Course Prefix:
PB

Component Type	Contact Hours
Lecture	3.0
Laboratory	3.0

Enrollment Component	Per Semester	Per Section	Multiple Sections?	Comments
Lecture	180	180	No	These numbers are based on the enrollment cap for the course
Laboratory	180	24	Yes	These numbers are based on the enrollment cap for the course. There are 8 laboratory sections

SIS Program Code	Program Title	Required or Elective?
17BIOSCBSEEC	Biological Sciences Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology	Required
17ZOOBS	Biological Sciences Zoology	Required
11AECM	Applied Ecology Minor	Required
17BIOSCBA	Biological Sciences BA	Elective
17BIOSCBS	Biological Sciences BS	Elective
17BIOSCBSHB	Biological Sciences Human Biology	Elective
17BIOSCBSIPN	Biological Sciences Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology	Elective
17BIOSCBSMCB	Biological Sciences Molecular Cell and Development	Elective
11AGECM	Agroecology Minor	Required
11ENM	Entomology Minor	Elective
24EVM	Environmental Sciences Minor	Elective
11PBM	Plant Biology Minor	Elective
17MARSCBIO	Marine Sciences	Required
17NATREMC	Marine & Coastal Resources	Required
11BEBEE	Environmental Engineering	Elective

Catalog Description

The science of ecology, including factors which control distribution and population dynamics of organisms, structure and function of biological communities, and energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems; contrasts among the major biomes; and principles governing ecological responses to global climatic and other environmental changes.

Justification for each revision:

The changes to the course are only the prefix. There are no changes to the catalog description.

Does this course have a fee?

List amount and justification for fee:

Is this a GEP Course?

GEP Categories

Humanities Open when gep_category = HUM

Each course in the Humanities category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Engage the human experience through the interpretation of culture.

Measure(s) for the above outcome(s): Describe the assessments that will be used to determine if students have achieved the outcome. Including a relevant example assignment/question/prompt is encouraged for clarity.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 2:
Obj. 2): Become aware of the act of interpretation itself as a critical form of knowing in the humanities.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Make academic arguments about the human experience using reasons and evidence for supporting those reasons that are appropriate to the humanities.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Mathematical Sciences Open when gep_category = MATH

Each course in the Mathematial Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Mathematical Sciences Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Improve and refine mathematical problem-solving abilities.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Mathematical Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Develop logical reasoning skills.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Natural Sciences Open when gep_category = NATSCI

Each course in the Natural Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Natural Sciences Objective 1:
Obj.O 1) Use the methods and processes of science in testing hypotheses, solving problems and making decisions

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Natural Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Make inferences from and articulate, scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories, and apply this knowledge to problem solving.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Social Sciences Open when gep_category = SOCSCI

Each course in the Social Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Examine at least one of the following: human behavior, culture, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Demonstrate how social scientific methods may be applied to the study of human behavior, culture, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Use theories or concepts of the social sciences to analyze and explain theoretical and or real-world problems, including the underlying origins of such problems.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Interdisciplinary Perspectives Open when gep_category = INTERDISC

Each course in the Interdisciplinary Perspectives category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Distinguish between the distinct approaches of two or more disciplines.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Identify and apply authentic connections between two or more disciplines.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Explore and synthesize the approaches or views of two or more disciplines.

To assist CUE in evaluating this course for inclusion on the Interdisciplinary Perspecitves list, please answer these additional questions.
1. Which disciplines will be synthesized, connected, and/or considered in this course?

2. How will the instructor present the material so that these disciplines are addressed in a way that allows the students "to integrate the multiple points of view into a cohesive understanding"?

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Visual & Performing Arts Open when gep_category = VPA

Each course in the Visual and Performing Arts category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Deepen their understanding of aesthetic, cultural, and historical dimensions of artistic traditions.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Strengthen their ability to interpret and make critical judgements about the arts through the analysis of structure, form, and style of specific works.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Strengthen their ability to create, recreate, or evaluate art based upon techniques and standards appropriate to the genre.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Health and Exercise Studies Open when gep_category = HES

Each course in the Health and Exercise Studies category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Acquire the fundamentals of health-related fitness, encompassing cardio-respiratory and cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, muscular flexibility and body composition.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Apply knowledge of the fundamentals of health-related fitness toward developing, maintaining, and sustaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Acquire or enhance the basic motor skills and skill-related competencies, concepts, and strategies used in physical activities and sport.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Gain a thorough working knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of the spirit and rules, history, safety, and etiquette of physical activities and sport.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Global Knowledge Open when gep_category = GLOBAL

Each course in the Global Knowledge category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to achieve objective #1 plus at least one of objectives 2, 3, and 4:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Identify and examine distinguishing characteristics, including ideas, values, images, cultural artifacts, economic structures, technological or scientific developments, and/or attitudes of people in a society or culture outside the United States.

Please complete at least 1 of the following student objectives.
List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Compare these distinguishing characteristics between the non-U.S. society and at least one other society.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Explain how these distinguishing characteristics relate to their cultural and/or historical contexts in the non-U.S. society.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Explain how these disinguishing characteristics change in response to internal and external pressures on the non-U.S. society.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

US Diversity Open when gep_category = USDIV

Each course in the US Diversity category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to achieve at least 2 of the following objectives:
Please complete at least 2 of the following student objectives.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Analyze how religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age identities are shaped by cultural and societal influences.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Categorize and compare historical, social, political, and/or economic processes producing diversity, equality, and structured inequalities in the U.S.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Interpret and evaluate social actions by religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age groups affecting equality and social justice in the U.S.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Examine interactions between people from different religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age groups in the U.S.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Requisites and Scheduling

What percentage of the seats offered will be open to all students?

a. If seats are restricted, describe the restrictions being applied.

b. Is this restriction listed in the course catalog description for the course?

List all course pre-requisites, co-requisites, and restrictive statements (ex: Jr standing; Chemistry majors only). If none, state none.

List any discipline specific background or skills that a student is expected to have prior to taking this course. If none, state none. (ex: ability to analyze historical text; prepare a lesson plan)

Additional Information

Complete the following 3 questions or attach a syllabus that includes this information. If a 400-level or dual level course, a syllabus is required.

Title and author of any required text or publications.

Major topics to be covered and required readings including laboratory and studio topics.

List any required field trips, out of class activities, and/or guest speakers.

Consultation

College(s)	Contact Name	Statement Summary
College of Sciences	Jane Lubischer	The Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) supports the change in prefix of BIO 360 to AEC 360. Because this is a large course with an associated lab, it is important for us to have a clear understanding of how support for the course will be handled. If our lab support technician (Colleen) will continue to support the course, we would expect ETF support to continue to be handled through the DBS. It sounds like TA positions have been discussed. I know there was also an agreement in place with Plant and Microbial Biology (because they teach PB 360) regarding TAs and assume that was also taken into consideration. Scott Laster has been overseeing TA assignments for us.

Instructional Resources Statement

No new resources

Course Objectives/Goals

The principle objective of this course is to examine biological processes at the level of whole organisms and higher (populations, communities, and ecosystems). By the end of the course, the student should be able to answer, or understand the debate encompassing the following key questions:

1. Why are some plants and animals common while others are rare/

2. What factors determine the number of plants or animals within a population?

3. What limits the local, continental, and global distribution of living things?

4. Why are there so many different living things on earth? Why aren't there more?

5. How do ecosystems work?

6. How does evolution affect the structure of populations?

7. What roles do natural ecosystems play in the maintenance of human populations? What roles do humans play in the functioning of natural ecosystems?

Student Learning Outcomes

Recognize & Describe the evolutionary mechanisms that impact the genetics of populations

Describe & Discuss the genetic and genomic characteristics of impacted populations of plants & animals

Practice quantitative principles in ecology, and write about ecology in the structure of the scientific method

Apply graphical, quantitative, and first principles to explain ecological phenomena

Analyze case study population and community responses to environment

Demonstrate acquired skills in data analysis, writing & oral presentations

Learning outcome for Students: Fluency in ecological principles at all levels of ecological organization, preparing students for more advanced undergraduate levels of training. For students with other interests in biology, this course completes their broader understanding.

Student Evaluation Methods

Evaluation Method	Weighting/Points for Each	Details
Exam	45%	top 3 scores at 15% each
Final Exam	22%	There is one final exam
Other	8%	These are problem sets, 4 at 2% each.
Lab assignments	25%	Participation and graded assignments

Topical Outline/Course Schedule

Topic	Time Devoted to Each Topic	Activity
Introduction	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Structuring Principles	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Predator-prey relationship	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Physiological ecology	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Plant and animal distributions	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
The carbon cycle and global climate change	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
How are ecological communities (biomes) distributed?	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Evolutionary ecology	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Life histories	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Sex, behavior, and evolution	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Social behavior	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Dispersal and behavior migration	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Population size and growth	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Population demography	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Human population growth	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Population regulation and dynamics	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Maximum sustainable yield in fisheries	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Genetics of small populations	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Extinction and conservation	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Spatial ecology and conservation biology	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
The ecology, evolution, and behavior of disease	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Biological control of pests	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Predator-prey interactions	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Competition	2 classes	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Mutualism and coevolution	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Speciation	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Human biological and cultural evolution	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Food webs and community structure	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Patterns of biodiversity	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
The rarest butterflies in the world; primate conservation	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Habitat loss and biodiversity	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Landscape ecology	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Succession and disturbance	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Invasion by non-native species	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Ecosystem production and decomposition	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Biodiversity and ecosystem function	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
The nitrogen cycle and impacts of pollution	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus
Environmental factors and the spread of human civilization	1 class	Please refer to detailed syllabus

Syllabus

Ecology Syllabus AEC360 2016.pdf

Additional Documentation

Additional Comments

This is a minor action to have the prefix changed from Bio 360 to AEC 360 as the faculty member who has taught this class for over 10 years has moved from the Biological Sciences Department to the Applied Ecology Department.

Justification for this request

History

Viewing: AEC 360/PB 360 : Ecology

Last approved: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 08:50:09 GMT

Last edit: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 08:50:09 GMT

Formerly Known As: BIO 360