BIO 130: General Ecology
Fall Quarter 2013
Instructor: Mike Mahan
Phone/Voice Mail: 527-4692
E-Mail: Mike.Mahan@wwcc.edu
Office Hours:
10:30–11:20 on Mon., Tues, and Friday
12:30– 1:20 on Mon., and Wed.
Text:
Environmental Science Working with the Earth
by G. Tyler Miller, Jr.
Final Exam:
Tuesday, December 10
Course Description
This class is an introduction to the science of ecology. Ecology
is the scientific study of interactions between living organisms
and their environment. In the purest sense, ecology looks at the
abundance and distribution of living organisms.
We will begin
this course by establishing a foundation in ecology which covers
ecological concepts and principles.
Since many of the practical applications of ecology are being used
today in the area of environmental science, we will also be
looking at environmental issues.
Ecology, with its relation to
the environment, will continue to affect your life, regardless of
your future aspirations. It is my goal to show you that learning
about ecological concepts and environmental issues is fun and
interesting, is important and relevant to every aspect of your
life and can help you make wiser decisions in matters that affect
you and society as a whole.
It is the objective of this course, not to tell you what to think,
but rather to provide you with ecological concepts and information
which you can use to reach your own conclusions.
I hope this
class will stimulate you to begin a life-long involvement in the
important task of learning how nature works and using this
information to make the world a better place to live.
Intended Learning Outcomes; students will be able to:



Evaluate current issues involving ecology and society.
Apply science process of making observations, forming
hypotheses and testing predictions
Discuss relationships between man and the environment.


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Explain ecological principals using ecological terms.
Apply basic ecological and environmental principles to
existing and new situations.
Apply computer/mathematical models to population and community
dynamics.
Conduct laboratory and field experiments which provide handson experience with the content covered in lecture.
Grading:
Your grade will be based on the following:
Exams
350-450 pts.
Lab Reports
30 pts.
Article
75 pts.
Final Exam
350-450 pts.
Miscellaneous
600 pts.
Grading Scale:
92.5 -100%
A
77.5-79%
90
- 92%
A72.5-77%
87.5 - 89%
B+
70-72%
82.5 - 87%
B
67.5-69%
80
- 82.5% B60-67%
C+
C
CD+
D
Exams
There will be three unit exams; approximately one every three
weeks. Each exam is worth between 350-450 points. The exams will
consist of definitions, multiple choice, true and false, short
answer, matching and essay-type questions and will cover text,
lecture and lab material. Each test will contain between 50 to 75
points lab material. The final is not comprehensive and is one of
the regular unit exams.
Absence from Exams
Absence from an exam is excusable only when it results from a
conflict with an official college function or illness. In either
case, it is your responsibility to notify me of your impending
absence prior to the test taking place or no make-up will be
allowed.
If you are ill, the day of a test, you must call me
before the scheduled exam time.
Make-up tests will be oral or
written examinations, and will reflect the extra time the student
has to study. The highest grade possible on a make-up is 75% (C)
Lab Reports
A laboratory assignment worth 30 points will be due following each
week's lab. Lab exercises cannot be made up, so check with me if
you are anticipating an absence. For outdoor field trips/labs,
students who feel the activity is beyond their physical capability
need to contact me for an alternate activity.
Article Summary and Review
During the quarter, each student is required to share with the
class one article they have read and turn in a one/two page
summary and review of the article.
The article is worth 25
points.
The subject of the article must be related to a topic
the class is currently studying or has already covered.
Let me
know the day before that you want to present your article the
following day. Don't wait until the end of the quarter to present
your article. If you procrastinate too long we may not have time
to get to you and you may have to forfeit the points - so it's
best to get it out of the way early. You must present the article
to the class to receive credit.
The article can be from a newspaper, magazine, or journal. If you
wish, a documentary can be substituted for an article. The format
for the paper will be as follows:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Summarize the article in your own words
Review the article:
by review, I mean, give me your
thoughts on the article; i.e., do you agree or disagree
with the author, how credible is the author and his
sources, is what the author saying important, how does
the topic of the article affect your life, etc.
Attach the article (or a photocopy) to your paper.
Present a summarized version of the article to the
class (i.e. don't simply read your written part to the
class).
Cheating Policy. All work submitted must be your own;
“cheat” sheets are not allowed on tests. Consequences
outlined in the student handbook will be applied. Don’t
put both of us in an unfortunate situation.
Accommodations
A student with a documented disability may request accommodations
by contacting Claudia Angus, Coordinator of Disability Support
Services, at 527-4262 or by email at claudia.angus@wwcc.edu.
Ground Rules for Success:
 Show respect for yourself, others, and me.
not high school.
This is college;

Come to class everyday and be on time and prepared to work.
Always bring textbook and note taking materials.

If you must miss class, it is your responsibility to find a way
to complete the missed assignments and lecture notes.

Do not: Violate laboratory safety rules
Violate student code of conduct rules