I. General Information

1. Course Title:
General Ecology

2. Course Prefix & Number:
BIOL 2415

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 4

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 2

4. Course Description:

This course is structured so that students can see the variations and complexities of nature.  Topics cover the physical environment, the organism and the environment, populations, species interactions, community, and ecosystem dynamics.  Lecture is accompanied by laboratory and field exercises. MnTC Goals 3 and 10

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Minnesota State Community and Technical College, BIOL 2010 General Ecology, 4 credits
South Central College, BIOL 101 Introduction to Ecology, 4 credits

3. Prior Learning - the following prior learning methods are acceptable for this course:

• Advanced Standing
• CLEP

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Natural Resources Technology, AAS
Natural Resources Law Enforcement, AAS
Wildlife Tourism, Certificate

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:

• Goal 3 – Natural Sciences
• Goal 10 – People and the Environment

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Explain ecological concepts in concise and complete writings.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Describe basic institutional arrangements (social, legal, political, economic, and religious) that are evolving to deal with environmental challenges.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Develop and defend solutions to environmental issues.  MnTC Goals 3 & 10
• Explain structure and function of various natural ecosystems and identify components.  MnTC Goal 3
• Evaluate societal issues from a natural science perspective, ask questions about the evidence presented, and make informed judgments about science-related topics and issues.  MnTC Goals 3 & 10
• Demonstrate understanding of scientific theories. MnTC Goal 3
• Formulate and test hypotheses by performing laboratory, simulation, or field experiments in at least two of the natural science disciplines (one of these experimental components should develop, in greater depth, students' laboratory experience in the collection of data, its statistical and graphical analysis, and an appreciation of its sources of error and uncertainty).   MnTC Goal 3
• Communicate their experimental findings, analysis, and interpretations both orally and in writing.  MnTC Goal 3
• Demonstrate understanding of the theory of Evolution.  MnTC Goal 3
• Evaluate critically environmental and natural resource issues in light of understandings about interrelationships, ecosystems, and institutions.  MnTC Goal 10
• Propose and assess alternative solutions to environmental problems.  MnTC Goal 10
• Articulate and defend the actions they would take on various environmental issues.  MnTC Goal 10
• Define the characteristics of populations and communities.  MnTC Goal 3
• Describe human and ecological diversity.  MnTC Goal 3

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Introduction
2. Ecology
• Definitions
• Value of learning about
• Climate vs. Weather
3. Ecosystems
• Definitions
• Trophic Structure
• Energy Flow
• Biogeochemical Cycles
• Production and Productivity
• Environmental factors
4. Populations
• Characteristics
• Intraspecific Relationships
• Interspecific Relationships
5. Communities
• Characteristics
• Primary vs. Secondary Succession
• Dynamics
6. Humans and Ecological Diversity
• Extinction
• Endangerment and reasons for
• Biodiversity
• Human impacts
• The Future of Mother Earth 

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions

 

1. Research projects may include:
   • Ecosystem:  This project will allow the student to establish either an aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem.  The goal is to see and experience ecosystem concepts such as biogeochemical cycles, food chains and webs, trophic levels and structure, energy flow, etc.
   • Biotic Community:  The intent of the project is to allow students to identify biotic communities, make observations, and gain better understanding of the interrelatedness found in nature.
2. Lab sessions may include:
   • Biodiversity – a study of organisms found in soil samples
   • Evolution – Perform an experiment and use the Hardy-Weinberg calculation to understand evolution and how genetic drift can occur in small populations.
   • Exponential growth in populations and limits to growth rates
   • Competition in organisms: Scramble and contest competition with carrying capacity involved
   • Problems faced by small populations of organisms
   • Reintroducing endangered species into habitats
   • Habitat size and species diversity: learning the concept of island biogeography
   • Human Population Growth-understanding the concept of pre-reproductive, reproductive and post reproductive cohorts in a population.
3. Virtual or live field trips may include a variety of topics and locations (examples include)
   • 2 to 3 different sites to show students the successional stages of wetlands or other environments
   • Two field sites which compare a native ecosystem vs. one dominated by an invasive species.