I teach both Ecology Lecture and Ecology laboratory. Go here to see an example lecture syllabus and here to see an example lab syllabus. I use Blackboard extensively, so check there for course information, review sheets, problem sets, slides and overheads used in class, etc.
Ecology
is the scientific study of the interactions among organisms and their
environment. In lecture we spend time discussing science as a way on
knowing, natural selection as a mechanism of evolutionary change, organism
adaptation, speciation, and natural selection. We also spend time
examining both the abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) components of an
organism's environment and explore how these factors influence organism
adaptation, life history strategy, distribution and abundance. Significant
time is devoted to understanding population ecology, inter- and intra-specific
competition, effects of predation, community structure, landscape ecology and
ecosystems. The (mostly negative) influence of humans on organisms and
ecological systems is discussed throughout the course. Ecology lecture
fulfills a Population requirement for Biology Majors. Biology 141 and 142
(General Biology) are prerequisites for this course.
Ecology lab consists of various exercises and ecological techniques designed to reinforce ecological principles, to demonstrate use of the scientific method in the study of ecology, and to provide students with an introduction to field procedures commonly used by ecologists. We take seven field trips to study insect population ecology and habitat selection (2 trips), lake ecology (2 trips), forest community ecology (1 trip), amphibian habitat selection (1 trip), and stream ecology (1 trip). Biology 141 and 142 (General Biology) are prerequisites for this course.