Monday 1010-1310 Dana 381
Wednesday and Friday 10:10-11:30 Dana 381
and field trips
Raveret Richter
Fall 2005
BI 115H
Ecology of Food
“Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.”
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
Ecology is the study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and
their environment. Ecologists observe the patterns characterizing the distribution
and abundance of organisms and try to understand the phenomena influencing these
patterns in nature. Working from a who-eats-whom perspective, this course
addresses central concepts in behavioral ecology, population ecology, community
ecology and ecosystem ecology by investigating what organisms eat and how they
procure it, how organisms avoid becoming food, and why these arrangements
persist in nature. We will also analyze the ecology of landscapes and resources
harvested by humans. The study of interactions among organisms in pursuit of food
illuminates the fundamental interactions, patterns and processes at the heart of the
science of ecology, provides insight into the immense ecological ramifications of
human production and harvest of food resources, and even suggests ecological
correlates of world cuisine.
In the spirit of both the Honors Forum and the Environmental Studies program (this
biology course is affiliated with both), we will take on complex issues, and work to
understand the rationales for prevailing (and quite often conflicting) arguments regarding
how the ecological world works. As often as possible, we will review the actual data on
which the arguments are based. Readings and analyses will be abundant, challenging,
and absolutely essential components of your course experience. Sources will range from
scientific literature in research journals through journalists’ renditions of scientific
arguments. You will thus acquire both a grasp of the science and a sense for its broader
applications and significance.
Since many of us learn by doing (or, as my mother used to put it, “Monica, you
always have to learn everything the hard way!”), we won’t just talk about food, we will
often eat it. Our studies of herbivory and plant defenses will include discussions of
theoretical perspectives, prediction and measurement of patterns of herbivory on North
Woods plants, and some salad bowl science as we sample and discuss the physical and
biochemical attributes of fall harvest offerings from the Saratoga Farmers Market.
Another problem that we will address is how plants, which are sedentary, disperse their
progeny in the environment. As we consider and consume the enticements of various
fruits, we will distil important principles of seed dispersal. We will take field trips to
several local farms to observe firsthand the inputs, outputs and ecological underpinnings
of human food production and to evaluate the biodiversity impacts of different sorts of
agricultural practices. Throughout the course, we will consider the behavioral ecology of
food choice; our perspectives will range from those of honey bees and caterpillars
through those of birds and chefs.
You will also complete a research project in which you perform a detailed
investigation of the physical attributes and ecology of a particular food. Why is it sought
as food, and what attributes make it desirable or difficult to utilize? How is it processed
for consumption, and why? Is it cultivated or does it grow in the wild? How does
utilization of this food influence its population biology? How does cultivation and/or
harvest of this organism impact populations of other organisms (remember those food
webs!) What roles does this organism serve in the cultures that exploit it as a food
resource?
After this exploration, you will find it hard to take food for granted. As I write this,
my entire study is literally buried in books and articles about food and ecology, and each
source that I read points me to several more. A complex web connects the banana on
your breakfast cereal to tropical ecology, sociology, economics, and politics, McDonald’s
French fries have forever changed the ecology and the essence of the potato, and fisheries
have altered entire marine food webs. These relationships are complex (Whooo, boy are
they — researching broadly and then successfully distilling the essence is critical, or you
will be overwhelmed!), fascinating, and quite often unsettling. I expect that you will find
this challenge intellectually engaging and fun: food is central to all life, and there will be
many weird twists and surprises as we study its ecology. In addition, this broad-based
examination of the ecology food is likely to influence your personal perspectives on and
choices of food.
So that we all have a chance to learn about what each of you found in the course of
your research, you will share your findings with your classmates in an oral presentation.
If ecologically and logistically reasonable to do so, you will also share an edible sample
of your research subject with the class. An analytical research paper will serve as written
documentation of your research.
PROFESSOR: Dr. Monica Raveret Richter, office/lab: Dana 370/378
Office hours: Wednesday 11:30-12:45
Friday 11:30-12:45 and by appointment
My email address is: mrichter@skidmore.edu. This is the best way to reach me during the day
before 1400 hrs.
My office/lab extension is 5083; my home phone number is 587-3574. If you choose to
reach me by phone, try my office/lab extension first. You can also call me at home (before 8:00
PM) to ask questions or set up appointments.
I encourage you to drop in and visit with me during office hours, or to make an appointment
to visit. I’m always interested in talking about ecology and food (or conducting ecological
research, or eating food…), and I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have
about course material, or to help you explore topics in greater depth.
COURSE STRUCTURE:
•Lectures/discussions meet from 1010-1130 hrs Wednesday and Friday in Dana 381.
•Laboratories usually meet from 1010-1310 hrs Monday in Dana 381 or in the field; there
are also weekend field laboratories. Labs will provide a chance for you to observe what we
are talking about in lecture, to test ideas experimentally, and to develop your quantitative
skills. We will have several outdoor labs. For these labs, wear comfortable walking shoes
(something that can get muddy) and outdoor clothing that provides mosquito and
tickprotection and is appropriate for the weather. Recommended clothing: light colored
long pants, long-sleeved shirts and, if you wish, a hat.
•Discussions will take place throughout the semester. In discussions, we will explore and
evaluate supplementary readings and ideas related to lecture topics.
•Readings: Assigned readings are listed in the syllabus. Copies of the readings can be
borrowed from the file outside of Dana 381 for two hours. Additional readings may be
assigned throughout the semester. Students are responsible for keeping up with reading
assignments (read them BEFORE class!) and will be responsible on examinations for
material covered in the readings.
•Course grades will be awarded as indicated below:
Food ecology research project:
Proposal
2%
Presentation
6%
Research paper
12%
Exams (2 lecture exams + final exam)
50%
Best exam score: 20%
Other 2 exam scores: 15% each
Labs (including data collection, analysis,
25%
written and oral reports)
Discussion, participation, preparation
5%
I do not plan make-up sessions for missed discussions or laboratories. If you miss
discussion or laboratory, your grade will be adversely affected.
Exams
Exams are based on material that we cover in lectures, discussions, and readings. I expect you
to demonstrate your mastery of factual material, your ability to argue a point of view on
controversial topics (examples from lecture, discussions and assigned readings will be useful),
and your ability to synthesize material and apply it to new situations.
Exams are to be completed without consulting with your notes, texts, or fellow students
during the test unless I give explicit directions otherwise. For example, on a take home essay, I
might permit the use of notes and literature.
Collaboration and attribution of materials:
Much scientific work is done as collaboration, and in this course you will often work in groups
to solve problems. I expect, however, that all written material you hand in to me will reflect
your own original thought and synthesis. For example, I encourage lab groups to work
together to analyze data. If there are questions to answer at the end of a lab, you should feel
free to discuss these questions with one another. However, the answers that each of you hand
to me should be written individually and should in no case be copied verbatim from other
students in your lab group.
Similarly, when you are writing research reports for group projects, I encourage you to share,
with other members of your group, any useful references that you have found. You should feel
free to discuss these references together, and to consider how they bear upon your research
topic. However, when you are writing your report, I expect each of you to construct your own
original arguments. You should work independently when you write the introduction and
discussion for your reports; group authorship is not acceptable. I want to make sure that each
of you develops strong critical writing skills. In order to best develop these skills, you must do
your own writing.
You will often need to draw upon the work of others to support your arguments. Always
acknowledge the sources of material that you use in your writing. You must cite the sources of
ideas, factual material, and quotations; failure to do this constitutes plagiarism. Citations
should follow the format used in recent issues of the journal Ecology. Your handout “Citation
Guidelines” illustrates the correct format for citing a variety of sources.
You are responsible for adhering to these guidelines for collaboration and attribution
of material. If you have any questions about this, please bring in your work-in-progress, and
we can discuss how to apply these guidelines to specific situations. Failure to follow these
procedures will result in a grade of zero for the assignment or exam, and violations of
academic integrity will be reported to the Dean of Studies.
TENTATIVE COURSE SYLLABUS
DATE
TOPIC
READING ASSIGNMENTS
(Read these BEFORE class!)
WEEK 1
7 Sep
Ecology and food: An
introduction
Stiling, P. 2002. Why and how to study
ecology. Pages 2-18 in Ecology: theories
and applications. Prentice Hall, New
Jersey, USA.
Owen, J. 1980. Food and feeding. Pages 922 in Feeding strategy. University of
Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
9 Sep
Scientific inquiry: A critical
approach
Dawkins, R. C. 1998. Unweaving the
uncanny. Pages 145-179 in Unweaving the
rainbow: science, delusion and the appetite
for wonder. Houghton Mifflin, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA.
Dayton, P. K. 1998. Reversal of the burden
of proof in fisheries management. Science
279: 821-822.
Townsend, C. R, M. Begon and J. L. Harper.
2003. Ecology and how to do it. Pages 337 in Essentials of ecology. Second
edition. Blackwell Publishing,
Massachusetts, USA.
11 Sep
(Sunday)
LAB
3-Corner Field Farm Field Trip
Leave Dana parking lot at 8:00 AM
(Sorry, the sheep can’t hold their milk
any longer!). Return to Skidmore at
approximately 12:00 noon.
Dress for the weather. Bring water
and use sun protection if it is a hot
day. Wear shoes or boots that can be
dipped in a vat of disinfectant and
scrubbed as you enter and exit the
farm. This is not a good place for
sandal
WEEK 2
14 Sep
16 Sep
Robinson, J. 2004. Imagine; Back to basics.
Pages 9-17 in Pasture perfect: the farreaching benefits of choosing meat, eggs
and dairy products from grass-fed animals.
Vashon Island Press, Vashon, Washington,
USA.
Find information about the farm at
http://www.dairysheepfarm.com/
If time permits, we will make a quick stop at
the Sheldon Farms farm stand on the return
trip to Skidmore. You can peruse their
offerings and, if you wish, purchase fresh,
locally grown produce, cheese, maple syrup
and other foods.
Scientific inquiry: case studies in
foraging
Gould, J.L. & Gould, C.G. 1988. Discovery
of the dance language; dance
communication. Pages 55-65 in The honey
bee. Scientific American Library, New
York, New York, USA.
An evolutionary perspective on
foraging: Darwin’s thesis and
the evidence
Solomon, E. P., L. R. Berg, and D. W.
Martin. 1999. Introduction to Darwinian
evolution. Pages 370-388 in Biology.
Fifth edition. Saunders College Publishing,
Philadelphia, USA.
Gould, S. J. 1983. Evolution as fact and
theory. Pages 253-262 in Hen’s teeth and
horse’s toes. W. W. Norton and Company,
New York, New York, USA.
WEEK 3
19 Sep
LAB
Honey bee foraging:
Experimental design
Barth, F. 1985. Visual signposts on the
flower. Pages 116-122 in Insects and
flowers: the biology of a partnership.
Princeton University Press, Princeton, New
Jersey, USA.
Gould, J. L. and C. G. Gould. 1988. The life
of the bee. Pages 19-44 in The honey bee.
Scientific American Library, New York,
New York, USA.
Raveret Richter, M. A. and J. M. Keramaty.*
2003. Honey bee foraging behavior. Pages
133-143 in Exploring animal behavior in
laboratory and field. Academic Press,
Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Wanna dance?
21 Sep
Adaptation and natural selection:
Case studies in foraging
*(a.k.a. Dr. J. M. Keramaty DVM, Jasmin
collaborated in researching this material,
presenting it as a demonstration laboratory at the
Animal Behaviour Society’s annual meeting, and
preparing it for publication, all when she was a
Skidmore undergraduate.)
Weiner, J. 1995. A special providence.
Pages 70-82 in The beak of the finch.
Vintage Books of Random House, New
York, USA.
Boag, P. T. and P. R. Grant. 1981. Intense
natural selection in a population of
Darwin’s finches (Geospizinae) in the
Galapagos. Science 214: 82-85.
23 Sep
Populations: Demographic
patterns and processes
Ehrlich, P. R. and A. H. Ehrlich. 1990. Why
isn’t everyone as scared as we are? Pages
13-23 in The population explosion. Simon
and Schuster, New York, USA.
Raven, P. H. and G. B. Johnson. 2002.
Population ecology. Pages 495-514 in:
Biology. McGraw Hill, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA.
WEEK 4
26 Sep
LAB
Honey bee foraging: Field
experiments
Opportunity to volunteer
(or, splurge and attend the benefit as a guest):
Through Farmers’ Hands—A Country Prom
Monday,
September 26,
6:00 to 10:00 pm
Canfield Casino,
Saratoga Springs,
NY
A celebration of
our region’s farms
and food, set to
the tune of new
and old country
music, presented
in an elegant 19th
century ballroom,
to benefit the
Regional Farm &
Food Project.
28 Sep
Predation I: Adaptations for
defense
Forsyth, A. and K. Miyata. 1984. Jerry’s
maggot. Pages 153-167. in Tropical
nature. Scribner, New York, USA.
Owen, D. 1980. Warning coloration,
mimicry. Pages 105-125 in Camouflage
and mimicry. University of Chicago Press,
Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Recommended:
Plumwood, V. 2000. Being prey. Utne
Reader 100: 56-61.
30 Sep
Predation II: Trophic cascades,
marine food webs, and human
consumption of marine
resources.
Estes, J. A., M. T. Tinker, T. M. Williams and
D. F. Doak. 1998. Killer whale predation
on sea otters linking oceanic and nearshore
ecosystems. Science 282: 473-476.
Naylor, R. L., R. J. Goldburg, J. H.
Primavera, N. Kautsky, M. C. M.
Beveridge, J. Clay, C. Folke, J. Lubchenco,
H. Mooney and M. Troell. 2000. Effect of
aquaculture on world fish supplies. Nature
405: 1017-1024.
Williams, N. 1998. Overfishing disrupts
entire ecosystems. Science 279: 809.
WEEK 5
3 Oct
5 Oct
LAB
Herbivory and adaptations for
defense I: Milkweed field lab
Dussourd, D. 1990. The vein drain; or, how
insects outsmart plants. Natural History
99(2): 44-49.
Field trip: Skidmore campus
•Dress for the weather. Wear light
colored clothing (long pants and
long sleeves; insect protection).
Wear sturdy shoes.
•Meet at 10:00 in the lab, Dana 381.
Recommended
Dussourd, D. E. 1993. Foraging with
finesse: Caterpillar adaptations for
circumventing plant defenses. Pages 92131 in N. E. Stamp and T. E. Casey,
editors. Caterpillars: ecological and
evolutionary constraints on foraging.
Chapman and Hall, New York, New York,
USA.
Herbivory
Hairston, N. G., F. E. Smith and L. B.
Slobodkin. 1960. Community structure,
population control and competition.
American Naturalist 94: 421-425.
What color is the world? Why?
Stiling, P. 2002. Herbivory. Pages 170-188
in Ecology: theory and applications.
Prentice Hall, New Jersey, USA.
7 Oct
Exam 1 (through ecology of marine
resources)
WEEK 6
11 Oct
LAB
Herbivory and adaptations for
defense II. Herbivore food
choice and evolution of plant
defenses: Observations and
analyses in the North Woods
and the salad bowl.
Field trip: Skidmore campus
•Dress for the weather. Wear light
colored clothing (long pants and
long sleeves; insect protection).
Wear sturdy shoes.
•Meet at 10:10 in the lab, Dana 381.
12 Oct
Parasites and pathogens; the
evolution of virulence.
Fisher, M. 2003. Want herbal remedies?
Look to your salad. University of
Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences Quarterly 21(1): 2.
Ogorzaly, M. C. 2001. Spices, herbs and
perfumes. Pages 192-217 in Economic
botany: plants in our world. Third edition.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA.
Ewald, P. W. 1993. The evolution of
virulence. Scientific American 268:86-88,
90-93.
Smith, R. L. and T. M. Smith. 2003.
Parasitism and mutualism. Pages 309-328
in Elements of ecology. Benjamin
Cummings, San Francisco, California,
USA.
Recommended
Hooper, J. 1999. A new germ theory. The
Atlantic Monthly 283(2): 41-53.
14 Oct
WEEK 7
17 Oct
Population size and species
interactions
Jones, C. G., R. S. Ostfeld., M. P Richard. E.
M. Schauber and J. O. Wolff. 2002. Chain
reactions linking acorns to gypsy moth
outbreaks and Lyme disease. Science 279:
1023-1026.
LAB
Data analysis and writing
workshop
19 Oct
Mutualism
21 Oct
STUDY DAY
No class meeting
Smith, R. L. and T. M. Smith. 2003.
Parasitism and mutualism. Pages 309-328
in Elements of ecology. Benjamin
Cummings, San Francisco, California,
USA.
WEEK 8
24 Oct
LAB
Seed dispersal
(Or, how fruits have their way with us)
“Well, I’ll eat it,” said Alice, “and if it makes
me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if it
makes me grow smaller, I can creep under
the door: so either way I’ll get into the
garden, and I don’t care which happens!”
—Lewis Carroll
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Forsyth, A. & Miyata, K. 1985. Eat me.
Pages 77-87 in Tropical nature. Charles
Scribner’s Sons, New York, New York,
USA.
Recommended
This reinforces ideas in the required
reading, and has gorgeous illustrations (so
does the rest of the book; page through it
and enjoy.) I’ll leave the book in the lab
for you to peruse.
Forsyth, A. 1990. Fruits of reason:
interpreting the meaning of tropical fruit.
Pages 52-59 in: Portraits of the rainforest.
Camden House Publishing, Ontario,
Canada.
26 Oct
Competition I
Ricklefs, R. E. 1997. Competition. Pages
341-360 in The economy of nature. W. H.
Freeman, New York, New York, USA.
28 Oct
Competition II
Introduced species
Simberloff, D. 1996. Impact of introduced
species in the United States. Consequences
2(2)
<http://www.gcrio.org/CONSEQUENCES
/vol2no2/index.html> Accessed August 4,
2005.
LAB
Solving evolutionary puzzles in
pollination biology
Forsyth, A. and K. Miyata. 1985. Listen to
the flowers. pages 65-75 in Tropical
nature. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New
York, New York, USA.
WEEK 9
31 Oct
“We can talk,” said the Tiger-lily, “when there’s
anybody worth talking to.”
—Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking Glass
Recommended
More incredible illustrations in this chapter
and in The essence of snake.
Forsyth, A. 1990. Hermits and heliconias:
The microcosm of plant and animal
coevolution. Pages 74-83 in Portraits of the
rainforest. Camden House Publishing,
Ontario, Canada.
2 Nov
Fundamentals of systems
ecology: energy, nutrients,
food webs, bioaccumulation.
Carpenter. S. R. 1998. Ecosystem ecology.
Pages 123-161 in S. I. Dodson, editor.
Ecology. Oxford University Press, New
York, New York, USA.
4 Nov
Agroecology 1: Introduction to
biogeography; agricultural
communities and landscapes.
DeVore, B. 2003. Creating habitat on farms:
the land stewardship project and
monitoring on agricultural land.
Conservation in practice 4(2):29-36.
Gliessman, S. R., E. Engles and R. Krieger.
1997. Interactions between
agroecosystems and natural ecosystems.
Pages 285-298 in Agroecology: ecological
processes in sustainable agriculture. Lewis
Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Jackson, D. 2002. The farm as natural
habitat. Pages 13-26 in D.L. Jackson and
L.L. Jackson, editors. The farm as natural
habitat: reconnecting food systems with
ecosystems. Island press, Washington,
USA.
Quammen, D. 1996. Thirty-six Persian
throw-rugs. Pages 11-13 in The song of the
dodo: biogeography in an age of
extinction. Scribner, New York, New
York, USA.
WEEK 10
7 Nov
LAB
Pleasant Valley Farm
Field Trip
Early departure for lab: Leave
Dana parking lot at 9:40AM, return at
1:10.
9 Nov
Exam II: Herbivory through
pollination (1 November lab)
11 Nov
Agroecology 2: The origins and
evolution of agricultural
practices
Logsdon, G. 2000. Traditional farming.
Pages 77-99 in Living at nature’s pace:
farming and the American dream. Chelsea
Green Publishing Company, White River
Junction, Vermont, USA.
Caufield, C. 1984. The harvest. Pages 123142 in In the rainforest. University of
Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Diamond, J. 1999. To Farm or not to farm;
How to make an almond. Pages 104-130 in
Guns, germs and steel: the fates of human
societies. W.W. Norton and Company,
New York, New York, USA.
WEEK 11
14 Nov
LAB
Seminar/discussion: Human
population growth,
consumption patterns, famine,
environmental impacts.
Avery, D. T. 2000. There is no upward
population spiral, There is much less
hunger than we’ve been told. Pages 48-64;
148-167 in Saving the planet with
pesticides and plastic: the environmental
triumph of high-yield farming. Hudson
Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Ehrlich, P. R. and A. H. Ehrlich. 1996.
Fables about population and food. Pages
65-89 in The betrayal of science and reason.
Island Press, Washington D. C., USA.
Population Action International. 2000. How
an early peak for population could improve
prospects for biodiversity. Fact Sheet 12.
Simon, J. 1999. Why are so many biologists
alarmed? Pages 55-71 and 123-127 in
Hoodwinking the nation. Transaction., New
Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
16 Nov
Agroecology 3:
Factory farming
Small farms
Sustainability
Avery, D. T. 1998 Fall. The hidden dangers
in organic food. Outlook.
http://www.cgfi.org/materials/articles/2002
/
jun_25_02.htm
Avery, D. T. 2000. Is high-yield farming
sustainable? Pages 213-237 in Saving the
planet with pesticides and plastic: the
environmental triumph of high-yield
farming. Hudson Institute, Indianapolis,
Indiana, USA.
Beeman, R. S. and J. A. Pritchard. 2001.
Ecological inspiration for agriculture.
Pages 101-130 in A green and permanent
land. Ecology and agriculture in the
twentieth century. University Press of
Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Recommended
Townsend, C. R, M. Begon and J. L. Harper.
2003. Sustainability. Pages 399-435 in
Essentials of Ecology. Second Edition.
Blackwell Publishing, Massachusetts, USA.
18 Nov
Biodiversity and human harvest
of food.
Avery, D. T. 2000. Biotechnology: The
ultimate conservation solution? Pages 357373 in Saving the planet with pesticides and
plastic: The environmental triumph of
high-yield farming. Hudson Institute,
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Clark, C. 2004 September 3. This week’s
news Chez Sophie Bistro.
<http://www.chezsophie.com> Accessed
September 3, 2004.This email contains
Cheryl’s thoughts on caviar and
conservation.
Jackson, D. L. 2002. Food and biodiversity.
Pages 247-260 in D.L. Jackson and L.L.
Jackson, editors. The farm as natural
habitat: reconnecting food systems with
ecosystems. Island Press, Washington,
USA.
Larson, K. 2003. Extreme measures.
OnEarth 25(3): 12-19.
Vandermeer, J. & Perfecto, I. 1995.
Biodiversity, agriculture and rainforests.
Pages 127-147 in Breakfast of biodiversity:
the truth about rain forest destruction.
Institute for Food and Development Policy,
Oakland, California, USA.
WEEK 12
21 Nov
LAB
Food choice: Case studies,
theory and experimental design
Krebs, J. R., Davies, N. B. 1993. Economic
decisions and the individual. Pages 48-76.
in An introduction to behavioral ecology.
Blackwell Scientific, Cambridge,
Massachusetts, USA.
Raveret Richter M. R., Halstead J., &
Savastano, K.* 2003. Seed selection by
foraging birds. Pages 239-246. Exploring
animal behavior in laboratory and field.
Academic Press, Boston, Massachusetts,
USA. .
*Skidmore undergraduate Kierstin Savastano did
the laboratory analysis of the caloric and
nutritional content of these bird seeds as an
analytical chemistry research project under the
direction of Professor Halstead.
Recommended
These will add a human dimension to our
theoretical considerations and field tests.
Critser, G. 2003. Supersize me & World
without boundaries. Pages 20-62. in
Fatland: how Americans became the fattest
people in the world. Houghton Mifflin
Company, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Nestle, M. 2002. Starting early: underage
consumers; Conclusion: the politics of
food choice. Pages 175-196 and 358-374 in
Food politics: how the food industry
influences nutrition and health. University
of California Press, Berkeley, USA.
Spurlock. M. 2005. Supersize me. DVD
(Available in Scribner Library).
23-27 Nov
WEEK 13
28 Nov
THANKSGIVING BREAK
LAB
Food choice: avian field studies
Field trip: Skidmore campus
•Dress for the weather. Wear
WARM clothing, thick socks, hats
and gloves.
•Meet at 10:10 in the lab, Dana 381.
Forage! (Optimally?)
30 Nov
Ecological consequences of
genetically modified foods
Pollan, M. 2001 Desire: control. Plant: the
potato. Pages 183-238 in The botany of
desire: a plant’s-eye view of the world.
Random House, New York, New York,
USA.
Rauch, J. 2003. Will frankenfood save the
planet? Atlantic Monthly, October: 103108
Richter, W. 2000. Lecture logic. Skidmore
news, 13 October: 3.
Recommended:
Avery, D. T. 2000. Biotechnology: the
ultimate conservation solution? Pages 357373 in Saving the planet with pesticides and
plastic: the environmental triumph of highyield farming. Hudson Institute,
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Schlosser, E. 2001. Why the fries taste good.
Pages 111-131 in Fast food nation: the dark
side of the all-American meal. Houghton
Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
2 Dec
Ecology, natural selection, world
cuisine and food choice.
Billing, J. and P. Sherman. 1999. Darwinian
gastronomy: why we use spices.
Bioscience 49(6): 453-463.
Kummer, C. 1999. Doing good by eating
well. Atlantic Monthly 283(3): 102-106.
Nabhan, G. P 2005. Discovering why some
don’t like it hot: Is it a matter of taste?
Pages 112-139 in Why some like it hot:
food, genes and cultural diversity. Island
Press, Washington, DC, USA.
Recommended
Nabhan, G. P 2005. Dealing with migration
headaches: should we change places, diets
or genes? Pages 140-162 in Why some like
it hot: food, genes and cultural diversity.
Island Press, Washington, DC, USA.
WEEK 14
3 Dec
(Saturday)
Time to be
arranged
6 Dec
(Tuesday)
11:10-12:30
Gannett
Auditorium
LAB
Chez Sophie Bistro
Chef’s Choice Field Trip:
What criteria do chefs use to select
the ingredients they use in their
cooking, and why? What are the
impacts of these choices?
Guest Lecture: Dr. David
Carpenter, Institute for Health
and the Environment,
University at Albany, “Global
assessment of contaminants in
wild and farmed fish.”
Kummer, C., S. Cushner, and E. Schlosser.
2002. The movement; Cheese Vermont.
Pages 13-27 and 36-39 in The pleasures of
slow food: celebrating authentic traditions,
flavors and recipes. Chronicle Books, San
Francisco, California, USA.
Find information about the restaurant and chef
at: www.chezsophie.com
Hites, R. A., J. A. Foran. D. O. Carpenter, M.
C. Hamilton, B. A. Knuth, and S. J.
Schwager. 2004. Global assessment of
organic contaminants in farmed salmon.
Science 303: 226-229.
Also, letters written in response to this article;
Science 305: 475-478
9 Dec
WEEK 15
12 Dec
Student project presentations
Presentations of food ecology research
projects
LAB
Student project presentations
Presentations of food ecology research
projects; feast!
A feast analyzed is worth eating.
(apologies to Plato)
20 Dec
FINAL EXAM
6:00-9:00 PM
Dana 381
Additional references for fall 2007:
Kingsolver, B., S.L. Hopp and C. Kingsolver. 2007. Animal, vegetable, miracle.
HarperCollins Publishers, New York, New York, USA.
Parsons, R. 2007. How to pick a peach: the search for flavor from farm to table.
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Pollan, M. 2006. The omnivore’s dilemma: a natural history of four meals. Penguin
Press, New York, New York, USA.
Vandermeer, J., and I. Perfecto. 2005. Breakfast of biodiversity: the political ecology of
rain forest destruction. Second edition. Food First Books, Oakland, California, USA.
Wansink, B. 2006. Mindless eating: why we eat more than we think. Bantam Dell,
New York, New York, USA.