Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | BIO-2340-VO01 - Fundamentals of Ecology

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Lindsay Webb
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jen Guarino

General Education Requirements

VSCS Natural Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of ecology. This course includes an introduction to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, spatial and temporal changes in ecosystems, and the relationships between organisms within their environment. Students use sampling techniques common within the field to investigate ecological communities. Prerequisite: BIO-1210 or BIO-1211

Essential Objectives

1. Explain how the life sciences and the physical sciences integrate to inform the study of natural systems.
2. Explain the ecological terms population, community, and ecosystem, and how energy flows and matter cycles in nature.
3. Identify the major ecosystems and describe the ecological characteristics that make each of them distinct.
4. Explain how abiotic and biotic factors influence the biological diversity present in a given region.
5. Investigate ecological relationships between species and analyze their effects on population and community dynamics, including but not limited to competition, mutualism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, amensalism, and symbiosis.
6. Analyze the impacts of invasive and other non-native species on ecological communities and populations and investigate management strategies used to control their spread.
7. Explain how pollution can alter ecosystem function and how ecosystems can adjust to and recover from pollution’s effects.
8. Explain how climate change is affecting community and population dynamics in a variety of ecosystems.
9. Discuss how ecological data informs natural resource management decisions.
10. Evaluate how human activities affect regional and global ecology and natural resource sustainability.
11. Explain how knowledge created in the natural sciences has contributed to the creation, maintenance and dismantling of social inequalities and discuss the impacts of diversity and inclusion on scientific research and practice.
Lab Objectives:
1. Apply the scientific method to design and carry out experiments and write lab reports.
2. Analyze and critique ecological experiments found in scientific publications.
3. Employ ecological sampling techniques, like transects and plots, to study aquatic and terrestrial communities.
4. Use mapping and GIS software to demonstrate how data is collected and analyzed for ecological communities.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, evaluating, and applying quantitative data and information, and present findings to others through oral presentations, written materials, online resources, etc.
6. Apply proper techniques in using common scientific tools to collect data and describe how they work (i.e., microscopes, spectrophotometers, UV sterilizers, etc.).
7. Identify and demonstrate lab safety techniques that are in line with CCV’s Chemical Hygiene Plan, Lab Safety Agreements, and chemical Safety Data Sheets (SDS).

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Fall 2024 textbook/book details will be available on 2024-05-20. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

BIO-2340-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

For Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Allowed: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges technology, including generative AI, plays a supportive role in learning and feedback. During our class, we may use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT in certain specific cases. You will be informed as to when, where, and how these tools are permitted to be used, along with guidance for attribution. Any use outside of these specific cases constitutes a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

This is a demanding class that I hope will stretch each of you. To make it the richest learning experience for everyone I expect:

• An emotionally safe and respectful environment for everyone. We may discuss controversial issues and there will undoubtedly be differences of opinion on topics we cover. I expect all communication to be respectful and in the spirit of learning.
• Responsibility. For discussions, you will be working and contributing to the larger group conversation. I expect each of you to do your share and to help contribute to everyone’s learning.
• Honesty, both in your work and in representing what you know or don’t know. Science is based on the truthful reporting of data.
• Challenge yourself to learn as much as possible. The open-ended nature of the assignments is designed to allow students of all backgrounds to benefit from this class.

There are several assignments throughout the semester where you will need to visit a natural area of your choosing to do an observation. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this.

We will be using several methods for learning in this course:

• · Active online discussion questions
• · Online textbook chapters, journal articles, websites, and presentations
• · Weekly assignments and quizzes.
• · Lab Reports.

Evaluation Criteria

You will be evaluated on your general mastery of the Essential Objectives for the course, level of participation, and overall quality of work (including written mechanics). In particular, I will be using the following areas to evaluate your work:

· Discussion Forums (30%)

· Assignments (20%)

· Lab (40%)

· Quiz (10%)

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

• Each week starts on Tuesday, and ends the following Monday.
• To be considered "present" in class, you must indicate you are there, by posting in the discussion or handing in an assignment by Monday at midnight.
• Each week there is a discussion forum that you must participate in which includes an initial post and commenting on two other posts.
• Each week there will be at least one assignment that is due by midnight Monday night.
• There are several quizzes throughout the semester based on the content covered in class.
• Each week you will have a lab to complete, some are "field labs" where you will need to go out to a natural setting (your backyard may work for most assignments), other labs are "indoor labs" and may require a lab report.

Missing & Late Work Policy

I will accept assignments that are late, but out of respect for those who get their assignments in on time, there will be a penalty (2% off for each day it is late). Please reach out to me if extenuating circumstances prevent you from handing in your work.

Experiential Learning Expectations

Hours: 6-10

Several of the labs in this course, will have students going outside to a natural setting of their choice to complete the assignment. The assignments will have students practicing ecological data collection skills such as measuring plants, collecting water quality data, listening to birds, and sampling soils.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity