Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Course Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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BIOL 2028 - Ecology

Credits: 4
Hours/Week: Lecture 3 Lab 1
Course Description: This is a lab-science course covering the concepts of ecology including physical factors of organisms, population regulation and interactions, nutrient cycling and energy flow, community change and succession. Natural and human disturbances of ecosystems and the concept of sustainability will also be within the concepts of ecology. The major biomes will be explored in relationship to these concepts. Students will also explore the interactions of humans and their environment through Service Learning and active participation in field projects.
MnTC Goals
3 Natural Science, 10 People/Environment

Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1020   or BIOL 1041  with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: None

Major Content
  1. History and development of ecology as a science
  2. Patterns of biological diversity
  3. Ecosystem ecology: energetics; decomposition, nutrient cycles and biogeochemical cycles
  4. Population ecology: properties and growth, species interactions
  5. Disturbance and climate change; the physical environment
  6. Adaptation and natural selection
  7. Life history and intraspecific population regulation
  8. Behavioral ecology
  9. Community ecology: structure and dynamics, species interactions
  10. Selected ecological biogeography

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

  1. apply knowledge of the relationships of organisms with their environment at the level of the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere.
  2. evaluate ecological processes and interactions.
  3. select a sampling method plan, a sampling regime and apply relevant statistical tests to ecological data.
  4. formulate a working hypothesis in the context of an ecological experiment.
  5. design and analyze an ecological experiment.
  6. organize and draft formal scientific writing.
  7. edit and revise formal scientific writing.
  8. incorporate and cite information and ideas from primary literature into writing.
  9. evaluate and reflect on the value of ecological modeling, monitoring, and restoration to human society.

Competency 1 (1-6)
03. 01. Demonstrate understanding of scientific theories.
03. 03. Communicate their experimental findings, analyses, and interpretations both orally and in writing.
03. 04. Evaluate societal issues from a natural science perspective, ask questions about the evidence presented, and make informed judgments about science-related topics and policies.
Competency 2 (7-10)
10. 01. Explain the basic structure and function of various natural ecosystems and of human adaptive strategies within those systems.
10. 02. Discern patterns and interrelationships of bio-physical and socio-cultural systems.
10. 04. Evaluate critically environmental and natural resource issues in light of understandings about interrelationships, ecosystems, and institutions.
10. 05. Propose and assess alternative solutions to environmental problems.


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