Course Description
Ecology is the study of interactions of living organisms, including humans, with their surrounding environment. This course will examine individual, population, community, and ecosystem processes, including the impacts of human activities at each level that influence the flora and fauna of forested and aquatic systems. The course will emphasize the influence of human activities on ecosystems and the application of ecological concepts for natural resource management. Laboratories will emphasize ecological applications to the management of resources in Georgia.
Athena Title
Ecology of Natural Resources
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in ECOL 3500, ECOL 3505H
Non-Traditional Format
This version of the course will be taught as writing intensive, which means that the course will include substantial and ongoing writing assignments that a) relate clearly to course learning; b) teach the communication values of a discipline—for example, its practices of argument, evidence, credibility, and format; and c) prepare students for further writing in their academic work, in graduate school, and in professional life. The written assignments will result in a significant and diverse body of written work (the equivalent of 6000 words or 25 pages) and the instructor (and/or the teaching assistant assigned to the course) will be closely involved in student writing, providing opportunities for feedback and substantive revision.
Prerequisite
(BIOL 1104 and BIOL 1104L) or (BIOL 1108 and BIOL 1108L)
Corequisite
FANR 3200L
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
At the end of the semester, students should be able to: A. Know how biotic, including human and abiotic, factors interact to form and affect functional ecosystems. 1. Understand basic ecological concepts, including: - Elemental cycling - Net primary productivity - Trophic levels, niche concept - Competition, predator-prey, mutualism - Population structure and dynamics - Community ecology - Biogeography and adaptation to local conditions 2. Understand concepts and metrics of biodiversity - Levels of diversity (population, species, genetic) - Species diversity, richness, evenness - Human dimensions of species conservation B. Understand how ecosystems change with time and disturbance, natural, and anthropogenic. 1. The effects geologic change have had on ecosystems 2. Succession (terra and aqua) - General patterns of succession - Recognize specific seral stages and identify climax and sub-climax communities of regional importance - How succession can be influenced to achieve objectives 3. Understand human impacts on, and interactions with, natural ecosystems, including activities such as agriculture, minerals and mining, water and air pollution, climate change, the introduction of invasive species. Similarly, understand the effects of natural disturbance such as fire, wind, and disease. C. Understand differences in spatial scale that exist in ecosystem processes and functions, e.g., stand, forest, landscape, region, and global. D. Interpret and express ecological ideas through writing, especially in forms that reflect real-world scientific communication.
Topical Outline
What is ecology? Life cycle The niche Abiotic elements Habitat selection Genecology Population structure Population dynamics Life history theory Mutualism, commensalisms, parasitism, herbivory What is a community? Interspecific competition Predation Succession Community organization Source-sink theory and meta-population dynamics Biodiversity and species loss Human dimensions of species conservation Energy flow Water cycle Carbon cycle Nutrient cycles Climate change Water and air pollution Invasive species Habitat loss Human roles and responsibilities with ecosystem conservation
Syllabus