BSCI 106 – Ecology, Evolution & Diversity
Fall 2013 – Dr. Jeffrey Firestone
MWF 9:00 am - 9:50 am + lab sections 6300-6399
Why take this class? Nearly all of us have biology in our future careers – not just those planning
graduate school, but anyone bound for medical school (what is medicine but the biology of people?), or
economics, anthropology & psychology. Theodosius Dobzhansky famously said that “nothing in biology
makes sense except in the light of evolution.” A real understanding of science, of evolution: the specific,
measurable and well-understood facts of biological change, and of ecology: the study of interactions,
connections and limiting factors, is critical to prepare us for the biology information in our jobs and our lives.
The biology in this class can be fascinating:
 How can a moth look perfectly like a leaf, but many humans quite imperfectly have genetic diseases
or lose the ability to drink milk?
 Why did one insect wipe out the wine industry, but only in Europe?

Why would you put hot peppers in birdseed or feed them to Flamingos?
The biology in this class can be useful:
 Why were Native Americans among the first in history killed by biological weapons?
 Where to look for new medicines, and why do they not help all people equally?
 Why are there more drugs against bacteria than fungi or malaria? Are herbicides safer than
insecticides?

Why are two valuable trees species gone, and baseball bats might be next?
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The skills practiced in this class are valuable:
ow do you distinguish pseudo-scientific scams from meaningful advice?
What does evolution actually tell us about the different psychology of men vs. women?
Who tells the truth about our environment and who is exaggerating for donations or profits?
How many people have died due to taking science advice from celebrities?
Goals: When you finish this class, you should be able to:
 Understand the core principles of evolution;
 Explain the interconnected nature of ecology, and how humans fit into and transcend ecosystems;
 Join more advanced biology courses and feel well prepared;
 Recognize how evolution and ecology apply outside the classroom;
 Know the value of biodiversity, and the major threats against it;
 Enjoy the incredible complexity & beauty of the organisms evolution has shaped.
The agreement: Each of us will contribute to make a good learning environment and a worthwhile class.
I will do my best to provide clear lectures and activities, answer questions, and provide grades and
feedback as promptly as possible, with the help of your TAs. In exchange, you should take an active role in
your learning instead of waiting for success to come to you. This helps you get the best grades, and the
most comprehension of the concepts, instead of just facts. We should be interacting so the material is
relevant and interesting, and to ensure that you can recognize and understand our concepts outside of the
classroom. All of us should frequently discuss and collaborate while being respectful of others’
understanding, beliefs, and thoughts.
Instructor: Jeffrey Firestone
e-mail: jFire@umd.edu
office #: 2229 Biology-Psychology Bldg
(on a side-corridor)
Phone #: 301 405-7161
Best contact: send a message /conversation in
MyElms; next best, email w/ clear subject line
Phone best only for immediate contact.
Professor’s “open house” office hours: MW 10:40-11:40. Also available by appointment for students
who cannot attend these times (see Contact Us page linked from the MyElms course front page). I will be
in my office with the door open during these hours to answer any questions you have. This is a great time
to seek clarification, develop ideas further, or just come and discuss biology you heard about on the news.
The TAs also have open office hours. Look at the lab website for the office hours schedule for TAs.
Come to office hours for any reason! * Learning more than discussed in class, * preparing for class
with extra background, * clarification, * examples, * help with course material, * tips for studying.
***Students who attend office hours generally do better in class***
Textbooks: There are three required books for this class.
* BSCI 106 lab manual, current edition for Fall 2013. We have rewritten and updated several exercises and
that means there are substantial changes from the old one in many of the labs. Although I helped write this
book, that was part of what the U pays me for; I receive no money from it.
* Your Inner Fish, by Neil Shubin. Available from most bookstores. New, used or e-book are all fine.
* Campbell Biology textbook. The 9th edition is the current one used by BSCI 105 and offered by the
Bookstore. If you will be taking 105 next, it may make sense to get a 9th edition. If you will not be taking
105, you have the choice of getting an 8th or 9th edition. If you are willing to be flexible, you may do your
assigned readings for this class from either edition. You may also pick (in any edition) to get your book new
or used, in hardcover, looseleaf, electronic, etc. as you prefer. If you buy the looseleaf or 8th edition, you
will probably not be able to sell them back, but they are usually much cheaper to buy. You can buy it from
whichever source you prefer and, if buying used or 8th eds., I have frequently found good prices from
independent booksellers such as at alibris.com. Mastering Biology is a website run by the publisher of
Campbell. It is not required, nor will it be assigned. On the other hand, you are welcome to use it as an
extra study tool. For those buying a new book, it is not very expensive, but rather moreso for those buying
used, which is why I chose not to require it.
Grades: There are 700 total points in this course. The lab portion of the course is worth 250. The rest
of the points (450) come from lecture. We have 4 exams, 2 problem sets, and 11 quizzes (+1 intro quiz),
of which one quiz and one exam is dropped. This yields 100+100+150 exam points + 40 problem set
points + 60 quiz points + 250 lab points = 700 points.
Exams: Exams will be a mix of multiple choice, short answer, fill-in-blank, label a diagram etc., but no
essays or drawing. They will always take place in the usual classroom and during class time (except the
final). Each exam is worth 100 points. The final is worth 150. Your lowest exam score will be
dropped automatically. Should your final be the worst exam, one exam's worth of it will be dropped,
meaning your % score will be worth 50 points and the three midterm exams will all count.
Quizzes: Quizzes are at-home, on-line, open-notes quizzes. They must be done by you, alone, not as a
group. There will be 11 of them, with the lowest-scoring one automatically being dropped.
Problem-sets: There are only two problem-sets this term. They must be turned in on time, as the answer key
will be posted shortly after the due date, and nothing can be accepted after the answer key is posted.
Because the lab portion is required in this class, I assume you learned the major concepts covered in lab /
lab manual – thus, exam & quiz questions may assume you know them. This does not mean that minor
details from lab will be tested, or that lab content will generally make up questions alone, but major ideas
may appear or form the background for lecture-based questions.
Letter grades are assigned at the end of the term only. I do not 'grade on a curve,' so you are not in
competition with your classmates for a finite number of As. In fact, effective studying with or
cooperation with classmates is likely to help both of your grades. The threshold from B-A is 90%,
C-B is 80% and so on (+ /- grades fit inside the 10 point letter range). The thresholds will never go
up (harder to get the grade), but may go down (get easier) to account for slight variation in exam difficulty
from year to year.
Attendance: If you will be absent from:

Lecture: Absences from lectures are not recorded; It is your responsibility to determine what
material was missed and if any announcements were made. There is no need to let the professor
know you will be absent. Making a habit of being absent, despite the hour of the morning, will harm
your grade

*Major Scheduled Grading Events are defined by university policy. If you are absent for one of
those, you will generally need documentation to receive any variation from normal class practice and
due dates. In lecture, these “events” are the exams (see below) and problem sets. A problem set may
be turned in to your TA or professor in advance or by a trusted classmate or email.

Exam: One exam will have its score dropped. This way, if you are ill, you may choose to skip
the exam without penalty or needing documentation, etc. If you miss an exam due to university
activities, religious reasons, major medical events, etc, see below.

Laboratory: See the lab manual for specific information on absences from lab. It is very
important not to be absent from lab, and to follow the right process if you will be.

Quiz or homework: One quiz is dropped, and a missed quiz will be your dropped quiz. Because
quizzes and homeworks are available over multiple days, you should be able to complete them even if
you find yourself ill on the due date. If you will be unavailable for the entire time it is assigned, see
the next section. Working on assignments & studying when they are assigned, instead of just
when they are due, is an excellent habit for improving grades. Among other things, your work
will be complete if you become ill on the due date, and information is retained better (e.g. for tests)
when worked on over time rather than all at once.
Religious observance, medical emergencies, athletics and other excused absences:
A variety of religions and many university-organized events are all assets to our community here, but can
conflict with class. If you must miss class for any of these good reasons, or major medical / family
problems, follow the policy in this section to ensure your absence has the least impact on your success.
For missing lecture, no action is necessary other than having a friend(s) provide you with good class notes
and any announcements. For missing lab, follow the policy in the lab manual, including early notification
of the lab coordinator. For missing the due date of a problem set for a non-emergency, just turn it in early
or have a classmate turn it in or email it, along with a brief explanatory note. For missing an exam for a
non-emergency, you must contact the professor well in advance with an explanation of what the event will
be and what it will conflict with. Advance notice is critical for excused absences for non-emergencies.
Emergencies do happen, for medical reasons as well as for family reasons. The lab manual explains
lab policies. If an emergency causes you to miss an exam, contact the professor as soon as possible! (in
advance is very helpful) You will probably need to provide documentation, as per University policy for
major scheduled grading events, but we will work with you to make sure you can deal with family, health
and academic needs. An emergency for a problem set due date means you should email it in before the
due date if at all possible; documentation of emergency will be needed if not received by the due date.
The bus running late is not a major medical emergency. Plan ahead on exam days. With >140 students, we
cannot be fair to all students while allowing many different exam times.
Exam regrades: We gladly reconsider exam grades if errors of adding points are found. Other than
clerical errors by professor or TAs, regrades will only be considered if: □ that part of the exam is written in
pen; □ the regrade request is sent to us within one week of the exam being made available (even if you
don't pick it up promptly); and □ you write a note explaining what you wish regraded and why you think
your answer is also correct. You may give these requests to your TA or the professor.
What is MyElms / Canvas? Your portal to the class on the web is sometimes called MyElms, and
sometimes called Canvas. You will find yourself using this a lot during your time at the University. It has
two names because the software that runs it is called Canvas. Become comfortable using the system to
your advantage. Do NOT feel you have to use all the features or only use its features, however.
We will use it as a place that I can send you documents such as assignments and readings, you can see
your grades, look up policies and this syllabus again, and take quizzes. I will send you Announcements
through the announcement feature, which is how I email the entire class. Thus, it is very important that
you keep your email address correct. If you do not use your @umd.edu email often, or you change emails,
it is important that you tell MyElms & Testudo where you check for emails. If an email gets sent to your
account, but you only check gmail or Facebook or texts or whatever, then you might miss important
assignments. In MyElms, go to settings in the top right, then set ways to contact in the bar on the right.
Next, pick Notifications from the left bar. Set Announcements to ASAP, since those are sent out
infrequently but are usually important. Decide which other settings you want to be sent immediately or
once a day. Conversations are the within-MyElms email system, so those might be more urgent than some
others.
Disability Support Services / Academic Accommodations: All students are welcome in this class. If
you have a disability that would prevent you from having an equal opportunity for success as your peers,
contact Disability Support Services. www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS Any requests for variance from
regular class practices must come through them, and be provided to the professor at least a week in
advance of using it; with this notice we are happy to make any accommodation work.
Academic Dishonesty: If something could reasonably be considered cheating, assume it is and don’t
do it. We’ve all taught before, so probably know (and will catch) whatever creative solution you might have
thought of… We do not enjoy dealing with dishonest people. No grade, even an F, is as bad for your
future plans as the mark of being found dishonest from the student honor council.
“The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity,
administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland
for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these
standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating,
fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism.” For more information, see: www.shc.umd.edu/SHC/Default.aspx
The University defines the different forms of academic dishonesty as:
“Cheating:
intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information,
or study aids in an academic exercise
Fabrication: intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or
citation in an academic exercise
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty:
intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to
help another violate any provision of the Code of Academic Integrity
Plagiarism:
intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as
one’s own in any academic exercise.”
Important dates for grade& leaving the class: Sept. 16th is the last day to drop a class without notation
on your transcript, or to add a replacement class. Nov. 11th is the last day to drop a class and receive a 'W'
grade. Every one of you is capable of completing the class, and we would like you all to stay. Still, you can
have bad stuff happen in a semester. If you must leave, be sure to leave by these dates, as it is hard or
impossible to leave without a W after Sept 16, and hard or impossible to get a W to replace the grade you
are earning. Instructors cannot replace an F with a W no matter how good the excuse.
Course materials, including lecture notes, presentations, & exams are the professor's (and
sometimes the TAs) intellectual property. They are meant for personal, educational use. Selling notes or
materials, or buying them, is a copyright violation, and stealing our effort for someone else's gain.
Some additional useful web sites:
(Note – the content of these web sites may differ from what we discuss in class. Exams will reflect the
content presented in class, regardless of what you might encounter elsewhere.)
tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html (The “Tree of Life” web site has lots of information on phylogenetic
relationships)
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibit/phylogeny.html (Site describing the meaning & practice of building phylogenies)
www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/ (Companion site for PBS Evolution series)
evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/index.shtml (Excellent introduction to evolution)
www.talkorigins.org/ (Web site devoted to the Evolution/Creation discussion)
Resources on studying & learning more effectively:
What the Best College Students Do, by Ken Bain, published by Harvard University Press
www.lifescied.org/content/11/2/113.short?rss=1&amp%3bssource=mfr
news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/01/13/writing-about-worries-eases-anxiety-and-improves-test-performance
www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/05/multitasking_while_studying_divided_attention_and_
technological_gadgets.single.htm
www.socialpsychology.org/testtips.htm
Principles of Biology II – Ecology, Evolution & Diversity (BSCI 106)
Fall 2013 -- Dr. Jeffrey Firestone
Class Plan as of 9/4/2013
(lecture topics, readings and assignments to change; exams will not change except for school closure)
Date
Lectures, Exams, & Assignments
Sept 4 (W)
1) What is this class & why we are all
biologists
Readings
(9th ed. Campbell)
Syllabus & Course
Policies webpages
~ ECOLOGY - THE CONNECTIONS AMONGST LIFE ~
Sept 6 (F)
2) Ecology: distribution & abundance of stuff
Sept 9 (M)
3) Population growth
Sept 11 (W)
4) Species interactions – competition &
consumptions
Sept 13 (F)
5) Species interactions –mutualism
Sept 16 (M)
6) Community ecology
(Last day to drop without a W)
Sept 18 (W)
7) Food webs & trophic levels
Sept 20 (F)
8) Nutrient cycling & energy flows
Sept 23 (M)
9) Biogeochemistry & nutrients
Sept 25 (W)
10) Climate change and weather change
Sept 27 (F)
11) The sneaky ecology of plants
Sept 30 (M)
12) The human animal
Oct 2 (W)
*EXAM 1 (lectures 1-11)
Laboratory
session
No lab
Pre-lab quizzes
due one hour
prior to lab
Graded
Assignments
See Website for
current list
All due dates at
beginning of
class unless
noted.
See website
Introduction
Intro Quiz
Lecture Quiz 1
Aquatic
ecology
Lecture Quiz 2
Lotic ecology
Lecture Quiz 3
Scientific
method
~ EVOLUTION – THE UNIFYING PROCESS IN BIOLOGY ~
Oct 4 (F)
13) What Darwin knew and didn’t know
Oct 7 (M)
14) Natural selection
Oct 9 (W)
15) Meiosis and genetic variation
Oct 11 (F)
16) Mendelian genetics
Oct 14 (M)
17) Extending Mendel’s rules
Oct 16 (W)
18) Types of variation & selection
Oct 18 (F)
19) Hardy-Weinberg: a null model
Oct 21 (M)
20) Causes of evolution
Oct 23 (W)
21) Sex & sexual selection
Natural
selection
Meiosis &
Mendel
(*lab
assignment due)
Population
genetics
Lecture Quiz 4
* Problem set #1
Lecture Quiz 5
Oct 25 (F)
22) Behavioral ecology & evolution
Oct 28 (M)
23) Origin & nature of species
Oct 30 (W)
24) Remaining topics in Evolution
* Problem set #2
Social behavior
Lecture Quiz 6
~ DIVERSITY OF LIFE ~
Nov 1 (F)
25) Early life & origin of prokaryotes
Nov 4 (M)
*EXAM 2 (Lectures 12-24)
Nov 6 (W)
26) Prokaryotes and relations to humans
Nov 8 (F)
27) Eukaryotes: Protists & origins of
multicellularity
Nov 11 (M)
28) Plants I (Last day to drop with a “W”)
Nov 13 (W)
29) Plants II
Nov 15 (F)
30) Fungi
Nov 18 (M)
31) Animals I
Nov 20 (W)
32) Animals II
Nov 22 (F)
33) Animals III
Nov 25 (M)
Nov 27 (W)
Nov 29 (F)
Dec 2 (M)
34) Darwinian medicine & evolutionary
biology of aging
35) Biology & Thanksgiving; domestication,
agricultural biodiversity; evolution at dinner
Tree-Thinking
(*lab
assignment due)
Lecture Quiz 7
Advanced Tree
Thinking
Lecture Quiz 8
Plant Diversity
& Evolution
Lecture Quiz 9
No labs
Thanksgiving Break – no class
36) Macroevolutionary patterns & fossil record
Museum
~ HUMAN PERSPECTIVES ON ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND DIVERSITY ~
Dec 4 (W)
37) Conservation biology
Dec 6 (F)
*EXAM 3 (Lectures 24-35)
Dec 9 (M)
38) Human impacts on the environment
Dec 11 (W)
39) Tragedy of the Commons
Dec 13 (F)
40) Ecosystem services OR Catch-up
Dec 19 (M)
*FINAL EXAM 8:00-10:00 am
in the usual classroom
* marks “Major Scheduled
Grading Event”: absence
policies differ – See Course
Policies document.
Lecture Quiz 10
Hominids (*lab
assignment due)
Lecture Quiz 11