Bot/Env S 204 Course Outline
I. Introduction
II. Ecosystems and Communities
Scale of Relationships
Ecological Principles
Ecosystems
Energy Flow
Materials
Biomes
Communities
How Are Communities Defined?
Types of Interactions
How Interactions Structure Communities
Keystone Species
III. Species and Populations
Biological Species Concept
How Species Arise
Species Exist as Populations
Biotic Potential and Carrying Capacity
Opportunistic vs. Equilibrial Species
IV. Genetic Diversity
Nature and Origin of Genetic Diversity
Evolutionary Processes that Act on Genetic Diversity
Conservation Genetics
V. Tree of Life
Big Picture
Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Microorganisms
Viruses
Prokaryotic Diversity
Eukaryotic Diversity
Plants
Fungi
Animals
VI. Measuring Biodiversity
Genetic Diversity
Species Diversity
Species richness
Species abundance
Taxonomic Diversity
Inventories/Surveys
Patterns in Time
Increase in total diversity
Succession
Seasonal variation
Patterns in Space
Species-Area Curve
Latitudinal Gradients
Productivity
Endemism
Dimensionless Patterns
VII. Disturbance
Disturbance Regimes
General Properties of Disturbance
Fragmentation
Global climate change
Invasive Species
VIII. Iowa Biodiversity
Iowa Landforms
Major Ecosystem Types
Forests and Woodlands
Tallgrass Prairie
Savanna
Wetlands
IX. Rarity and Extinction
Rarity
Extinction
Example
Background
How Does Extinction Happen?
Rates of Extinction
Mass Extinctions
Current Extinction
X. Value and Maintenance of Biodiversity
Benefits to Humans
Direct
Indirect (Ecosystem Services)
Intrinsic Value
What kind of a world do we want to live in?
Redundancy in Ecosystems
The Grass is Always Greener…
XI. Ethics, Policy, and Biodiversity
Human Population Growth
Convention on Biological Diversity
Safe Harbor Program
In situ and ex situ conservation
Market-based approaches to conservation
Personal Choices