BIOLOGY 336 FRESHWATER ECOLOGY FALL 2006

NOTE: This course was formerly numbered Biology 236.

Dr. Robert Sanders 215-204-2056 robert.sanders@ temple.edu

347A Biology-Life Sciences http://astro.temple.edu/~sanders1

LECTURE: MW 10:40-12:00 in 332 Biology Life Sciences Building

LABORATORY: Tu 1:10-4:00 (sec 01) OR W 1:40-4:30 (sec 2) in 129 Bio Life

OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday 9-11:00; Wednesday 9:30-10:30; and by appointment

Teaching Assistant: Amy Macaluso 347 Biology-Life Sciences

Prerequisite: Biology 227 - Principles of Ecology.

Course Description and Purpose: This 4-s.h. course is an introduction to the ecology of plants and animals in lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands. General ecological principles are addressed with an emphasis on the interrelationships between biotic

(activities of organisms) and abiotic (chemical and physical) factors in aquatic systems.

In the laboratory section, students examine some major ecological concepts experimentally and are exposed to equipment and techniques commonly used by

limnologists (scientists who study freshwater systems) and oceanographers.

Two field trips are required. At least one field trip will occur over a weekend. These trips are to introduce students to methods used in the scientific investigation of

various aquatic habitats.

This course is Blackboard-based. It is each student’s responsibility to check the website and their Temple e-mail account regularly for messages, assignments &

potential schedule changes.

Text: Lampert & Sommer. 1997. Limnoecology. Readings on the schedule (page 2) are in

the Limnoecology textbook. Additional readings of journal articles will be assigned.

Lab Manual: Freshwater Ecology - Available at Conwell Hall.

Grades and Attendance: Grades are based on the distribution below. The final exam is not cumulative per se, but the course material presented after the mid-term exam builds on information presented earlier. Make-up tests will be given at the instructor’s discretion, and ONLY if absence is excused in advance or is due to an emergency; this also applies to missing laboratory. Documentation is required for an absence to be excused.

Attendance to class, laboratory, and field trips is mandatory.

Mid-term.................................... 31% Paper synopses; quizzes ......... 14%

Final exam.................................. 33% Laboratory................................. 22%

Monday September 11 is the last day to drop a course. Monday October 30 is the last day to withdraw.

Civility & Temple’s Code of Conduct (COC): (see http://www.temple.edu/assistance/udc/coc.htm). Violations of the COC include, but are not limited to: academic dishonesty and impropriety, including plagiarism and academic cheating; interfering or attempting to interfere with or disrupting the conduct of classes or any other normal or regular activities of the University. Please

avoid entering lectures late. If you are late, enter as unobtrusively as possible.

Disability Disclosure: Any student who has need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible.

In addition, Disability Resources should be contacted at 215-204-1280.

Academic Rights and Responsibilities: The University’s policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities can be accessed through the following link: http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.

DATE	TOPIC	READING
Aug 28	Ecological Principles	Ch. 1 and 2
Aug 30	Lake Geomorphology; Properties of Water	Ch. 3 (p. 16-23)
LABS	No labs this week
Sept 4	Labor Day - NO CLASS
Sept 6	Solar Radiation & Heat in Lakes	Ch. 3 (p. 26-40)
LABS	No labs this week
Sept 9	SATURDAY Lake Field Trip TUES LAB - Lacawac Sanctuary, Pocono Mountains
Sept 11	Thermal Stratification - Temperature & Oxygen Distribution with Depth; Stream Flow & Discharge -	Ch. 3 (p. 41-45) Last Day to Drop
Sept 13	Habitat, Niche & Abiotic Factors	Ch. 4 (p. 47-56; 62-65)
LABS	Discussion of assigned paper; Synopsis due - each lab will be split and meet for 1 hour
Sept 16	SATURDAY Lake Field Trip WED LAB - Lacawac Sanctuary, Pocono Mountains
Sept 18	Phytoplankton 1: Primary Production; Nutrients	Ch. 4 (p.83-94)
Sept 20	Phytoplankton 2: Standing Stocks; Population Dynamics	Ch. 4 (p.65-75) Ch. 8 (p. 327-331)
LABS	A. Intro. to Equipment - Lab 1; AND B. Light Transmission - Lab 2
Sept 25	Phytoplankton 3: Distribution and Diversity
Sept 27	Zooplankton 1: Major groups; Reproduction	Ch. 5 (p. 135-139)
LABS	Plankton Diversity - Laboratory 3
Oct 2	Zooplankton 2: Feeding; Vertical Migrations	Ch. 6 (194-204; 246-252)
Oct 4	Zooplankton 3 Cyclomorphosis, Parthenogenesis; AND Macrophytes; Littoral Zone	Ch. 6 (242-246)
LABS	Primary Production - Laboratory 4
Oct 9	More Macrophytes AND Introduction to Streams
Oct 11	Stream Morphology and Water Movement
LABS	Stream Field Trip - Wissahickon Creek - during lab period
Oct 16	Stream Chemistry, Detritus Processing in Rivers
Oct 18	Detritus 2 AND Invert. Functional Groups	Ch. 7 (283-287)
LABS	Discussion of assigned paper; Synopsis due
Oct 23	MID-TERM EXAM
Oct 25	River Continuum AND Roles of Fish in Streams & Ponds	Ch. 6 (210-217)
LABS	Predator- Prey - Laboratory 5
Oct 30	Predator-Prey Relationships: Fish Last Day to Withdraw	Ch 6 (p. 217-229; 246-252)
Nov 1	More Predation	Ch. 8 p. 292-293
LABS	A. Food Quality - Lab 6 Setup; AND B. Population Growth Lab 7 Setup
Nov 6	Trophic Cascade; Microbial Loop	Ch. 7 p.254-270;
Nov 8	Competition & Resource Partitioning	Ch. 6 (p. 162-165)
LABS	A. Food Quality - Lab 6 Data Collection; AND B. Pop. Growth - Lab 7 Data Collection;
Nov 13	Phytoplankton, Nutrients & Competition	Ch. 6 (p. 165- 173)
Nov 15	Competition Models
LABS	A. Pop. Growth - Lab 7 Data Collection; AND B. Lab 8 - Introduction to Stella^®Modeling
Nov 20	Freshwater Wetlands; Paper Synopsis Due
Nov 22	No Class - Follow Friday schedule
LABS	No Labs - Thanksgiving Break starts Thursday
Nov 27	Nutrient Cycling 1: Nitrogen	Ch. 8 (p. 300-302)
Nov 29	Nutrient Cycling 2: Phosphorus; Nutrient Ratios	Ch. 8 (p. 303-306)
LABS	Lab 8 - More Ecological Modeling
Dec 4	Nutrient Cycling - Inorganic Carbon, Silica	Ch. 8 (p. 298-300; 306)
Dec 6	Anthropogenic Disturbances	Ch. 8 (p. 313-324)
LABS	Discussion of assigned paper; Synopsis due
Dec 13	FINAL EXAM 8:30 - 10:30 A.M.