Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York COLLEGE of SCIENCE Department of Biological Sciences Plant Ecology Course Number: 1001-420 Outline & Description 1.0 Title: Plant Ecology Credit Hours: 4 Prerequisites(s): 1001-340/341 Corequisite(s): None 2.0 Course information: 2.0 Course Information: Contact Hours Maximum students/section Classroom 3 20 Lab 3 20 Studio Other Quarter(s) offered (check) _____ Fall _____ Winter ___X__ Spring _____ Summer Students required to take this course: Students who might elect to take this course: Environmental Science majors, Biology majors, Biotechnology majors 3.0 Goals of the course: 3.1 To explain and synthesize concepts about plant ecology at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem level 3.2 To read, synthesize and present information from primary scientific papers 3.3 To design, implement, analyze and present original research on plant ecology 4.0 Course description (as it will appear in the RIT Catalog, including pre- and co- requisites. quarters offered) 1001-420 Plant Ecology A consideration of the nature and variation of plant communities with discussion of factors that limit, maintain and modify communities both locally and world wide. Laboratory centers on a student-designed project, including proposal, experimental design, data gathering and analysis, and presentation of results. (1001-340/341) Class 3, Lab 3, Credit 4 (S) \\ 5.0 Possible resources (texts, references, computer packages, etc. 5.1 Papers selected from primary literature (updated annually) 5.2 Crawley, MJ Plant Ecology. 1999 Blackwell Publishers. 5.2 Aber, J and J Melillo. Terrestrial Ecosystems. 2001. Brooks Cole Publishers. 6.0 Topics (Outline): 6.1 Individual and within Species Dynamics 6.1.1 Biomes & Limiting Factors 6.1.2 Photosynthesis6.1.3 Water and Nutrient Acquisition 6.1.4 6.1.5 6.1.6 6.1.7 Sex, Pollination and Breeding Systems Seed Dispersal Herbivores & Defenses Life History 6.2 Population Dynamics 6.2.1 6.2.2 Matrix modeling Population modeling 6.3 Community Dynamics 6.3.1 6.3.2 6.3.3 6.3.4 Plant Competition Paleogeography Community Dynamics Alternate Stable States 6.4 Ecosystem Dynamics & Case Studies 6.4.1 6.4.2 6.4.3 6.4.4 Disturbance Food webs Case Study: Northern Hardwood Forests Case Study: The Serengeti 7.0 Intended learning outcomes and associated assessment methods of those outcomes Learning outcome Exams Lab Project Class/ Paper Discussion Oral and Written Reports 7.1 To explain and synthesize plant ecological concepts at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem level 7.2 Utilize quantitative methods to describe populations, communities and ecosystems 7.3 To experience and demonstrate plant ecology field techniques 7.4 To formulate and test hypotheses 7.5 To communicate results from studies about local ecosystems 7.6 To demonstrate scientific tools of critically reading research papers and writing scientific reports 7.7 To design, implement, analyze and present original research on plant ecology X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 8.0 Program or general educational goals supported by this course 8.1 To improve development of critical thinking skills, including experimental/study design, data analysis and presentation of results 8.2 To develop an understanding of how ecological principles apply to local plant communities 8.3 To introduce students to current techniques used in plant ecology 8.4 To foster communication skills by having students work in groups and present data in a public forum 9.0 Other relevant information (such as special classroom, studio, or lab needs, special scheduling, media requirements, etc.) A smart classroom that has computer display capabilities Transportation to field sites may be needed 10.0 Supplemental Information