Welcome to General Ecology

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Welcome to General Ecology Bio 4416 Instructor
Susan Schwinning Office Hours Mon, Wed 100
200 pm, or by appointment 312 Supple
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1. How this course works.

• Lab and Lecture sections are taught
  independently.
• To pass the course you must pass both (gt60).
• To pass the lecture acquire a minimum of 120
  points
• in 3 midterms (40pts) and 1 final (80 pts).
• To pass the lab show up, submit assignments and
  complete an independent research project.

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Advice on how to handle the lab

• The lab grade is 1/3 of the course grade
• The lab grade will often improve the course grade
• Failure to attend 3x gives you an F in lab,
  therefore an F in the course
• 50 of the lab grade is tied to the independent
  research project
• Partnering up in teams of two is recommended

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Advice on how to do well in lecture

• attend and review all lectures using materials
  posted online
• think along and ask questions
• make use of office hours/email
• read the required texts
• form study groups
• study for the midterms and final.

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Grading
Material covered Points
MIDTERM 1 1/4 40
MIDTERM 2 1/4 40
MIDTERM 3 1/4 40
FINAL all 80
WEEKLY LAB EXERCISES Several guided field experiments or observations, writing assignments 50
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT up to you 50
TOTAL 300 Pass 120(lec)60(lab)
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1. How you get information.

http//www.bio.txstate.edu/schwinn/Ecology (or
through TRACS or the departments faculty web
pages)
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3. What is ecology?
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Ecology
From greek words oikos ( house/household)
logia ( study of)
Ernst Häckel (1866) Ökologie the
comprehensive science of the relationship of the
organism to the environment. Todays definition
The scientific study of the distribution and
abundance of organisms and of the interactions
that determine distribution and abundance.
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The distribution and abundance of organisms is a
complicated thing.
How can we even begin to study it scientifically?
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The hierarchy of biological organization
Ecology
(Adapted from Odum Barret, 2005)
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4. Why do we need math to do ecology?
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Why Math?
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Why Math?
Math is a way to express commonality in the
perplexing richness of human observation and
experience.
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The richness of biological phenomena
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Lets have a great semester!