Fort Hays State University

BIOL 395 - General Ecology (Spring 2007)

Instructor:
Dr. Eric A. Strauss
Office: Albertson 402
Office phone: (785) 628-5367
Email: eastrauss@fhsu.edu

Syllabus (Updated 12 April 2007)
The most current version will be found here

If you do not understand a topic or concept, please come see me and ask for help. I would be happy to help you as much as I can. I have posted office hours, but I am also usually in my office every afternoon (except from ~2:15 - 3:30).

Textbook Website
An excellent reference that includes practice quizzes, additional information, and related external links. If you don't quite understand a topic and don't feel like asking a question, this may be a good place to start. To access the book website you will need to register and enter the code found just inside the cover of your textbook.

Lecture Notes
Note: These are PDF handouts created from the PowerPoint presentations I'll be using in class. More will be added as I finish writing them. I suggest you print these handouts, bring them to class, and write additional notes on them. These should not be considered as a substitute for coming to class. I will very often give exam material on the board.

Note 2: You can choose how you want to view/print the notes - six slides per page or two slides per page. Considerations: 2/page notes are easier to read and provide more space for notes, 6/page note files are smaller and take less paper. Whichever you choose, please print these (and all materials) double-sided to conserve paper. If you cannot see a figure very well, check your textbook. If the figure is not in your text, let me know and I'll be sure to give you a larger copy of the figure.

Ecologists you should know - this is a list of prominent ecologists or other scientists you should know. Obviously, in addition to their name you should also know their contribution(s) to the field of ecology. This list is organized by unit and will grow as the semester progresses. The list is now final.

Case Studies
You should print each of these and place them in your notebook. You will be responsible for having these when we go over them in class. The date in parentheses is the approximate date that each of these will be covered in class. The first two you should read prior to coming to class on that day. The third one (Wolf, Moose, Fir Tree) you should not read prior to class - this is designed to be an in-class exercise.

Do Antbirds Help or Hinder Army Ants? (March 5)

Landscape Ecology of Large, Infrequent Fires in Yellowstone Park (April 4)

Wolf, Moose, Fir Tree (April 18)

Lab Handouts
Here are your lab handouts and other materials. You are responsible for printing these and bringing them to lab. You should read each handout prior to the lab period.

Lab 1 – Lemna Study
Lab 2 – Sampling and Statistics
Lab 3 – Population estimation – Mark/Recapture
Lab 4 – Human Life Tables
Lab 5 – Population and Competition Models with Populus
Lab 6 – Foraging Lab
Lab 7 – Stream Sampling Lab
Lab 8 – Net Primary Production

Influence of Precipitation, Fire, and Topography on Plant Productivity in Tallgrass Prairie
Handout
Data
Worksheet

t-test example in Excel