BIOL 208 – Principles of Ecology

Fall 2024 – Section A1

Instructor: Dr. Ronald Batallas Huacon.

Office: Bio Sci Bldg. (BSB), CW-217.
E-mail: batallas@ualberta.ca
• Good email etiquette: Always put “BIOL 208” in the subject line. Please begin each email
with a greeting (e.g., hello, hi, dear), followed by the name of the instructor.
• Bad email etiquette: Do not begin an email with a 'hey' or ask your question without any
greeting.
• Students should expect replies to email inquiries within 48 hours of receiving the email. The
instructor will reply to emails received past 17:00 on weekdays or all-day weekends the next
business day.
Office Hours: Online or in person: Mondays 2:30 – 4:00 pm, Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:30 am.

Lab Coordinator: Dr. Melissa Roach.

E-mail: biol208@ualberta.ca
Office: BSB, CW-405
Office hours: By email appointment only. For all inquiries, please put
“Biol 208 [your Lab Section Number]” in the email subject line.

Web Page: Course material available on eClass.

Lecture Room & Time:

In-person lectures (not recorded): CCIS 1-430, M-W-F, 11:00-11:50 a.m. Lecture attendance is
not mandatory but strongly encouraged to familiarize yourself with course content and better
prepare for labs, quizzes, and exams.

Laboratory format:
Weekly lab activities, in-person: M-T-W-R as per chosen lab section. Laboratory attendance is
mandatory. An excused absence will made for a student with a valid reason due to
incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons. Review the Missed
Term Work section for more details.

Have a question? Email should be used judiciously to ask questions about course
administration/scheduling. Please use the forums on eClass to ask questions about the lecture,
lab, or exam content.

Questions about course material will not be answered by email. If you are unclear or have
questions about the content we have covered in class, I encourage you to confer with your
peers and use your course notes and textbook. If you need further assistance, post your
question to the eClass Lecture and Exam Content Forum. I will regularly read and respond to
these posts and welcome and encourage feedback and input from other students. If your
question pertains to the lab content, please use the Lab Forum and contact your TA or the lab
coordinator. Remember to include “BIOL 208” in the subject line of all emails. Emails without
this subject line will not receive a response.

COURSE CONTENT

Course Description:
Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment in a
hierarchy of levels of organization: individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Provides a comprehensive survey of general concepts that can stand alone or serve as
preparation for advanced courses in ecology. Labs emphasize collecting, analyzing, and
interpreting data from ecological experiments and field studies to illustrate and complement
lecture material. Examples are drawn from a broad range of organisms and systems.

Course Prerequisites:
BIOL 108 or SCI 100. Open to students in the BSc Forestry and BSc Forest Business
Management programs once they have completed REN R 120 and REN R 205.

It is important to prepare for this course by reviewing the prerequisite material. Students who do
not have the required prerequisites at the time of taking this course will not receive
supplementary professorial tutoring from the instructor.

Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes:

This course introduces students to the science of ecology and how interactions between
organisms and their environment shape the natural world. It provides a foundation upon which
students can take many of the advanced ecology courses offered at the University of Alberta.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Describe and explain the basic concepts and principles related to the interactions
between organisms and their environment.
2. Interpret and discuss key components of individual, population, community, and
ecosystem ecology.
3. Interpret and apply the scientific method to ecological questions.
4. Critically evaluate various forms of scientific communication.
5. Appraise the complexity of ecological interactions and the interconnectedness of
ecological processes.
Your mastery of these learning outcomes will be determined through two midterm exams, a final
exam at the end of the term, lab assignments, and participation marks. Throughout the course,
you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and obtain feedback through practice
questions during class. In addition to lecture material and exercises, students will gain hands-on
experience applying ecological concepts during weekly laboratory sessions, which will be
evaluated through various individual and group work activities.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Textbook and/or Other Major Course Materials:

1. Sher, Anna A.; Molles Jr, Manuel C. Ecology: Concepts & Applications. Ninth International
Student Edition
• Print: ISBN10: 1265286337| ISBN13: 9781265286330 or
• eBook (180 days access): ISBN10: 1265496064| ISBN13: 9781265496067
• eBook (lifetime): ISBN10: 1265007632 | ISBN13: 9781265007638
• Both print and eBook versions are available through the U of A Bookstore or the
McGraw Hill website.
• Copies are available on short-term (2-hour) loans at the Course Materials desk in
Cameron Library.

2. BIOL 208 Lab Manual 2022. Available for purchase through the U of A Bookstore.

Recommended or Optional Learning Resources:

While the textbook is your starting point for previewing and reviewing concepts we discuss in
class, you may find it helpful to see things phrased differently. For additional textbook
resources, instructors for this course recommend the following books:

• Ricklefs, Robert, Relyea, Rick, and Richter, Christoph. Ecology: The Economy of Nature.
First Canadian Edition. 2015.
• Freedman, Bill, et al. Ecology: A Canadian Context. Second Edition. 2014.

For a more historical and mathematical view of ecology:

• MacArthur, Robert H. Geographical Ecology: Patterns in the Distribution of Species.
1972.

Academic Success Centre:

The Academic Success Centre provides professional academic support to help students
strengthen their academic skills and achieve their academic goals. Individual advising,
appointments, and group workshops are available year-round in the areas of Accessibility,
Communication, Learning, and Writing Resources. Modest fees apply for some services.
 Writing Services
Students desiring additional assistance with writing assignments can consult Writing Services
(https://www.ualberta.ca/current-students/academic-success-centre/writing-
services/index.html) located in SUB. One-on-one appointments, workshops, and further
assistance can be booked online at their website.

Faculty of Science Student Services:

The Faculty of Science Student Services office is located on the main floor of the Centennial
Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences (CCIS). This office can assist with the planning of Your
Academics, and provide information related to Student Life & Engagement, Internship &
Careers, and Study Abroad opportunities. Please visit Advising for more information about what
Faculty Academic Advisors in the Student Services Office can assist you with.

GRADE EVALUATION

Evaluation in this course consists of lecture and lab components. The lecture component is
evaluated with a combination of online lecture review assignments, two midterm exams and a
final exam, focused on lecture materials. The lab component is assessed with a range of
individual and group work activities in labs, lab participation, and a lab final exam.

Course Component Weight Course Date

Objective

Lecture Review Assignments 2% 1,2,4,5 See course schedule

(online)

Midterm One 14% 1,2,4,5 October 7, 2024

Midterm Two 14% 1,2,4,5 November 4, 2024

Laboratory 40% 1,2,3,4,5 Ongoing (see lab manual)

Final Exam* 30% 1,2,3,4,5 December 17, 2024 at 8:30 am

(Tentative**)
* There is no possibility of a re-examination in this course as the final exam weight is less than 40%
** Students must verify this date on BearTracks when the Final Exam Schedule is posted

Final letter grades for this course are not based on an absolute numerical scale (e.g. total mark
in the course is 95% or greater = A+), nor on a strict curve (e.g. the top 5% of students = A+,
regardless of actual marks). Instead, a combination of the two will be used based on current
performance and natural breakpoints in the grade distributions. The absolute percentage scores
to secure a particular grade will vary from year to year because it is not possible to write exams
with consistently identical difficulty levels. However, students will only receive a passing
grade (D or higher) if they obtain a final mark of at least 45% in the lecture and the lab
components, respectively. Grades are unofficial until approved by the Department and/or
Faculty offering the course.

Format of Lecture Assignments and Exams

Online (eClass) lecture review assignments will feature a variety of questions, including
multiple-choice, matching or calculation questions. These review assignments will help students
understand concepts, test their knowledge, and keep up with lecture materials. Once a review
assignment is open on eClass, it must be completed in one week, and you will have unlimited
attempts. There will be 8 lecture review assignments, each worth 0.25% for a combined 2% of
your final grade. As students will have one week to complete the assignments, there will be no
deferrals, extensions, or excused absences from the lecture review assignments. Students
should answer the questions using their textbook, notes, and slides.

The midterms and final exam will consist of various question types, including, but not limited to,
multiple-choice, matching, true-or-false, graphing, calculations, and/or short-answer questions.
All midterm and final exam content will test students’ understanding of concepts, application of
gained knowledge, and ability to draw connections amongst ecological concepts (synthesis). It
will be based on material from the textbook, lectures, and this syllabus.

The midterms and final exams for this course will be delivered in person, proctored, and timed
(see announcements for dates and room). Only one attempt will be permitted. Midterms must be
completed within 50 minutes, and the final exam must be completed in 3 hours. Students will be
allowed to bring one double-sided standard letter-size paper of handwritten notes to each of the
midterms and the final. The note sheet, along with all exam sheets, must be turned in at the
end of the exam.

Students may be asked to bring non-programmable calculators to their exam sessions and
display them on their desks during the exam. Students who bring unauthorized (programmable)
calculators will receive a zero on the exam and be reported under the Student Academic
Integrity Policy.

Past or Representative Evaluative Material

Representative evaluative material will be posted on eClass. This is in compliance with GFC
policy available at https://policiesonline.ualberta.ca/PoliciesProcedures/Procedures/Access-to-
Evaluative-Course-Material-Procedure.pdf

Re-evaluation of Term Work

Students may ask for a re-grade of an exam only after at least 24 hours have passed, but not
more than 4 days since the exam answer key was made available. Any re-graded exams will be
subject to a complete re-grade, and all questions will be re-marked. Grades may increase,
decrease, or remain the same as a result of a re-grade.
Extra Credit
There are no opportunities for extra credit assignments in this course, and any requests for
additional credit will be denied.

POLICIES FOR LATE AND MISSED WORK

Late Policies:

Missed Term Work or Final Exam Due to Non-medical Protected Grounds (e.g., religious
beliefs):
When a term assessment or final exam presents a conflict based on non-medical protected
grounds, students must apply to the Academic Success Centre for accommodations via their
Register for Accommodations website. Students can review their eligibility and choose the
application process specific for Accommodations Based on Non-medical Protected Grounds.

It is imperative that students review the dates of all course assessments upon receipt of the
course syllabus and apply AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to ensure the timely application of the
accommodation. Students who apply later in the term may experience unavoidable delays in the
processing of the application, which can affect the accommodation.

Missed Term Work Type 1: Late Lab Assignments

Each student will have a total of four flex deadline days during the semester to use at their
discretion. Each flex day gives you an additional 24 hours to submit your assignment from the
original due date without penalty. Flex days can only be used on INDIVIDUALLY completed
assignments. Once all four flex deadline days have been used, late lab assignments will be
accepted with a 10%-per-day (24-hour period or portion thereof) grade penalty up to the
submission cut-off date and time in eClass. Any assignments not submitted by the cut-off will
receive a zero. Please see the Lab Manual for a complete description of this policy.

Missed Term Work Type 2: Excused Lab Assignments

A student who cannot complete a lab assignment due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic
affliction, or other compelling reasons (including missing an in-person assessment due to the
requirement to self-isolate when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or with a positive test result)
can apply for an excused absence. To apply for an excused absence, you must contact the lab
coordinator within two working days of missing the assessment or as soon as possible. If an
excused absence is granted, then the weight from that assignment will be transferred to a later
assignment in the term. If it is the last assignment, the weight will be transferred to an
appropriate equivalent assignment. An excused absence is a privilege and not a right. There is
no guarantee that an absence will be excused. Misrepresentation of facts to gain an excused
absence is a serious breach of The Student Academic Integrity Policy. In all cases, instructors
may request adequate documentation to substantiate the reason for the absence at their
discretion.

Missed Midterm
A student who cannot write a midterm examination due to incapacitating illness, severe
domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for transfer of the weight of the missed
term exam to the final exam. To apply, students need to:

1. Notify the instructor within 48 hours or as soon as possible after the missed midterm
examination by email that they are applying for a deferral.
2. Fill out a declaration from the Faculty of Science (https://www.ualberta.ca/en/biological-
sciences/media-library/undergraduate/forms/missed-midterm.docx), sign it, and submit it
as a scanned/digital copy to the course instructors within one week of the midterm
examination.

In all cases, the instructor and/or TAs may request adequate documentation to substantiate the
reason for the absence at their discretion. Deferral of midterm exams is a privilege and not a
right; there is no guarantee that a deferral will be granted. Misrepresentation of Facts to gain a
deferral is a serious breach of The Student Academic Integrity Policy.

Deferred Final Examination:

A student who cannot write the final examination due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic
affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for a deferred final examination. Such an
application must be made to the student’s Faculty office within two working days of the missed
examination. It must be supported by appropriate documentation or a Statutory Declaration (see
calendar on Attendance). Deferred examinations are a privilege and not a right; there is no
guarantee that a deferred examination will be granted. The Faculty may deny deferral requests
in cases where less than 50% of term work has been completed. Misrepresentation of facts to
gain a deferred examination is a serious breach of the Student Academic Integrity Policy.

The deferred final exam for BIOL 208 will be scheduled for Thursday, Jan 9, 2025, at 10:00 am
in BSB, room TBD. This is the ONLY date and time for the deferred exam. Please contact the
instructor 24 hours prior to the deferred exam to confirm the location. Anyone with a valid
excuse for missing the scheduled deferred date must re-apply for a deferred examination date.
 LAB INFORMATION
Consult the lab eClass and your lab manual for a detailed overview of the lab schedule, policies,
and mark distribution for lab assignments.

Required Lab Supplies

● Microsoft Office 365 software (Excel, PowerPoint, Word). See eClass for information
about downloading a free educational version.
● Standard note-taking supplies.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Required for Labs

● Long pants and close-toed shoes.
● Weather-appropriate clothing and footwear for outdoor field trips.

Statement of expectations for AI use on Lab Assignments:

To ensure a fair and consistent learning experience for all students, the use of advanced AI
tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2 is strictly prohibited for all academic work, assignments, and
assessments in this course, including the lab component of the course. Each student is
expected to complete all tasks without substantive assistance from others, including AI tools.
Any use of AI tools in your academic work may result in academic penalties and be considered
an act of cheating and a violation as outlined in the relevant sections of the University of Alberta
Student Academic Integrity Policy.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Academic Integrity and Student Conduct:

The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and
honesty, as well as maintaining a learning environment that fosters the safety, security, and the
inherent dignity of each member of the community, ensuring students conduct themselves
accordingly. Students are expected to be familiar with the standards of academic honesty and
appropriate student conduct, and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect.

Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Student
Academic Integrity Policy and the Student Conduct Policy, and avoid any behaviour that could
potentially result in suspicions of academic misconduct (e.g., cheating, plagiarism,
misrepresentation of facts, participation in an offence) and non-academic misconduct (e.g.,
discrimination, harassment, physical assault). Academic and non-academic misconduct are
taken very seriously and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
All students are expected to consult the Academic Integrity website for clarification on the
various academic offences. All forms of academic dishonesty are unacceptable at the
University. Unfamiliarity of the rules, procrastination or personal pressures are not acceptable
excuses for committing an offence. Listen to your instructor, be a good person, ask for help
when you need it, and do your own work -- this will lead you toward a path to success. Any
academic integrity concern in this course will be reported to the College of Natural and Applied
Sciences. Suspected cases of non-academic misconduct will be reported to the Dean of
Students. The College, the Faculty, and the Dean of Students are committed to student rights
and responsibilities, and adhere to due process and administrative fairness, as outlined in the
Student Academic Integrity Policy and the Student Conduct Policy. Please refer to the policy
websites for details on inappropriate behaviours and possible sanctions.

The College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS) has created an Academic Integrity for
CNAS Students eClass site. Students can self enroll and review the various resources provided,
including the importance of academic integrity, examples of academic misconduct & possible
sanctions, and the academic misconduct & appeal process. They can also complete
assessments to test their knowledge and earn a completion certificate.

"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." -- C.S. Lewis

Contract Cheating and Misuse of University Academic Materials or Other Assets:

Contract cheating describes the form of academic dishonesty where students get academic
work completed on their behalf, which they then submit for academic credit as if they had
created it themselves.

Contract cheating may or may not involve the payment of a fee to a third party, who then
creates the work for the student.

Examples include:
1) Getting someone to write an essay or research paper for you.
2) Getting someone to complete your assignment or exam for you.
3) Posting an essay, assignment or exam question to a tutorial or study website; the
question is answered by a “content expert”, then you copy it and submit it as your own
answer.
4) Posting your solutions to a tutorial/study website, public server or group chat and/or
copying solutions that were posted to a tutorial/study website public server or group
chat.
5) Sharing your login credentials to the course management system (e.g. eClass) and
allowing someone else to complete your assignment or exam remotely.
6) Using an artificial intelligence bot or text generator tool to complete your essay, research
paper, assignment or exam solutions for you (without the instructor’s permission).
 7) Using an online grammar checker to “fix” your essay, research paper, assignment or
exam solutions for you (without the instructor’s permission).

Contract cheating companies thrive on making students believe that they cannot succeed
without their help; they attempt to convince students that cheating is the only way to succeed.

Uploading the instructor’s teaching materials (e.g. course outlines, lecture slides, assignment or
exam questions, etc.) to tutorial, study or note-sharing websites or public servers is a copyright
infringement and constitutes the misuse of University academic materials or other assets.

Receiving assignment solutions or answers to exam questions from an unauthorized source

puts you at risk of receiving inaccurate information.

Appropriate Collaboration
Different lab assignments in Biology 208 will have different permitted levels of collaboration.
This will be outlined in the assignment guidelines on eClass. Ensure you understand what
work should be done in groups, pairs, or individually.

Many lab assignments in Biology 208 will be individual assignments. For these assignments,
written work must be your own. Feel free to discuss the assignments with your lab partners or
friends in the class, but do it alone when you write your assignments.

Do not look at each other’s assignments or assignments from previous semesters.

Do not share your assignments with current or future students.

Both of these situations could constitute cheating or plagiarism. Both parties could be in
violation of the Student Academic Integrity Policy and be reported to the Dean of Science.
Keep your discussions to informal, verbal discussions only. Do not go through the assignment
line by line; never email your assignment to another student.

Exam Conduct
● Your student photo I.D. is required at exams to verify your identity.
● Students will not be allowed to begin an examination after 30 minutes have passed.
Students must remain in the exam room until at least 30 minutes have elapsed.
● All cell phones and smart watches must be turned off and stored in your bags.
● Students may need to remove jackets or turn out pockets if they must temporarily leave
the exam (e.g. to use the washroom).
● Permitted references and aids: Only those items authorized explicitly by the instructor
may be used during tests and exams. Using unauthorized personal listening,
communication, recording, photographic, and/or computational devices is strictly
prohibited.
Cell Phones
Cell phones must be silenced during lectures, labs, and seminars to avoid disruptions.

Students Eligible for Accessibility-Related Accommodations:

In accordance with the University of Alberta’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Duty to
Accommodate policy, accommodation support is available to eligible students who encounter
limitations or restrictions to their ability to perform the daily activities necessary to pursue
studies at a post-secondary level due to medical conditions and/or non-medical protected
grounds. Accommodations are coordinated through the Academic Success Centre, and
students can learn more about eligibility on the Register for Accommodations website.

It is recommended that students apply AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to ensure sufficient time to

complete accommodation registration and coordination. Students are advised to review and
adhere to published deadlines for accommodation approval and specific accommodation
requests (e.g., exam registration submission deadlines). Students who request
accommodations less than a month before the academic term for which they require
accommodations may experience unavoidable delays or consequences in their academic
programs and may need to consider alternative academic schedules.

Recording and/or Distribution of Course Materials:

Audio or video recording, digital or otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching
environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a
part of an approved accommodation plan. Student or instructor content, digital or otherwise,
created and/or used within the context of the course is to be used solely for personal study. It is
not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the content
author(s).

Learning and Working Environment:

The Faculty of Science is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff can work
and study in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination, harassment, and violence
of any kind. It does not tolerate behaviour that undermines that environment, including virtual
environments and platforms.

If you are experiencing harassment, discrimination, fraud, theft or any other issue and would like
to get confidential advice, please contact any of these campus services:
● Office of Safe Disclosure & Human Rights: A safe, neutral and confidential space to
disclose concerns about how the University of Alberta policies, procedures or ethical
standards are being applied. They provide strategic advice and referral on matters such
as discrimination, harassment, duty to accommodate and wrong-doings. Disclosures can
be made in person or online using the Online Reporting Tool.
● University of Alberta Protective Services: Peace officers are dedicated to ensuring the
safety and security of U of A campuses and the community. Staff or students can
 contact UAPS to make a report if they feel unsafe, threatened, or targeted on campus or
by another university community member.
● Office of the Student Ombuds: A confidential and free service that strives to ensure that
university processes related to students operate as fairly as possible. They offer
information, advice, and support to students, faculty, and staff as they deal with
academic, discipline, interpersonal, and financial issues related to student programs.
● Office of the Dean of Students: They can assist students in navigating services to ensure
they receive appropriate and timely resources. For students who are unsure of the
support they may need, are concerned about how to access services on campus, or feel
like they may need interim support while they wait to access a service, the Dean of
Students office is here to help.

Feeling Stressed, Anxious, or Upset?

It's normal for us to have different mental health experiences throughout the year. Know that
there are people who want to help. You can reach out to your friends and access a variety of
supports available on and off campus at the Need Help Now webpage or by calling the 24-hour
Distress Line: 780-482-4357 (HELP).

Student Self-Care Guide:

This Self-Care Guide, initially designed by the Faculty of Native Studies, has broader application
for use during students’ learning. It provides some ideas and strategies to consider that can help
navigate emotionally challenging or triggering material.

Counselling and Clinical Services and the University Health Centre:

Learning effectively is only possible if you feel physically and mentally well. For any and all
mental health concerns please get in touch with Counselling and Clinic Services
(https://www.ualberta.ca/current-students/counselling). For physical health concerns, please
contact the University Health Centre (https://www.ualberta.ca/services/health-centre).

Both service units are located in the Student Union Building (SUB). They are great resources
and are available for ALL students. You shouldn’t hesitate to contact either if you have any
health concerns.

Treaty acknowledgement:
The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, a
traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples, including the Cree, Blackfoot, Metis,
Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/ Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose
histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community. To learn more
about the significance of this land acknowledgement, please read this helpful article and the
associated links.
Policy about course outlines can be found in Course Requirements, Evaluations Procedures
and Grading of the University Calendar.

Disclaimer:
Any typographical errors in this Course Outline are subject to change and will be announced in
class. The Registrar sets the final examination date and takes precedence over the final
examination date reported in this syllabus.

Copyright:
Dr. Ronald Batallas Huacon, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University
of Alberta (2024).
Course Schedule & Assigned Readings:
The schedule might be subject to change. In the event of any changes, additional announcements and details will be provided on
eClass and in the lecture. Listed readings are intended to supplement and not replace lecture material. All lectures and labs are in
person unless otherwise announced or noted in this schedule. LRA = Lecture Review Assignment opening on eClass.

Week Day Date Lecture Topic Readings Labs

TUE 03-Sep Start of the Fall term
WED 04-Sep 1. Course logistics, Introduction I. Syllabus
1
2. Introduction II. What is an ecosystem? How do scientists ask Lab 0: Introduction
FRI 06-Sep
(and try to answer) questions? Ch. 1
MON 09-Sep 3. How environments vary and how this influences organisms. Ch. 2.1
Lab 1:
2 WED 11-Sep 4. What is a biome? Examples of terrestrial and Canadian biomes. Ch. 2.2-2.4, 3.2- Niche/Competition
What is an aquatic system? LRA1 3.3, Ch. 9.3 game
FRI 13-Sep 5. How organisms adapt and evolve. What is a niche? Ch. 4
MON 16-Sep 6. How organisms deal with resource constraints: Temperature Ch. 5
Lab 2: River Valley Part 1
3 WED 18-Sep 7. How organisms deal with resource constraints: Water LRA2 Ch. 6
and Quadrat Sampling
FRI 20-Sep 8. How autotrophs acquire energy Ch. 7
MON 23-Sep 9. How heterotrophs acquire energy Ch. 7
Lab 3: Brassica set-up
4 WED 25-Sep 10. The influence of organism behaviour on fitness LRA3 Ch. 8.1-8.2
and Mark/Recapture
FRI 27-Sep 11. How organisms find and select a mate Ch. 8.3
MON 30-Sep No classes - National day of Truth and Reconciliation -
Lab 4: River Valley Part 2
5 WED 02-Oct 12. How tradeoffs shape species life histories Ch. 9.1-9.2
(except Mon labs)
FRI 04-Oct 13. What is a population? Ch. 10
MON 07-Oct Midterm 1: All material from lectures 1-12.
Lab 4: River Valley 2
6 WED 09-Oct 14. How are populations structured? Ch. 11
(Mon only)
FRI 11-Oct 15. How we model populations I Ch. 12
 MON 14-Oct No classes - Thanksgiving -
7 WED 16-Oct 16. How we model populations II LRA4 Ch. 12 Lab 5: Disease ecology
FRI 18-Oct 17. Influence of disease on population dynamics Ch. 15.2
MON 21-Oct 18. How interspecific competition influences population dynamics Ch. 13.1-13.2, 13.4
8 WED 23-Oct 19. How we model interspecific competition Ch. 13.3 Lab 6: Brassica Harvest
FRI 25-Oct 20. How we model predator-prey interactions LRA5 Ch. 14.1-14.3
MON 28-Oct 21. How organisms avoid predation and herbivory Ch. 14.1, 14.4 Lab 7: Population
9 WED 30-Oct 22. Difference between mutualism and parasitism Ch. 15.1, 15.3-15.4 Ecology (asynchronous
FRI 01-Nov 23. What is an ecological community? Ch. 16.1-16.2 online)
MON 04-Nov Midterm 2: All materials Lectures 13-23
WED 06-Nov 24. How are ecological communities assembled? Ch. 17.1, 17.3 Lab 8: Soil Respiration
10
25. How does primary production differ across terrestrial and Set-up
FRI 08-Nov
aquatic ecosystems? Ch. 19.1-19.3
MON 11-Nov -
11 WED 13-Nov No Classes - Remembrance day and Reading week - No labs
FRI 15-Nov -
MON 18-Nov 26. Energy flow through ecosystems LRA6 Ch. 19.4-19.5
27. Asynchronous: How do nutrients cycle through ecosystems I Lab 8: Soil Respiration
12 WED 20-Nov
(guest lecture) Ch. 20.1-20.2 Harvest
FRI 22-Nov 28. How do nutrients cycle through ecosystems II Ch. 20.3-20.4
MON 25-Nov 29. How do ecological communities respond to disturbance? LRA7 Ch. 18.1-18.2
13 WED 27-Nov 30. How do ecological communities naturally change over time? Ch. 18.3-18.5 Lab 8: Presentations
FRI 29-Nov 31. The influence of landscape structure on organisms Ch. 21.1-21.2
MON 02-Dec 32. Macroecology Ch. 22.1-22.2
14 Final lab Exam
WED 04-Dec 33. Climate change LRA8 See lecture
 FRI 06-Dec 34. How do humans benefit from biodiversity and healthy
ecosystems? Ch. 23.2
15 MON 09-Dec 35. Review session (tentative)
TUE 17-Dec Final Exam @ 8:30 am