Ecology Unit Syllabus 2015-2016
Chapters 52-56
Date
Class Discussion
Topic/Activity
Wednesday
Sept. 16
Introduction to Ecology,
Levels of Organization
Terrestrial Biomes –
Graphing Activity
Thursday
Sept. 17
Assignment
(Unless otherwise noted assignments
are due the next day class meets)
Learning Targets
Chapter 52: An Introduction to Ecology & the Biosphere
(sections 52.2-52.3 only)
1. I can explain how all biological systems from cells and
organisms to populations, communities, and
ecosystems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic
interactions involving exchange of matter and free
energy, such as:
a.
temperature
b. water and nutrient availability
c.
sunlight
d. pH
e. salinity
Aquatic Biomes – Jigsaw &
Organizer Chart

Read chapter 52 (sections 52.2 and
52.3 only)

Begin to actively read, take notes
on chapter 53
Chapter 53 one pager due
Thursday 9/24

Friday
Sept. 18
Set up AP Lab 10: Energy
Dynamics
Quiz – chapter 52
Population Density,
Dispersion, &
Demographics (53.1)
Chapter 53: Population Ecology

I can explain how the stability of populations,
communities and ecosystems is affected by
interactions with biotic and abiotic factors such as:
a.
Water and nutrient availability
b. Availability of nesting materials and sites
c.
Population density
d. Predator-prey relationship

I can explain how a population of organisms has
properties that are different from those of the
individuals that make up the population. The
cooperation and competition between individuals
contributes to these different properties.

I can explain how reproduction and rearing of
offspring requires free energy beyond that used for
maintenance and growth. Different organisms use
various reproductive strategies in response to energy
availability.
a.
Seasonal reproduction in animals and
plants.
b. Life-history strategy (biennial plants,
reproductive diapause)

I can use mathematical models and graphical
representations to illustrate population growth
patterns and interactions.
a.
I can explain how reproduction without
constraints results in the exponential
growth of a population.
b. I can explain how a population can produce
a density of individuals that exceeds the
system’s resource availability.
c.
I can explain how as limits to growth due to
density-dependent and densityindependent factors are imposed a logistic
growth model generally ensues.
d. I can explain how demographics data with
respect to age distributions and fecundity
can be used to study human populations.

I can explain how models allow for the prediction of
the impact of change in biotic and abiotic factors.
a.
Competition for resources and other
factors limits growth and can be described
by the logistic model.
b. Competition for resources, territory,
health, predation, accumulation of wastes
and other factors contribute to densitydependent population regulation.

Videos to watch:
Population Growth
Population Dynamics
Monday
Sept. 21
Tuesday
Sept. 22
Exponential Growth (53.2)
Logistic Growth & Carrying
Capacity (53.3)
AP LAB 13 - ENZYMES
DUE!
Life History (53.4)
Wednesday
Sept. 23
Thursday
Sept. 24
Limiting Factors (53.5)
Human Populations (53.6)

Quiz – chapter 53


AP Lab 10: Energy
Dynamics Data
Friday
Sept. 25
Finish chapter 53
NO SCHOOL – Teacher
Institute

Mastering biology ch. 53 quiz by
11:59pm
Ch. 53 one pager due tomorrow!
Begin to actively read, take notes
on chapter 54
Chapter 54 one pager due
Thursday 10/1
Monday
Sept. 28
Competitive Exclusion
Activity (54.1)
Organism Interaction
Webquest (54.1)
Tuesday
Sept. 29
Biodiversity & Community
Stability, Keystone Species
(54.2/54.4)
Chapter 54 Community Ecology
1. I can explain how the stability of populations,
communities and ecosystems is affected by
interactions with biotic and abiotic factors such as:
a.
Water and nutrient availability
b. Availability of nesting materials and sites
c.
Population density
d. Predator-prey relationship
2. I can explain how the structure of a community is
measured and described in terms of species
composition and species diversity.
3. I can explain how the diversity of species in an
ecosystem may influence the stability of the
ecosystem.
a.
Natural and artificial ecosystems with
fewer component parts and with little
diversity among parts are often less
resilient to changes in the environment.
b. Keystone species, producers, and essential
abiotic and biotic factors contribute to
maintaining the diversity of an ecosystem.
The effects of keystone species on the
ecosystem are disproportionate relative to
their abundance in the ecosystem and
when they are removed from the
ecosystem, the ecosystem often collapses.
4. I can explain how species-specific and environmental
catastrophes, geological events, the sudden
influx/depletion of abiotic resources or increased
human activities affect species distribution and
abundance, such as:
a.
Loss of keystone species
5. I can use mathematical or computer models to
illustrate and investigate population interactions
within and environmental impacts on a community,
such as:
a.
Predator-prey relationships spreadsheet
model
b. Symbiotic relationships
c.
Graphical representation of field data
d. Introduced species
e. Global climate change models
6. I can explain how interactions between populations
affect the distributions and abundance of populations.
a.
Competition, parasitism, predation,
mutualism and commensalism can affect
population dynamics.
b. Relationships among interacting
populations can be characterized by
positive and negative effects and can be
modeled mathematically (predator/prey,
epidemiological models, and invasive
species).
c.
Many complex symbiotic relationships exist
in an ecosystem, and feedback control
systems play a role in the functioning of
these ecosystems.
7. I can explain how cooperative behavior within or
between populations contributes to the survival of the
populations, such as:
a.
Niche and resource partitioning
b. Mutualistic relationships
c.
Biology of pollination
8. I can explain how many adaptations of organisms are
related to obtaining and using energy and matter in a
particular environment.
a.
I can explain how changes in free energy
availability can result in changes in
population size.

Videos
o
o
o

Video:
Biodiversity
Colorations
Niches
Ecological Succession
Wednesday
Sept. 30
Energy in Ecosystems
(54.2)

Chapter 54 one pager due
tomorrow!

Mastering Biology: chapter 54 quiz
by 11:59pm

Begin to actively read, take notes
on chapter 55
Chapter 55 one pager due
Thursday 10/8
Trophic Level Review
Thursday
Oct. 1
Friday
Oct. 2
Monday
Oct. 5
Owl Pellet Lab
Collect Data AP Lab 10:
Energy Dynamics Data
Ecological Succession
(54.3)
Quiz – chapter 54
Ecological Succession
(54.3)
Energy & Ecosystems
(55.1)
Primary/Net/Gross
Productivity (55.2/55.3)
Tuesday
Oct. 6
AP Lab 10: Energy
Dynamics Data
Wednesday
Oct. 7
Primary/Net/Gross
Productivity (55.2/55.3)
Biogeochemical Cycles
(55.4)
Thursday
Oct. 8
Collect Data AP Lab 10:
Energy Dynamics

Chapter 55: Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology (sections 55.155.4)
1. I can explain how the stability of populations,
communities and ecosystems is affected by
interactions with biotic and abiotic factors such as:
a.
Water and nutrient availability
b. Sunlight
c.
Temperature
d. Salinity
e. Food chains and webs
2. I can explain how all interactions among living systems
and their environment result in the movement of
matter and energy.
a.
Energy flows, but matter is recycled.
b. Changes in regional and global climates in
atmospheric composition influence
patterns of primary productivity.
c.
Organisms within food chains interact.
d. Food webs and food chains are dependent
on primary productivity.
3. I can explain how organisms use free energy to
maintain organization, grow and reproduce.
a.
I can explain how excess acquired energy
versus required free energy expenditure
results in energy storage or growth.
b. I can explain how insufficient acquired free
energy versus required free energy
expenditure results in loss of mass and,
ultimately, the death of an organism.
4. I can explain how changes in free energy availability
can result in disruptions to an ecosystem, such as:
a.
Change in the producer level can affect the
number and size of other trophic levels.
b. Change in energy resources levels such as
sunlight can affect the number and size of
the trophic levels.

Videos to watch:
Chemical Cycles

Chapter 55 one pager due
tomorrow

Mastering Biology: chapter 55
reading quiz by 11:59pm
Begin to actively read, take notes
on chapter 56 (sections 56.1 &
56.4 only)

Biogeochemical Cycles
(55.4)
Friday
Oct. 9
Quiz – chapter 55
Human Impact (56.1/56.4)
Generating Heat Activity
Monday
Oct. 12
NO SCHOOL – Columbus
Day
Tuesday
Oct. 13
Human Impact (56.1/56.4)
Chapter 56: Conservation Biology and Global Change (sections
56.1 and 56.4 only)
1. I can explain how disruptions to ecosystems impact
the dynamic homeostasis or balance of the ecosystem,
such as:
a.
Invasive and/or eruptive species
b. Human impact
c.
Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes,
fires
d. Water limitation
e. Salinity
2. I can explain how human impact accelerates change at
local and global levels, such as:
a.
Logging, slash and burn agriculture,
urbanization, monocropping, infrastructure
development (dams, transmission lines,
roads), and global climate change threaten
ecosystems and life on Earth.
3. I can explain how human activities impact ecosystems
on local, regional and global scales, such as:
a.
As human populations have increased in
numbers, their impact on habitats for other
species has magnified.
b. In turn, this has often reduced the
population size of affected species and
resulted in habitat destruction, and in
some cases, the extinction of species.
4. I can explain how an introduced species can exploit a
new niche free of predators or competitors, thus
exploiting new resource.
5. I can explain how geological and meteorological
events impact ecosystem distribution, such as:
a.
El Nino
b. Continental drift
c.
Meteor impact on dinosaurs
Global Climate Change
POGIL
Wednesday
Oct. 14
Human Impact (56.1/56.4)
Your Carbon Footprint
Thursday
Oct. 15
Friday
Oct. 16
Review
Ecology Unit Exam
AP Lab 10: Energy
Dynamics Data
(SIP day –
End of 1st Quarter)
Begin Unit 3: Evolution


See next syllabus for assignment
AP Lab 10: Energy Dynamics
continues into next unit (?)