| Topical Outline: | Each week the lectures and discussion will revolve around a
focal area of current advances in ecosystem ecology. These focal
areas are outlined in the table below.
Week Lectures (2 x 1 h) & Discussion (1 x 2 h)
1 Course outline; historical introduction of ecosystem
ecology, hypothesis testing in ecosystem ecology
2 Global change (elevated CO2, warming, N deposition, hydrology)
3 Biogeochemistry
4 Elemental stoichiometry
5 Food webs
6 Invasive species
7 Biodiversity and ecosystem function
8 Aboveground-belowground interactions; transition zones
9 Urban systems
10 Scaling (temporal & spatial)
11 Nonlinearity: synergies, feedbacks and thresholds
12 Approaches 1 (observation, modeling, experimental
design: including validity & scaling; hypothesis testing; meta-
analysis)
13 Approaches 2 (whole ecosystem manipulations; stable
isotopes;molecular tools)
14 Student oral presentations
15 Student oral presentations cont.
Lectures. Monday and Wednesday mornings: 1 h lectures, the first
55 min consisting of approx. 20 min PowerPoint presentation by
the instructors interspersed by approx. 35 min student-directed
inquiry, and ending with a 5 min, group-led, closing summary.
This format is intended to introduce key aspects of the focal
area through the PowerPoint presentation and to develop key
aspects, or other aspects related to the focal area, through
student questioning. The objective of this format is to go into
greatest depth about those areas of the material which are of
most interest to the class.
Prior to each lecture the students will be assigned reading of 1
to 3 recent review papers that deals with current advances and
potential future directions for the focal area.
Weeks 1-11: Introduction to the central principles, theories and
questions of ecosystem ecology through exploration of focal
areas of current advances.
Weeks 12-13: Introduction to the approaches for research in
ecosystem ecology, with particular emphasis on the concepts and
assumptions behind them. The expectation is that many of these
approaches will have been introduced and/or examined in previous
lectures or discussion. These two weeks are to develop the
exploration of a subset of approaches considered key to current
advances in ecosystems ecology. There will be no discussion in
these weeks (see Section: �Class paper�).
Seminars. Friday mornings, 2 h discussion. Weeks 1-3:
Instructor-led. Weeks 4-11: Student-led discussions.
Discussions will center around 1 to 2 recent (within last 24
months) studies, published in the peer-reviewed, primary
literature, related to the focal area of the week�s lectures.
The purposes of the seminars are to explore contemporary
concepts (i.e. principles or theories) in ecosystem ecology in
greater depth than facilitated by a lecture approach, to
practice/develop verbal expression and reasoning, to practice
critical review, and, in the context of the student-led
discussions, to develop further effective leadership of
discussion. To frame the discussions (for the student-led
discussions), students will work in pairs and these leaders are
expected to produce a discussion plan, to have read more widely
than the class assigned reading about the concept, to guide the
discussion, and following the discussion provide a 1-2 page class
summary in the following format:
(a) Definition of the concept/question tackled
(b) The research that led to &/or supports this
concept/question
(c) How, if at all, the concept/question should be modified
in light of the most recent research
(d) What are the outstanding questions central &/or related
to the concept/question
(e) How one would test these questions
For lectures, class instructors will produce a similar handout,
which addresses (a) to (d). For �approaches� lectures these
handouts will follow the format below:
(a) Definition of the approach
(b) Utilities of the approach
(c) Pros
(d) Cons
(e) Examples of use
Class paper
Final papers will be in the form of an NSF Dissertation
Improvement Grant (DIG) proposal. The central idea for the
proposal will be developed with the class instructors and will
relate to a real or anticipated research question, with an
ecosystem focus, that ideally would compliment the student�s
dissertation research. Once the central idea for this proposal
has been approved (by Week 5), it will proceed as follows:
1. The project summary (200 words), project description (5
pages,12 pt font) and budget with justification following NSF
DIG guidelines will be required. The project description will be
reduced from the 8 pages required by NSF, but in all other
aspects will follow NSF style and formatting guidelines. This
proposal will be due the Monday of Week 10.
2. Weeks 10 and 11. Students will be divided into four
groups of four. Each individual in a group will be assigned the
same four proposals to peer-review following NSF reviewer
guidelines and the ethical guidelines of the ESA.
3. Week 12. Students will receive the four peer-reviews and
produce a response to reviewers. This response will be 1 page
maximum. The reviews, the response and the proposal (modified in
light of the reviews) will be turned in the Monday of Week 13
and then assigned to a group, which did not review the original
proposal, for panel review.
4. Week 13. Panel review. Each panel will assess four
proposals and produce a summary and recommendation as per NSF
format. Summaries and recommendations are due to the class
instructors the Monday of Week 14, who will then grade each
student on their DIG, individual reviews (by them, not of their
work) and panel reviews. There will be no discussions Weeks 12
and 13, to enable time for generating responses to reviewers
(Week 12), for panel reviews (Week 13) and for finalization of
class presentations (Weeks 14 & 15).
Class presentations
These will be based on the DIG proposals, with each student
presenting for 12 min (using PowerPoint), with a further 5 min
for questions. Three presentations will be given per Mon, Wed,
Fri class of Weeks 14 and 15, except for the final class on
Friday of Week 15. This final class will be used for course
evaluation and student involvement in course development for the
next academic year.
Responsibilities
Students and instructor:
1. to have read all material and prepared written notes
(for individual use in the class; not to hand-in) prior to each class
2. to participate fully in discussion
3. to embrace differences in opinion without intellectual
or emotional judgment
4. to maintain the agreed focus of discussion
Grading policy
Grades will be composed of the following elements:
30% class participation (presence, contribution, originality,
enthusiasm, preparation, discussion guides and syntheses)
30% final paper (NSF DIG proposal)
20% individual and panel reviews of DIGs
20% final presentation
Grade bands
A 90% and above
B 80% - 89%
C 70% - 79%
D 60% - 69%
F less than 60%
Late assignment policy
5% from the final grade for each piece of work per day late, up
to 15% in total grade reduction.
Missed class policy
Unless appropriate paperwork received (e.g., doctor�s note), or
previously agreed with class instructors, 5% from the final
grade for class participation per absence up to 10% in total
grade reduction. |