NCEAS General Ecology Course Syllabus
Prepared by: Jack Williams, Dawn Kaufman and John Sabo.
Contributors: John Alroy, Sharron Cowling, Perry deValpine, Leah Gerber, Sarah Gergel,
Parviez Hosseini, Barney Lutbeg, David Post, Linda Puth, Helen Regan, Elizabeth Sandlin,
Cheryl Schultz, Jon Shurin, Mary Towner.
Notes:
This syllabus is designed to function as a menu of lectures for an instructor designing either a
general or a more specific ecology course. Lectures marked with asterisks are those that should
be included in a more general ecology course that aims to teach all sub disciplines. This was
obviously designed for a semester!
Readings are marked as either “Reader” or “Instructor” within each topic. Those marked Reader
are intended for students and a course reader, while those marked Instructor are intended to aid
the instructor in preparing for the course. In many sections there are “Additional Readings”
sections to supplement these Instructor readings (or for Graduate Student discussion sections).
Introduction (Could be 1 lecture)
Individual Ecology
(Lutbeg, Sandlin and Towner)
Physiological ecology (*)
Topics:
plants - water and energy
animals - thermoregulation and resources
Readings:
Plants:
Ehleringer, J. R., Phillips, S. L., Schuster, W. S. F. and Sandquist, D. R. (1991).
Differential utilization of summer rains by desert plants. Oecologia 88, 430-434.
(Reader)
Reich, P.B., Walters, M.B. and Ellsworth, D.S. 1997. From tropics to Tundra: Global
convergence in plant functioning. PNAS 94:13730-13734. (Instructor)
Animals:
Huey, R. B. 1982. Temperature, Physiology and the Ecology of Reptiles. Pages 25-91
in Gans, C. and F. H. Pough, Eds. Biology of the Reptilta, Volume 12. Academic Press,
New York,USA. (Reader)
1
Adolph, S.C. and W.P. Porter. 1993. Temperature, Activity, and Lizard Life-Histories.
American Naturalist 142:273-295 (Instructor)
Porter, W.P. and D.M. Gates. 1969. Thermodynamic Equilibria of Animals with
Environment. Ecological Monographs 39:227-244. (Instructor)
Life-history variation (Stearns) (*)
Topics:
1) Life history/matrices – a) get across to students that ultimately it is all about
reproducing and there are multiple ways to optimize reproduction, b) using matrices we
can examine which life stages are most critical for population growth
2) Other: growth rates, sex allocation, iteroparity vs. semelparity, reproductive value, r
vs. K, phenotypic plasticity
Readings:
Stearns, S. C. 1992. The Evolution of Life Histories. Oxford University Press
(Instructor)
C. M. Lessells (1991). The evolution of life histories In: Behavioural Ecology (eds. Krebs
and Davies), Blackwell Scientific Publications, p32-68 (Instructor)
Crouse, D. T., L. B. Crowder, and H. Caswell (1987) A stage-based population model for
loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and implications for conservation. Ecology 68:14121423 (Reader)
Foraging theory (*)
Topics:
diet selection - when to include that second item (prey switching)
functional responses
Readings:
Foraging Theory (1986) Stephens, D.W., Krebs, J. R. Princeton University Press
(Selections in Reader)
Phenotypic plasticity/inducible defense (*)
Topics:
The previous section covered how predators should forage, this lecture covers some
responses by prey trying to avoid predation
Readings:
Abrahams and Dill (1989) A determination of the energetic equivalence of the risk of
predation. Ecology 70:999-1007 (Reader)
2
Spatial Distributions/Dispersal (*)
Topics:
a) How individuals should distribute themselves given the assumptions of the ideal free
distribution
b) modifications of the model, such as imperfect information, state, inequal competitive
abilities, and their impacts
c) why individuals disperse (competition for resources and mates, inbreeding avoidance),
d) other sections of this course probably talk about how dispersal connects
metapopulations and other scales, these sections might include some ideas about how
individuals decide whether and where to disperse and how these individual decisions
affect population and community dynamics
Readings:
Milinski M., G. A. Parker (1991). Competition for resources In: Behavioural Ecology
(eds. Krebs and Davies), Blackwell Scientific Publications, p137-168. (Instructor)
Fretwell and Lucas (1970) On territorial behavior and other factors influencing habitat
distributions in birds. Acta Biothor. 19: 16-36 (Reader)
Dispersal (2001) eds. J. Clobert, E. Danchin, AA Dhondt, J.D. Nichols. Oxford
University Press (Instructor)
Human Behavioral Ecology
Topics:
Many topics already listed above, but could do one lecture focused on examples of
applications to humans: e.g., the polygyny threshold model, many foraging studies,
human conservation behavior, human dispersal
Readings:
Winterhalder, B and Eric Alden Smith. 2000. Analyzing adaptive strategies: human
behavioral ecology at twenty-five. Evolutionary Anthropology 9(2):51-72 (Reader)
Migration & Dispersal
dispersal tactics (e.g., seed dispersal by animals), invasions
dispersal: ecological constraints, benefits of philopatry; access to mates, reproductive
failure
seasonal migrations: timing, navigation, travel corridors
Sociality
selfish heard
information centers
optimal group size (Packer and Pusey)
3
Mating systems
mate defense and resource defense
cooperative breeding
Natural selection
fitness & trade-offs
optimality theory
kin selection (parent-offspring conflict)
game theory (the prisoner's dilemma)
reciprocal altruism
Other Readings:
Charnov 1976. Theor. Popul. Biol. 9, 129-136.
Clutton-Brock 1983. Selection in relation to sex. In: From Molecules to Men, ed. D.S. Bendall.
Emlen and Oring 1977. Science 197, 215-223.
Lack 1966. Population Studies of Birds. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
4
Population Biology
(de Valpine, Gerber, Hosseini, Regan and Schultz,)
Population Growth(*)
Topics:
Birth, death, immigrants and emigrants (including harvesting and translocation)
Exponential growth (including human population growth)
Continuous versus discrete population growth
Doubling time
Examples and exercises
Readings:
Gotelli, 1995. Chapter 1: Exponential population growth, pp. 1-26. A primer of ecology.
(Reader,Instructor)
Akcakaya, H.R., et al. 1999. Chapter 1: Population growth, pp. 1-32. (Reader)
Hastings, A. Chapter 2: Density independent population growth, pp. 9-15.
(Reader,Instructor)
Variation and Uncertainty(*)
Topics:
Sources of uncertainty
Demographic stochasticity (also how to deal with it in a model)
Environmental stochasticity (also how to deal with it)
Parameter uncertainty
Sensitivity analysis
Examples and exercises
Readings:
Burgman et al. Chapter, Risk assessment in conservation biology. (Reader)
Foley and Gilpin, 1997. Extinction models for local populations pp. 215-242. In
Metapopulation Biology (Hanski and Gilpin eds.)
Regan et al. 2002. A taxonomy and treatment of uncertainty in ecology and conservation
biology. Ecological Applications. (Instructor)
Hilborn, 1987. Living with uncertainty in resource management. North American Journal of
Fisheries Management 7:1-5.
Doak D.F., Karieva, P. Klepetka, B. 1994. Modeling population viability of the desert
tortoise in the western Mojave desert. Ecological Applications, 4:446-460. (Reader)
Density Dependence(*)
Topics:
Competition (Scramble, Contest, Ceiling, Interference, Exploitative)
Allee effects
Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity and the human population
Examples and exercises
Readings:
5
Gotelli, 1995. Chapter 2: Logistic population growth, pp. 27-54. A primer of ecology.
(Reader,Instructor)
Mills and Gorman, 1997. Conservation Biology 11:1297-1406. (example)
Cohen, J.E. 1995. Population growth and earth’s human carrying capacity Science. 269:34146. (Reader)
Hassel, M.P. 1986. Detecting density dependence, TREE 1:90-93. (Reader)
Demography(*)
Topics:
Age/stage structure
Leslie matrix (incl. stable age structure)
Life tables/Lotka model (survivorship and fertility schedules)
Estimating survival and fecundity rate (and variability in rates)
Sensitivity and Elasticity analysis
Putting it all into a Leslie matrix
Examples and exercises
Readings:
Caswell, H. Chapter 2: Age classified matrix models. pp. 8-34. Matrix population models.
(Instructor)
Caswell, H. Chapter 3: Stage classified life cycles. pp. 35-55. Matrix population models.
(Instructor)
Crouse, D. L. Crowder, H. Caswell. 1987. A stage based population model for loggerhead
sea turtles and implications for conservation. Ecology 68:1412-23. (Reader)
Gotelli, Chapter 3: Age-structured population growth, pp. 55-88. A primer for ecology.
(Reader)
Morris et al. 1999. Chapter 4: Projection matrix models, pp. 30-47. (Reader)
Metapopulations(*)
Topics:
Spatial heterogeneity
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Spatial correlations and environmental variation
Reintroduction and translocation
Examples and exercises
Readings:
Hanski I. and M. Kuussaari. 1995. Chapter 8: Butterfly metapopulation dynamics, pp. 149172. (Reader,Instructor)
Hanski, I. 1994. Patch-occupancy dynamics in fragmented landscapes. TREE 9:131-135.
(Reader)
Crone E., D. Doak and J. Pokki. 2001. Ecological influences on the dynamics of a field vole
metapopulation. Ecology 82:831-43. (Reader,Instructor)
Scott et al. Science (ref to come)
6
Application: Analyses of Extinction Risk
Causes of extinction (Soule M.E. 1987. Viable populations for conservation. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, UK.) (Instructor)
Introduction to ‘canned’ PVA programs (
Brook et al. 2000. Predictive accuracy of population viability analysis in conservation
biology. Nature 404:385-387. (Reader,Instructor)
Lindenmayer D. et al. 1995. A review of the generic computer programs ALEX,
RAMAS/spcae and VORTEX for modeling the viability of wildlife
metapopulations. Ecological Modeling 82:161-174. (Instructor)
Pastorok R. et al. Ecological models in risk assessment ?? full ref to come
(Reader,Instructor)).
Extinction risk for single populations
Extinction risk for metapopulations
(Burgman et al. 1993. Risk assessment for conservation biology). (Reader,Instructor)
For advanced classes
Disease and epidemics (Dobson and ?? 2001)
Estimating population parameters (McCallum ref to come)
Goals:
1) Introduce you to the principal concepts and methods of population ecology
2) Develop your analytical and communication skills, thereby improving your abilities to
contribute to creating effective solutions.
Additional Readings
Akcakaya, H.R., Burgman, M.A. and Ginzburg L.R., 1999. Applied population ecology.
Sinauer Associates Inc, Sunderland, MA.
Burgman M.A., Ferson, S. Akcakaya, H.R. 1993. Risk assessment in conservation
biology. Chapman and Hall, London, UK.
Cappuccino, N. and P.W. Price. 1995. Population dynamics. Academic Press, San Diego.
Caswell, H. 2001. Matrix population models. Sinauer, Sunderland, MA.
Gotelli N., 1995. A primer of ecology. Sinauer Associates Inc, Sunderland, MA.
Hanski, I. and Gilpin, M.E., 1997. Metapopulation Biology, Academic Press, San Diego.
Hastings, A. 1997. Population Biology: concepts and models. Springer Verlag, NY.
Morris, W., D. Doak, M. Groom, P. Kareiva, J. Fieberg, L. Gerber, P. Murphy, and D.
Thomson. 1999. A Practical Handbook for Population Viability Analysis. The Nature
Conservancy, ISBN: 0-9624590-4-6. 133 pp.
7
Community Ecology
(Kaufman, Post, Sabo and Shurin)
Compeition, consumer resource interactions(*)
Topics:
Lotka Volterra equations, isoclines
Resource competition, R*
Predation, disease, omnivory, detritivory, etc.
Lotka Volterra- isoclines, stability
Functional responses (I, II, III). Equations or graphical
Readings:
Gotelli, N.J. 2001. A Primer of Ecology, Third Edition. Sinauer Associates, Inc.,
Sunderland, MA.
Begon, Harper, and Townsend 1996. Ecology. Blackwell Scientific. Ch. 7-10.
Food webs(*)
Topics & Readings:
Keystone predation:
Paine, R. T. 1980. Food webs: linkage, interaction strength and community infrastructure.
Journal of Animal Ecology 49:667-685. (Instructor)
Power, M. E., D. Tilman, J. A. Estes, B. A. Menge, W. J. Bond, L. S. Mills, G. Daily, J.
C. Castilla, J. Lubchenco, and R. T. Paine. 1996. Challenges in the quest for
keystones. Bioscience 46:609-620. (Reader)
Trophic cascades:
Estes, J.A., M.T. Tinker, T.M., Williams, D.F. Doak 1998. Killer whale predation on sea
otters linking oceanic and nearshore ecosystems. Science 282: 473-476. (Reader)
Energetics:
Lindeman, R. L. 1942. The trophic-dynamics aspect of ecology. Ecology 23:399-418.
(Also in Foundations of Ecology; Instructor)
Structure—Food chain length, connectance, omnivory and food web architecture
Implications—Biocontrol and bioaccumulation:
Murdoch, W.W., J. Chesson, P.L. Chesson 1985. Biological-control in theory and
practice. American Naturalist 125:344-366.
Diversity (*)
Topics (in 2 lectures):
1)
Overview:
How to measure it (Local – alpha; regional – gamma; turnover – beta; and global)
Broad scale patterns (latitude, energy, elevation)
Local and regional controls
8
Invasions and extinctions
Hutchinson, G. E. 1959. Homage to Santa Rosalia; or, why are there so many kinds of
animals? American Naturalist 93:145-159. (Also in Foundations of Ecology;
Instructor)
2) Island biogeography
Topics:
S=c-e
Species-area functions
Corridors, connectance, filters
Readings:
Simberloff, D.S. and E.O. Wilson 1969. Experimental zoogeography of islands: the
colonization of empty islands. Ecology 50:278-296 (Also in Foundations of Ecology;
Reader)
Simberloff, D. and L.G. Abele 1982. Refuge design and island biogeographic theory:
effects of fragmentation. American Naturalist 120:41-50. (Reader)
MacArthur R.H. and E.O. Wilson 1967. Equilibrium theory of island biogeography.
Princeton University Press. (Instructor)
Hutchinson, G. E. 1959. Homage to Santa Rosalia; or, why are there so many kinds of
animals? American Naturalist 93:145-159. (Also in Foundations of Ecology;
Instructor)
3) Disturbance
Topics:
Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis
Mechanisms of Succession
Readings:
Sousa W.P. 1979. Disturbance in marine intertidal boulder fields: the nonequilibrium
maintenance of species diversity. Ecology 60:1225-1239. (Reader)
Connell J.H. 1978. Diversity in tropical rain forests and coral reefs – high diversity of
trees and corals is maintained only in a non-equilibrium state. Science 199:13021310. (Reader)
Paine, R.T. and S.A. Levin 1981. Intertidal landscapes: disturbance and the dynamics of
pattern. Ecol. Monographs 51:145-178 (Instructor)
White, P.S., and S.T.A. Pickett. 1985. The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and Patch
Dynamics, Academic Press, New York. (Instructor)
Complexity stability(*)
Topics:
Diversity vs. Stability
Complexity vs. Stability
Connectance, Interaction Strength and Diversity
Productivity vs. diversity
9
Readings:
McCann, K.S. (2000) The diversity-stability debate. Nature 405:228-233 (Reader)
May, R.M. (1973) Stability and complexity in model ecosystems. Princeton University
Press. (Instructor)
Tilman, D. and J.A. Downing (1994) Biodiversity and stability in grasslands. Nature
367:363-365 (Reader – paired with Huston 1997)
Huston, M.A. (1997) Hidden treatments in ecological experiments: re-evaluating the
ecosystem function of biodiversity. Oecologia 110:449-460. (Reader)
Cmmunity Assembly
Topics:
Individualistic vs Superorganismic concepts of communites
Stochastic vs. Deterministic communit assembly
Colonization vs. species interactions
Readings:
Whittaker R.H. (1956) Vegetation of the Great Smoky Mountains. Ecological
Monographs 26:1-69 (Instructor)
Clements, F.E. (1936) Nature and structure of the Climax. The Journal of Ecology
24:525-584 (also in Foundations of Ecology; Instructor)
Gleason, H.A. (1926) The individualistic concept of the plant association. Bull. of the
Torrey Botanical Club 53:7-26 (also in Foundations of Ecology; Instructor)
Coevolution
Topics & Readings:
Character Displacement:
Schluter D. 1994. Experimental-evidence that competition promotes divergence in
adaptive radiation. Science 266:798-801 (Reader)
Induced defenses:
Agrawal, A.A. (1998). Induced responses to herbivory and increased plant performance.
Science 279:1201-1202 (Reader)
Additional readings:
Paine, R.T. 1966. Food web complexity and species diversity. American Naturalist 100: 65.
Paine, R.T. 1992. Food-web analysis through field measurement of per-capita interaction
strength. Nature 355: 73-75.
Brooks J. L. and S. I. Dodson. 1965. Predation body size and composition of plankton. Science
150: 28.
Carpenter, S.R., J. F. Kitchell, and J. R. Hodgson. 1985. Cascading trophic interactions and lake
productivity. Bioscience 35: 634-639.
Power, M.E. 1992. Effects of fish in river food webs. Science 250:811-814.
Mclaren B. E. and R. O. Peterson 1994. Wolves, moose, and tree-rings on Isle Royale Science
266: 1555-1558.
Special feature: “Trophic cascades” Ecology 73, vol. 3
Hairston, N.G. and N.G. hairston. 1993. Cause-effect relationships in energy-flow, trophic
Structure, and interspecific interactions. American Naturalist 142:379-411.
10
Polis, G.A. and D.R. strong. 1993. Food web complexity and community dynamics. American
Naturalist 147:813-846.
Pimm, s. L. 1982. Food webs. Chapman & Hall. New York.
Polis, G. A. 1991. Complex trophic interactions in deserts - an empirical critique of food-web
theory. American Naturalist 138: 123-155.
Post, D.M., M.L. Pace and N.G. Hairston. 2000. Ecosystem size determines food-chain length
in lakes. Nature 405:1047-1049.
Schindler, D. E., S. R. Carpenter, J. J. Cole et al. 1997. Influence of food web structure on
carbon exchange between lakes and the atmosphere. Science 277: 248-251.
Cabana G and J. B. Rasmussen J. B. 1994. Modeling food-chain structure and contaminant
bioaccumulation using stable nitrogen isotopes. Nature 372: 255-257.
Simberloff, D, J. A. Farr and J. Cox, et al. 1992. Movement corridors - conservation bargains or
poor investmentsConservation Biology 6: 493-504.
Jones T. H., Thompson L. J., Lawton J. H., et al. 1998. Impacts of rising atmospheric carbon
dioxide on model terrestrial ecosystems. Science 280: 441-443.
Debinski, D. M. and R. D. Holt. 2000. A survey and overview of habitat fragmentation
experiments. Conservation Biology 14: 342-355.
Wootton, J.T., M.S. Parker and M.E. Power. 1996. Effects of Disturbance on River Food Webs.
Science 273:1558-1561.
Cowles, H. C. 1899. The ecological relations of the vegetation on the sand dunes of Lake
Michigan. Botanical Gazette 27:95-117.
Pimm, S.L. 1984. The complexity and stability of ecosystems. Nature 307: 321-326.
May, R. M. 1973. Stability and complexity in model ecosystems. Princeton Monographs.
Princeton, NJ.
Stearns, S.C. 1989. The evolutionary significance of phenotypic plasticity - phenotypic sources
of variation among organisms can be described by developmental switches and reaction
norms. Bioscience 39: 436-445.
Coley, P. D., J. P. Bryant and F. S. Chapin. 1985. Resource availability and plant antiherbivore
defense. Science 230: 895-899.
Tollrian, R. and C. D. Harvell. 1999. The ecology and evolution of inducible defenses.
Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.
11
Ecosystem Ecology
(Cowling, Gergel, Post and Puth)
Introduction(*)
Topics & Readings:
Ecosystem Services / Biodiversity & Ecosystem Function
G. Daily. 1997. Nature's Services. Island Press.
- Chapters 1 and 2 (Reader)
- (Instructor) see rest of book for various examples
Ecosystem engineers
Jones, CG, JH Lawton and M Shachak. 1997. Positive and negative effects of
organisms as physical ecosystem engineers. Ecology 78: 1946-1957. (Reader)
Helfield, J.M. and R.J. Naiman 2001. Effects of salmon-derived nitrogen on
riparian forest growth and implications for stream productivity. Ecology
82: 2403-2409. (Instructor)
Additional Readings: Ecosystem management
Grumbine, RE. 1994. What is ecosystem management? Conservation Biology 8:2738.
Slocombe, D. Scott. 1993. Implementing ecosystem-based management. Bioscience
43(9):612-622.
Physical Environment(*)
Topics: Molles, MC, Jr. 1999. Ecology: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill
Water budget
Radiation
Evapotranspiration
Readings:
Postel, Sandra L., Dailey, Gretchen C. Erhlich, Paul R. 1997. Human appropriation of
renewable fresh water. Science 271:785-788.
Primary Production(*)
Topics & Readings:
NPP vs. GPP, carbon cycling, decomposition
Schlesinger, WH. 1997. Carbon Cycle of Terrestrial Ecosystems IN Biogeochemistry:
an Analysis of Global Change. Academic Press.
C3/C4 plants, CAM (succulents)
Molles, MC, Jr. 1999. Ecology: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill
Nutrient Cycling(*)
Topics:
Nitrogen cycling
Evolution of mycorrhizae / nitrogen fixers
Phosphorus
Contrast limiting nutrients in boreal/tropical, aquatic contrasts
12
Readings:
Schlesinger, WH. 1997. Biogeochemical cycling on land IN Biogeochemistry: an
Analysis of Global Change. Academic Press.
Molles, MC, Jr. 1999. Ecology: Concepts and Applications. McGraw-Hill
Biogeochemistry in Aquatic Systems
Topics:
Redox potential
Primary Production in wetlands and lakes
Readings:
Schlesinger, WH. 1997. Biogeochemistry in Freshwater lakes and Wetlands IN
Biogeochemistry: an Analysis of Global Change. Academic Press.
Human Alterations(*)
Topics & Readings:
N cycle
Vitousek, PM., HA Mooney, J Lubchenko & JM Melillo. 1997. Human
domination of Earth's ecosystems. Science 277:494-497. (Reader)
Vitousek, PM, J. Aber, SE Bayley, RW Howarth, GE Likens, PA Matson, DW
Schindler, WH Schlesinger, & D Tilman. 1997. Human alteration of the global
nitrogen cycle: causes and consequences. Issues in Ecology (from ESA) 1:1-15.
(Instructor)
CO2 / Greenhouse Effect
Hoyt, DV. 1979. Empirical determination of the heating of the Earth by the
carbon-dioxide greenhouse effect. Nature 282:388-390.
Ozone depletion
Farman, JC, BG Gardiner & JD Shanklin. 1985. Large losses of total ozone in
Antarctica reveal seasonal CLOX/NOX interaction. Nature 315: 207-210.
(Instructor)
Jones, AE & JD Shanklin. 1995. Continued decline of total ozone over Halley,
Antarctica, since 1985. Nature 376:409-411. (Reader)
UV-B
Williamson C.E. 1995. What role does UV-b radiation play in fresh-water
ecosystems. Limnology and Oceanography 40:386-392
Carbon cycle
Vitousek, P.M., PR Erhlich, AH Erhlich & PA Matson. 1986. Human
appropriation of the products of photosynthesis. BioScience 36:368-373.
13
Landscape Ecology
(Gergel and Puth)
Introduction and Concepts of Scale(*)
What is landscape ecology?
Heterogeneity
Grain and extent, Spatial vs. temporal
Meentemeyer, V., and E. O. Box. 1987. Scale effects in landscape studies. Pages
15-34 in M.G. Turner, editor. Landscape Heterogeneity and Disturbance.
Springer-Verlag, New York.(Instructor)
Turner, MG. 1989. Landscape ecology: the effect of pattern on process. Annual
Review of Ecological Systems 20: 171-197. (Instructor)
Levin, SA. 1992. The problem of pattern and scale in ecology. Ecology 6:1943
1967. (Reader)
Li, H. and J. F. Reynolds. 1995. On definition and quantification of
heterogeneity. Oikos 73:280-284. (Reader)
Urban, D. L., R. V. O’Neill, and H. H. Shugart. Landscape ecology. 1987.
Bioscience 37:119-127. (Reader)
Quantifying Landscape Pattern(*)
Topics:
Overview of metrics of composition vs. configuration
Patch delineation, Connectivity
Readings:
Riitters, K. H., R. V. O'Neill, C. T. Hunsaker, J. D. Wickham, D. H. Yankee, S. P.
Timmons, K. B. Jones, and B. L. Jackson. 1995. A factor analysis of landscape
pattern and structure metrics. Landscape Ecology 10:23-40. (Instructor)
Turner, M.G. et al. 1989. Effects of changing spatial scale on the analysis of
landscape pattern. Landscape Ecology 3:153-162. (Instructor)
Gustafson, E. J. 1998. Quantifying landscape spatial pattern: what is the state of
the art? Ecosystems 1:143-156. (Reader)
Gustafson, EJ and GH Parker. 1992. Relationships between landcover proportion
and indices of landscape spatial pattern. Landscape Ecology. 7:101-110
(Reader)
LAB EXERCISE: Cardille and Turner. 2001. Understanding landscape metrics I.
Learning Landscape Ecology. Sarah Gergel and Monica Turner, editors. SpringerVerlag.
Simulation Modeling
Topics:
Markov models
Models of landscape change and forest harvest
Readings:
14
Baker, W. L. 1989. A review of models of landscape change. Landscape Ecology
2:111-133. . (Reader)
Franklin, J.F., and Forman, R.T.T. 1987. Creating landscape patterns by forest
cutting: ecological consequences and principles. Landscape Ecology 1:518. (Reader)
Haefner, J.W. 1996. Modeling biological systems: principles and applications.
Chapman and Hall, New York. . (Instructor)
LAB: Introduction to Markov Models by Dean Urban and David Wallin. Chapter
4 IN Learning Landscape Ecology: A Practical Guide to Concepts and techniques.
Sarah Gergel and Monica Turner, editors. Springer-Verlag.
Conservation and Organismal Response to Pattern(*)
Topics:
Corridors
Boundaries
Fragmentation
Readings:
Puth, LM, and KA Wilson. 2001. Boundaries and corridors as a continuum of
ecological flow control: lessons from rivers and streams. Conservation
Biology 15:21-30. . (Reader)
Simberloff, D. and J Cox. Consequences and costs of conservation corridors.
1987. Conservation Biology 1:63-71. (Reader)
Haddad, N. M. 1999. Corridor use predicted from behaviors at habitat
boundaries. The American Naturalist 153: 215-227. . (Instructor)
Wiens, J. A., and B. T. Milne. 1989. Scaling of "landscapes" in landscape
ecology, or landscape ecology from a beetle's perspective. Landscape
Ecology 3:87-96. . (Reader)
Landscape Theory
Topics:
Neutral Landscape Models
Percolation Theory
Readings:
Gardner, R. H., B. T. Milne, M. G. Turner, and R. V. O'Neill. 1987. Neutral
models for the analysis of broad-scale landscape pattern. Landscape
Ecology 1:19-28. (Reader)
With, K. A and A. W. King. 1997. The use and misuse of neutral landscape
models in ecology. Oikos 79:219-229. (Instructor)
Disturbance(*)
Topics:
15
Types of disturbance
Fire
Effect of pattern on disturbance
Landscape legacies
Readings:
Turner, M. G., V. H. Dale, and E. E. Everham, III. 1997. Fires, hurricanes and
volcanoes: comparing large-scale disturbances. BioScience 47:758-768.
(Reader)
Knight, DH and LL Wallace. 1989. The Yellowstone Fires: issues in landscape
ecology. BioScience 39:700-706. (Reader)
Turner, M.G. et al. 1989. Predicting the spread of disturbance across
heterogeneous landscapes. Oikos 55:121-129. (Instructor)
Turner, M. G., W. H. Romme, R. H. Gardner, R. V. O'Neill, and T. K. Kratz.
1993. A revised concept of landscape equilibrium: disturbance and
stability on scaled landscapes. Landscape Ecology 8:213-227.
(Instructor)
Wallin, D. O., F. J. Swanson, and B. Marks. 1994. Landscape pattern response to
changes in pattern generation rules: land-use legacies in forestry. Ecology
Applications 4:569-580. (Reader)
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The Earth Ecosystem
(Alroy, Cowling and Williams)
(Full references below)
Introduction: Linking Ecological Phenomena Across Scales
Climate & Biomes
Biomes of the World (Bailey 1998) (Colinvaux 1973)
Quaternary Paleoecology
Orbital Variations and Climate Change (COHMAP Members 1988, Imbrie and
Imbrie 1979)
Plant and Community Responses (Davis 1963, Davis 1969, Delcourt and Delcourt
1991)(Webb III 1993)
Global Biogeochemical Cycles (could be covered with Global Change)
General references: (Leopold, p. 11-115, Schlesinger 1997)
Energy (Schlesinger 1997)
Water (Schlesinger 1997) Ch. 10
Carbon (Schlesinger 1997) Ch. 11
Nitrogen & Phosphorus (Schlesinger 1997) Ch. 12
Anthropogenic Impacts & Disturbances (Vitousek et al. 1997)
Biodiversity(*)
Spatial Patterns
History of Life
Extinction Events (Raup and Sepkoski Jr. 1982)
Radiations (Foote 1996, Miller 2000)
Anthropogenic Impacts
Extinctions (Alroy 2001, Martin and Steadman 1999)
Species Invasions
Conservation (Meffe 1997, Reaka-Kudla et al. 1997)
Macroecology
General reference: (Brown 1995, Maurer 1999)
Emergent vs. Reductionist Phenomena
Key Patterns (body size, range size, etc.)
Global Change(*)
General references: (Bush 1997)
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Gaia Hypothesis (Lovelock 1979)
(bogus, but useful emphasis on feedbacks within system)
Climate Change
Greenhouse Effect (Gelbspan 1995, Houghton 1994, Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change 2000)
Historical and Prehistoric Climate Change (Petit et al. 1999)
Earth System Models (Foley et al. 2000, McGuffie and Henderson-Sellers 1997)
Impacts on Natural Systems (Vitousek 1994)
Carbon Sequestration
Ozone Depletion & CFC’s (Molina and Rowland 1974)
Land Use and Land Cover Change
Acid Rain (Likens and Bormann 1974)
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Readings
Alroy, J. 2001. A multispecies overkill simulation of the end-Pleistocene megafaunal mass
extinction. Science 292: 1893-1896. -- current
Bailey, R. G. 1998. Ecoregions: The Ecosystem Geography of the Oceans and Continents.
Springer, New York. -- overview of modern biome and ecoregions -- terrestrial and
marine
Brown, J. H. 1995. Macroecology. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. -- review book
Bush, M. B. 1997. Ecology of a Changing Planet. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. -good introductory ecology textbook with emphasis on global change
COHMAP Members. 1988. Climatic changes of the last 18,000 years: observations and
model simulations. Science 24: 1043-1052. -- classic
Colinvaux, P. A. 1973. Introduction to Ecology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. -textbook with good treatment of biomes
Davis, M. B. 1963. On the theory of pollen analysis. American Journal of Science 261: 897912. -- classic
—. 1969. Climatic changes in southern Connecticut recorded by pollen deposition at Rogers
Lake. Ecology 50: 409-422. -- classic
Delcourt, H. R., and P. A. Delcourt. 1991. Quaternary Ecology: A Paleoecological
Perspective. Chapman & Hall, London. -- upper-level textbook
Foley, J. A., S. Levis, M. H. Costa, W. Cramer, and D. Pollard. 2000. Incorporating dynamic
vegetation cover within global climate models. Ecological Applications 10: 1620-1632. -review article
Foote, M. 1996. Ecological controls on the evolutionary recovery of post-Paleozoic crinoids.
Science 274: 1492-1495. -- current
Gelbspan, R. 1995. The Heat is On. Perseus Books, Reading, MA. -- popular account of
global warming science and politics
Houghton. 1994. Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, N.Y. -- summary of global warming science
Imbrie, J., and K. P. Imbrie. 1979. Ice Ages: Solving the Mystery. Macmillan, London. -book aimed for general audience
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 2000. Climate Change 2001: The Scientific
Basis. Technical Summary of the Working Group I Report. -- current consensus
statement by scientific community on global warming
Leopold, A. A Sand County Almanac. Odyssy. p111-115 -- a classic short piece on
biogeochemical cycles good for introducing subject to students
Likens, G. E., and F. H. Bormann. 1974. Acid rain: A serious regional environmental
problem. Science 184: 1176-1179. -- classic
Lovelock, J. E. 1979. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
-- controversial, even bogus, but provocative
Martin, P. S., and D. W. Steadman. 1999. Prehistoric extinctions on islands and continents.
Pages 17-55 in R. D. E. MacPhee, ed. Extinctions in Near Time: Causes, Contexts, and
Consequences. Kluwer Academic, New York. -- review
Maurer, B. A. 1999. Untangling ecological complexity: The macroscopic perspective.
University of Chicago Press, Chicago. -- review
McGuffie, K., and A. Henderson-Sellers. 1997. A climate modelling primer. Wiley,
Chichester. -- describes fundamentals for modelling atmosphere dynamics. good
resource for teacher
19
Meffe, G. K. 1997. Principles of Conservation Biology. Sinauer, Sunderland, MA. -textbook
Miller, A. I. 2000. Conversations about Phanerozoic global diversity. Pages 53-73 in D. H.
Erwin and S. L. Wing, eds. Deep Time: Paleobiology's Perspective. The Paleontological
Society, Lawrence. -- review
Molina, M. J., and F. S. Rowland. 1974. Stratospheric sink for chlorofluoromethanes:
Chlorine atom-catalysed destruction of ozone. Nature 249: 810-. classic
Petit, J. R., J. Jouzel, D. Raynaud, N. I. Barkov, J.-M. Barnola, I. Basile, M. Bender, J.
Chappellaz, M. Davis, G. Delaygue, M. Delmotte, V. M. Kotlyakov, M. Legrand, V. Y.
Lipenkov, C. Lorius, L. Pépin, C. Ritz, E. Saltzman, and Stievenard. 1999. Climate and
atmospheric history of the past 420,000 years from the Vostok ice core, Antarctica.
Nature 399: 429-436. -- classic
Raup, D. M., and J. J. Sepkoski Jr. 1982. Mass extinctions in the marine fossil record.
Science 215: 1501-1503. -- classic
Reaka-Kudla, M. L., D. E. Wilson, and E. O. Wilson. 1997. Biodiversity II understanding
and protecting our biological resources. Joseph Henry Press, Washington, D.C. -- good
resource for teacher -- full of statistics
Schlesinger, W. H. 1997. Biogeochemistry: An analysis of global change. Academic Press,
San Diego. -- great textbook!
Vitousek, P. M. 1994. Beyond global warming: ecology and global change. Ecology 76:
1861-1876. -- review
Vitousek, P. M., J. D. Aber, R. W. Howarth, G. E. Likens, P. A. Matson, D. W. Schindler,
W. H. Schlesinger, and D. G. Tilman. 1997. Human alteration of the global nitrogen
cycle: sources and consequences. Ecological Applications 7: 737-750. -- review
Webb III, T. 1993. Constructing the past from late-Quaternary pollen data: Temporal resolution
and a zoom lens space-time perspective. Pages 79-101 in S. M. Kidwell and A. K.
Behrensmeyer, eds. Taphonomic Approaches to Time Resolution in Fossil Assemblages,
Knoxville, TN. -- review
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