 80% after midterm
Paper 1 - Historical Review. [minimum 1000 words] MLA format.
Review an historical ECOSYSTEM ISSUE and use the following headings: SCOPE, ELEMENTS, ISSUES,
SOLUTIONS, IMPLEMENTAION
Define the ecosystem’s SCOPE, delineate the major ELEMENTS involved, explain the ISSUES facing the
system, list SOLUTIONS and present the IMPLEMENTAION strategy(ies).
Reference the book, chapter one on the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park for an
idea of what the paper should be like.
Some suggested topics might be: Air Pollution Control in the US/Michigan or Muskegon county- 1965
to present,
History of sea lamprey introduction to Great Lakes, History of salmon introduction to Great Lakes.
Cleanup of Ruddiman Creek Watershed. Hooker Chemical and C-56 residues. Pollution and clean up of
Love Canal.
Paper 2 – Current Issues. [minimum 1000 words] MLA format.
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 7 of 9
Review a current ECOSYSTEM ISSUE and use the following headings: SCOPE, ELEMENTS, ISSUES,
SOLUTIONS, IMPLEMENTAION
Define the ecosystem’s SCOPE, delineate the major ELEMENTS involved, explain the ISSUES facing the
system, list SOLUTIONS and present the IMPLEMENTAION strategy(ies).
Some suggested topics might be: Threat to Great Lakes from the Zebra Mussel, Asian Carp or other
introduced species. What issues could come from sharing the freshwater resources with other states.
Common resource issues of pollution of air, water or solid waste across state lines or international
borders. Wind turbines in Lake Michigan.
Laboratory
Lab Works
Daily assignments in Lab
Lab Practical
Hands on examination of topics covered
Lab Presentation
Explaining Environmental Science
Including, but not limited to the EPA’s P2 initiative (Pollution Prevention)
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Composting, Electronic waste, water conservation, current disposal methods,
current pollution issues with common territories such as the North Pacific Gyre garbage patch, as well
as ecological issues such as exotic species, over fishing and deforestation. To be presented to a select
audience (Middle or High school students or community members). This will be a group project for the
entire class. Presentation should be about 60-90 minutes.
We will break up into teams for primary tasks as researcher, secretary, presenters. Groups will have
secondary and tertiary responsibilities as well. ALL STUDENTS WILL PRESENT. All work should be
distributed evenly and will be subject to peer review (all students will review each other’s participation
and work as part of the assessment)
Paper 2 – Current Issues. [minimum 1000 words] MLA format.
Review a current ecosystem topic and use the following headings: SCOPE, ELEMENTS, ISSUES,
SOLUTIONS, IMPLEMENTAION
Define the ecosystem’s SCOPE, delineate the major ELEMENTS involved, explain the ISSUES facing the
system, list SOLUTIONS and present the IMPLEMENTAION strategy(ies).
Some suggested topics might be: Threat to Great Lakes from the Zebra Mussel, Asian Carp or other
introduced species. What issues could come from sharing the freshwater resources with other states.
Common resource issues of pollution of air, water or solid waste across state lines or international
borders. Wind turbines in Lake Michigan.
Laboratory
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 8 of 9
Lab Works
Daily assignments in Lab
Lab Practical
Hands on examination of topics covered
Lab Presentation
Explaining Environmental Science
Including, but not limited to the EPA’s P2 initiative (Pollution Prevention)
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Composting, Electronic waste, water conservation, current disposal methods,
current pollution issues with common territories such as the North Pacific Gyre garbage patch, as well
as ecological issues such as exotic species, over fishing and deforestation. To be presented to a select
audience (Middle or High school students or community members). This will be a group project for the
entire class. Presentation should be about 60-90 minutes.
The Class may break up into focus groups to facilitate development of the presentation. ALL STUDENTS
WILL PRESENT. All work should be distributed evenly and will be subject to peer review (all students
will review each other’s participation and work as part of the assessment)
Course Syllabus, Spring/Summer 2012
Page 9 of 9