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Revised Apr 5
Tentative Schedule
ZOOPLANKTON ECOLOGY
ZOOL 711/811
Spring 2006
Rooms: Spaulding 150, 116 and 141 (Seminars)
Tuesday & Thursday 1-5pm
Instructor:
Prof. James Haney
Graduate Assistant Sonya Carlson
Office: Rudman 102 (2-4814)
Office: Spaulding 116 (2-2105)
Text:
1.
2.
Limnoecology (Lampert & Sommer) (recommended)
Freshwater Invertebrates (Pennak) (recommended)
Course Projects:
1. Genetic barcoding of zooplankton
2. Production and transfer of the biotoxin microcystin in lake food webs
3. Expansion of the Image-based zooplankton key
Class Members:
Allan, Elisha
Beagen, Wendy
Hall, Virginia
Hogan, Bryan
Lathrop, Marcus
Lubicky, Matt
Murby, Amanda
Schier, Linda
Sweetman, CJ
Jan 17
Introduction to course; Course Objectives and class projects; Introduction to
zooplankton taxonomy
Jan 19
Identification of zooplankton: coping with copepods
Seminar: Genetic barcoding. The concept, its promise and limitations.
Jan 24
Phytoplankton: Zooplankton Interactions
Introduction to Zooplankton Grazing
1. Observations of the Daphnia feeding mechanism
2. Feeding response (TB, PAR) to food concentration: Nanochloropsis vs
Microcystis
Reading Assignments: a. Chapter 3 in Lampert & Sommer
b. Peters 1984 (reference paper)
c. McMahon & Rigler 1963
Jan 26
Lab: 1. Evaluation of TB, PAR experiment
2. Measuring feeding with the Optical Bioassay Method
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2
Jan 31
Analysis and graphing (Sigma Plot) of data from TB/PAR experiment
Lecture: Introduction to Neuston and Zooplankton
Seminar: McMahon & Rigler 1963
Assignment: 1) Read: Peters: methods for measurement of feeding rates
2)Report (1) on TB/PAR experiment (due Feb 14)
Feb 2
Measurement of clearance and feeding rates of Daphnia: comparison of differential
cell count and fluorometry methods
Assignment: 1) Read: ? Plankton sampling methods
2) Report (2) on the clearance and feeding rate study (due Feb 21)
Feb 7
Data analysis: Clearance and Feeding Rates experiment
Seminar: Discussion of results of two experiments
Feb 9
Zooplankton Identification: Rotifers, Copepods, Cladocera and Chaoborus
Zooplankton ID Pretest (1 h)
Discussion: Zooplankton Key Project Assignments (Ecology Page & Videos)
Selection of Project Species (list top 3 in each category)
Assignments: Ecology Page (due March 9) & Videos (due April 25)
Feb 14
Field Trip: 1) Comparison of plankton sampling methods: Integrated tube, water
bottle, vertical plankton tow 2) collections of live copepods for barcoding study
Report (1) on TB/PAR experiment due
Feb 16
Zooplankton enumeration: subsampling and counting methods
Counting samples from Feb 7 field trip and analysis of data (Graphics & Analysis of
Variance)
Seminar: Genetic Barcoding of freshwater copepods: Dr. Kate Rawlinson
Assignment: 1) Read papers on cyanotoxins for Feb 23 Seminar
2) Report (3) on comparision of sampling methods due Feb 28
Feb 21
Field Trip: Movement of microcystin through the pelagic food web I. Field sampling
of zooplankton, phytoplankton and biotoxins. Collection of live copepods for
barcoding study;
Feb 23
Examination of plankton samples; preparation of toxin samples (lyophilization, tissue
extraction)
Begin Copepod culturing for Barcode Experiment (student
Lecture: Biotoxins in lakes
Seminar: Effects of toxic cyanobacteria on zooplankton
Feb 28
Field Trip: Movement of microcystin through the pelagic food web II. Experiments
and sampling.
Report (2) on the clearance and feeding rate study due
Mar 2
Microcystin analysis: Final sample preparation and running the ELISA
Seminar: Cyanotoxin paper (Lauren-Maatta 1997)
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3
Mar 7
Microcystin data analysis and graphics.
Seminar: Copepod vs Cladocera Grazing (Sommer et al 2003)
Report (3) on comparision of sampling methods due
Mar 9
Guest Lecture: Tests of Ideal Free and Ideal Dominance Distribution Hypotheses with
Daphnia (Sonya Carlson)
Revised draft of first Ecology Page due (will be instructor/peer reviewed and returned
21 March)
Seminar: Bar Coding Update
Mar 13-17
SPRING BREAK (No Classes)
Mar 21
Analysis of Zooplankton with the FlowCam
Seminar: Peer reviewed Ecology Pages returned; revised Ecology Pages will be
presented May 4
Lab:Preparation of powerpoint outline
Mar 23
Lab: Working on ecology pages or video taping
Seminar: Brooks & Dodson 1965
Mar 28
Lab: Experiment: Fecal pellet production by Calanoid copepods feeding on
Microcystis and Nannochloropsis (part 1, set up and begin 48 h experiment).
Collection of live samples from local lakes/ponds
Seminar: Kreutzer & Lampert 1999: Competition in different sized Daphnia
Mar 30
Lab: Experiment: Fecal pellet production by Calanoid copepods feeding on
Microcystis and Nannochloropsis (part 2. collection and measurement of fecal pellets).
Lecture : Use of Zooplankton for Lake Monitoring (J. Haney)
Apr 4
Lab: Friendly Taxonomy Quiz: non-Daphnia cladocerans
Guest Lecture: Effect of food level on Daphnia filtering area (Travis Godkin)
Seminar: Presentation of the fecal pellet study
Apr 6
Lecture: Diel vertical migration—Bryan
Seminar: Biotoxins in Great Bay Estuary (J. Haney)
Lab: Design of & preparation for Great Bay study
Apr 11
Field Trip (12:30-5 pm): Microcystins in Great Bay Estuary: a preliminary analysis of
cyanotoxins in pelagic food web
Apr 13
Lab: Analysis of Great Bay study data & identification of Great Bay plankton
Lecture: Kairomones: what are they and how do they influence zooplankton?—Matt
Apr 18
Lecture: Reproductive strategies of zooplankton: --Wendy
Lecture: Effects fish and invertebrate predation on zoop- and phytoplankton--CJ
Seminar: Presentation of Great Bay Results
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Apr 20
Lecture: Interactions between cyanobacteria and zooplankton—Murby
Lab: Friendly Taxonomy Quiz: rotifers
Lecture: Feeding ecology of zooplankton—Marcus
Apr 25
Lecture: Comparative ecology of arctic, temperate and tropical zooplankton—Elisha
Lab: Working on ecology pages/video taping
Seminar: In situ video of zooplankton: Gorsky 2003; Strickler
First Drafts of 2nd & 3rd Ecology Pages Due
Apr 27
Lecture 8: Genomics studies of zooplankton—Virginia
Lab: Working on ecology pages/video taping
Lecture: Effects fish and invertebrate predation on zoop- and phytoplankton--CJ
May 2
Isles of Shoals Trip (leave 8 am Portsmouth)
First Drafts of 4th & 5th Ecology Pages Due
May 4
Lecture 9: Seasonal Succession of Plankton Communities—Linda
Seminar: Final report on copepod barcoding experiment - Elisha
Seminar: Presentation of student videos
May 18
Zooplankton Identification 2-h Performance:
Seminar: PowerPoint presentation of revised Ecology Pages and “bonus” videos
Course evaluations
Summary of Grading:
Zooplankton Identification
Zooplankton Key Expansion1
Student Lecture
Reports (3 @ 10 pts ea)
Seminars
Class & field trip participation
TOTAL
10
55
10
30
20
10
135
1. Ecology pages (50 pts, 5 @ 10 pts ea) & Video clip (5 pts); “bonus” video clips (1 pt ea, 5 pt max)
Student Lectures
Date
Topic
April 4
Diel vertical migration: What is it and what are its proximal and ultimate causes?—Bryan
April 13
Kairomones: what are they and how do they influence zooplankton?—Matt
April 18
Reproductive Strategies of Zooplankton: Evolutionary response to Food & Predators: Wendy
April 20
Feeding behavior of rotifers, cladocera and copepods—Marcus
Comparative ecology of arctic, temperate and tropical zooplankton—Elisha
Interactions between Cyanobacteria and Zooplankton –Murby
April 25
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April 27
Genomics studies of zooplankton –Virginia
Effects fish and invertebrate predation on zoo- and phytoplankton communities by Fish—CJ
May 4
Seasonal Succession of Plankton Communities: Role of biotic and abiotic factors—Linda
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