METHODS IN
AQUATIC ECOLOGY
BIOLOGY 4620 - Spring 2000
Dr. Ensign, 331 Science Building, (770) 499-3505
bensign@kennesaw.edu
Dr. Sutton, 329 Science Building, (770) 499-3454
hsutton@kennesaw.edu
Dr. Dirnberger, 338 Science Building, (770) 423-6546
jdirnber@kennesaw.edu
COURSE OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, students should:
— Be familiar with statistics commonly used in
the analysis of data from aquatic systems.
— Be familiar with accepted approaches for the
design and analysis of experiments and
investigations in aquatic systems.
— Be familiar with laboratory and field
methods used in aquatic toxicology.
— Be familiar with methods used to physically
characterize and describe aquatic systems.
— Be familiar with methods used to sample
invertebrates in both lotic and lentic
systems.
— Be familiar with methods used to sample
fish in both lotic and lentic systems.
— Be able to design and conduct basic
experiments and investigations in aquatic
systems.
— Be able to summarize, analyze and synthesize data from basic experiments and
investigations in aquatic systems.
PREREQUISITES
Ecology lecture and lab (Biology 3370 and 3370L)
REQUIRED BOOKS:
There is no required text for this course. There will be materials placed on reserve in the
library from which required readings will be drawn. In addition, we will be providing
frequent handouts, so you will need a three-ring binder to keep these organized and
available. Finally, you will need a bound lab and field notebook to document the
experiments and investiagtions conducted during class.
REQUIRED GEAR:
—
—
—
—
Waders (discount stores usually have cheap pairs that tennis shoes can be worn over)
Warm clothes
Personal vehicle for day field trips or arrange to car pool with classmates
Safety glasses and lab coat for toxicology labs
GRADES:







Statistics Exam
Statistics Homework
Toxicology Exam
Toxicology Lab Report
Field Sampling Exam
Field Sampling Reports
Attendance
The last day to withdraw
without academic penalty is
March 17th.
Final Grades: >= 90% = A; >= 80% = B; >= 70% = C; >= 60% = D; < 60% = F
OFFICE HOURS:
Dr. Ensign: TTH 11-12 am, T 2-3pm, TH 3-4pm
Dr. Sutton: MTW 2 - 2:45pm, WTH 9:30-10:30pm
Dr. Dirnberger.:
10%
15%
15%
10%
15%
30%
5%
OUTLINE FOR METHODS IN AQUATIC ECOLOGY:
We will always meet in the lecture room, but on some dates we may leave immediately to
the lab room. On field trip dates, don’t be late! Being a little late for a field trip is
like being a little bit pregnant.
Dress appropriately for field work. If you layer clothing, you won’t have to worry about
being too warm or too cool.
WEEK
1 (1/14)
Introduction; Basic concepts in statistics; Excel tutorial
2 (1/21)
Locational Tests; Tests of Association; Predictive Statistics; Excel tutorial
3 (1/28)
Statistics of Fit; Experimental Designs; Excel tutorial
4 (2/4)
Principles of Aquatic Toxicology; Experimental design in Toxicology;
Statistics take-home exam assigned
5 (2/11)
Lab Techniques in Toxicology; Set up toxicology lab experiment;
Statistics exam due
6 (2/18)
Physical characterization of lakes and streams; Data collection for
toxicology lab experiment
7 (2/25)
Water quality sampling in lakes and streams; Stream hydrology;
Toxicology exam
8 (3/3)
Invertebrate sampling; Vertebrate sampling
9 (3/10)
SPRING BREAK-NO CLASS
10 (3/17)
Field Trip; Physical habitat and water quality sampling in streams;
Toxicology lab report due
11 (3/24)
Field trip; Invertebrate and fish sampling in streams
12 (3/31)
Lab work-up; Fish, invertebrate, water quality, and physical habitat data
from stream sampling
13 (4/7)
Field Trip; Physical habitat and water quality sampling in lakes
14 (4/14)
Field trip; Invertebrate and fish sampling in lakes
Stream sampling report due
15 (4/21)
Lab work-up; Fish, invertebrate, water quality, and physical habitat data
from lake sampling
16 (4/28)
Wetlands Delineation
Final (5/5)
Field Sampling Exam, Lake sampling report due