The Ohio State University
1-week course offering at Stone Laboratory
Summer 2006
June 11 – June 17
EEOB 513:
Field Ecology
Quarter Credit Hours – 3 under/grad
Prerequisites:
At least junior standing by the summer of enrollment, minimum GPA of 2.5, and completion of
15 hours of biology including introductory ecology OR permission of instructor.
Description: This course is an intensive one-week introduction to field ecology for
teachers, upper-level undergraduates, and graduate students. This course will be a broad,
field-based introduction to the distribution and abundance of animals and plants (both
macroscopic and microscopic), aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and techniques for the
collection and identification of these organisms, as well as analyzing their environments.
Pond, lake, river, marsh, beach, field, and woodland habitats will be investigated. Basic
statistical and data analysis techniques will also be covered.
Grading:
4 Quizzes (25 points each)-
100
Field Notebook-
50
Statistics Assignment-
75
Data Analysis Assignments-
75
Lab Practical-
100
Written Exam-
100
Total
500
Texts: Various texts will be available for use in class. No text is required for purchase.
Materials for Student Purchase: Field notebook (Write-In-the-Rain)
Equipment Used For Class (provided by the Lab): Seines, dip-nets, aerial nets, plankton
nets, Secchi disks, DO meter, SONDE, light meter, preservatives, drying racks, DBH
tape, jars, microscopes
continued
Instructor:
Dr. Douglas D. Kane
Limnology Laboratory
Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
The Ohio State University
1527 Museum of Biological Diversity
1315 Kinnear Road
Columbus, Ohio 43212
Phone: 614-292-1003 Email: kane.45@osu.edu
Field Ecology
June 11-17, 2006
Douglas D. Kane
Page 2 of 3
Schedule:
Sunday
Afternoon: Introduction to course
Evening: What is ecology? General ecological principles. Introductory statistics.
Monday
Morning: Lecture: Plant succession and geology of Lake Erie Islands
Afternoon: Terrestrial Fieldtrip- South Bass Island (Fields)
Goal: Observe stage of succession.
Evening: Quiz. Work on statistics assignments.
Tuesday
Morning/Afternoon: Terrestrial Fieldtrip- Kelleys’ Island (Quarries).
Goal: Examine fossil organisms and terrestrial habitats.
Terrestrial Fieldtrip- Kelleys’ Island (Woods)
Goal: Observe stage of succession and collect organisms.
Terrestrial /Aquatic Fieldtrip- Carp Pond (Beach/Marsh)
Goal: Examine transitional zones between aquatic and terrestrial habitats.
Evening: Quiz. Lecture: River ecosystems
Wednesday
Morning: Aquatic Fieldtrip- Old Woman Creek (Lake, Lacustuary, Upstream
Reaches)
Goal: compare various habitats in the same river and the organisms living in
these habitats.
Afternoon: Aquatic Fieldtrip- Huron River
Goal: Compare organisms with Old Woman Creek.
Evening: Quiz. Lecture: Lake ecosystems
Thursday
Morning: Aquatic Fieldtrip- Lake Erie (near Rattlesnake Island)
Goal: Collect fish, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and benthos and take physical
measurements.
Afternoon: Laboratory: Identification of fish, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and
benthos.
Evening: Quiz. Lecture: Pond ecosystems, wetlands, and aquatic macrophytes
Guest Lecture: TBA
Friday
Morning: Aquatic Fieldtrip- Terwilliger’s Pond, Hatchery Bay and Alligator Bar
Goal: Collect aquatic macroinvertebrates and aquatic macrophytes.
Laboratory: Identification of macroinvertebrates and aquatic macrophytes.
Afternoon: Review for written test and laboratory practical. Course evaluations.
Evening: Field notebooks due. Study for lab practical and written exam.
Saturday
Morning: Laboratory Practical Exam- (1 hour-stations, 1 hour-quantitative),
Written Exam- (1 hour).
Note: Morning sessions will last from 8AM until noon, afternoon sessions will last from
1PM until 4PM, and evening sessions will last from approximately 7PM until 9PM.
Field Ecology
June 11-17, 2006
Douglas D. Kane
Page 3 of 3
Grading Scale: The following grading scale will be used to determine the final grade you
have earned in EEOB 513:
93 and up- A
87-90% - B+
77-80% - C+
67-70% - D+
90-93% - A83-87% - B
73-77% - C
60-67% - D
80-83% - B70-73% - C0-60% - E
Disability Statement: Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation
based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your
specific needs. Please contact the Office for Disability Services at 614-292-3307
in room 150 Pomerene Hall to coordinate reasonable accommodations for
students with documented disabilities.
Academic Misconduct Statement: Academic integrity is essential to maintaining
an environment that fosters excellence in teaching, research, and other educational
and scholarly activities. Thus, The Ohio State University and the Committee on
Academic Misconduct (COAM) expect that all students have read and understand
the University’s Code of Student Conduct, and that all students will complete all
academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must
recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the
University’s Code of Student Conduct and this syllabus may constitute “Academic
Misconduct.” The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section
3335-23-04) defines academic misconduct as: “Any activity that tends to
compromise the academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational
process.” Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to)
plagiarism, collusion (unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another
student, and possession of unauthorized materials during an examination.
Ignorance of the University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered an
“excuse” for academic misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of
Student Conduct and, specifically, the sections dealing with academic
misconduct.