Ecology Lab BIOL3144L

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Ecology Lab BIOL3144L

• Introductory module

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Lab outline

• Introduction
• Syllabus
• Course activities
• Course assignments
• Course expectation and outcomes
• Climate and plant adaptations Comparison of two
  major world biomes

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Let me introduce myself

• Inna Sokolova, Ph.D.
• isokolov_at_email.uncc.edu
• Office WOOD 381c
• Phone [phone]
• http//www.bioweb.uncc.edu/Faculty/Sokolova/
• Important! This is where you find links to the
  course web page and resources

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Marine ecological physiology and toxicology
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Course structure

• Course Web page http//www.bioweb.uncc.edu/Faculty
  /Sokolova/
• Course modules
• Biomes (intro)
• Stream Ecology
• Forest Ecology
• Pond Ecology
• Module write-ups
• Follow the format of a scientific paper
• Writing guidelines on the course Web page

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Course expectations

• Technical skills
• Scientific method and experimental design
• Basic field and laboratory techniques in modern
  biology
• Statistical analysis and data presentation
• Writing in the discipline
• Other skills
• Teamwork
• Critical thinking
• Ability to troubleshoot and patience with
  technical failure
• Expected course outcomes
• Learn to think as a scientist and as an ecologist
• Obtain hands-on experience in field and lab
  ecology
• Improve your writing skills
• Understand how research works and be able to use
  this knowledge to assess ecology- and
  environment-related media claims and buzzwords

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World Biomes Introductory Module

• Research goals for lab today
• To learn about the climate and soils in two major
  world biomes
• To formulate hypotheses about limiting factors
  and plant adaptations in these biomes
• To test these hypotheses by observing plants in
  rainforest and desert sections of the McMillan
  Greenhouse, and by analyzing the relevant
  scientific literature
• Assignment
• 2-page write-up comparing climate, soils and
  plant adaptations in deserts and tropical
  rainforest

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Distribution of worlds major biomes correlates
with the climate and soil properties
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C3 photosynthesis
PGA phosphoglycerate PGAL glyceraldehyde
3-phosphate RuBP ribulose biphosphate
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C4 photosynthesis
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Leaf anatomy of C3 and C4 plants
C3
C4
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CAM photosynthesis