Biology 115: Evolution, Behavior & Ecology
Kim Snipes
ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment Examples
All assignments are to be typed in a 10-12 point standard font, double
spaced, with 1 inch margins. Page limits will be strictly adhered to.
All drawings must have legends and labels that clearly indicate what you are
diagraming. Points will be deducted for not following directions.
Please, no cover pages. Type your name in the upper right corner
(does not have to be inside the 1 inch margin). All work is due at the
beginning of lecture (8:00 am) on the date printed in the course schedule.
No unexcused late work will be accepted.
Assignment Directions
Biological Journal Article Review (15 pts.): Biology advances
through the discussion of hypotheses, experiments, conclusions, and theories
among researchers. This communication of ideas is an absolute tenet
of all the sciences. The most formal method of communication is through
articles in scientific journals. Some journals focus in on a very
narrow field of research (e.g., Journal of Pineal Research), but others are
incredibly broad in scope (e.g., Science and Nature). This assignment's
purposes are: a) to introduce you to the scientific literature that you will
be using in all of your subsequent biology courses, b) to familiarize you
with the format of a scientific paper (which you will write in subsequent
biology courses), and c) to teach you proper citation methods for biological
research papers. You will need to go to our library's current periodicals
section (northeast corner) and select an article which looks interesting
to you from one of the following journals:
Ambio
American Journal of Botany
American Midland Naturalist
Animal Behavior
Auk
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Biotropica
Canadian Journal of Zoology
Ecology
Evolution
Herpetologica
Ibis
Mammalogy
The article must be a research report (not a review, summary, or response).
The article must be divided up into sections titled: abstract, introduction,
methods (or materials and methods), results, discussion, and literature
cited (or references). Frequently the introduction will not have a
title, but it is the section between the abstract and the methods.
The research topic should relate to the content of this course. Your one
page (maximum) review should have the following sections: article
citation: Your review of the article should begin with a citation of
the article. Use the following format:
[Lead author's last name], [first initial]. [middle initial]., and [2nd
author's first initial]. [middle initial]. [2nd author's last name]. [Year
published]. [Article's title, only first word capitalized]. [Journal's title,
no italics or underline] [Vol#]:[pages].
Examples (see printed course syllabus for indention format -- the indention
may not survive transfer to html):
McMellen, A. B., K. V. Snipes, and W. E. Meyer. 1997.
The effects of propylthiouracil (PTU) on the development of thermoregulation
in neonatal Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica). Auklet 23:101-108.
Goldsmith, S. K. 1996. Body size, male aggression, and
mate selection in Plectrodera scalator. J. Insect Behav. 9:719-727. [Note
that there are standardized journal abbreviations which are used. Look in
the lit. cited section for them.]
The format for citations in the lit. cited section is very rigid. Note the
periods, commas, indentation, and double spacing between items. Even if the
particular journal from which you article was taken has a different format,
you must follow the format given above for the citation in your review.
section questions: You will be writing lab reports, or papers,
in all of your future biology courses. These lab reports will follow
the format of your journal article (also called a paper). Learn the
format now by answering the questions below. Many of the answers will
be "yes" or "no" depending on your article. BE SURE TO TELL ME WHY YOUR
ANSWER IS YES OR NO!!!
1) Frequently the abstracts of articles are compiled into large collections
which can be accessed via online literature search tools such as FirstSearch
and Medline. Many journals are now publishing the abstracts of their
articles online. What information is contained in an abstract, and
why would this be the one section of a paper that is published online or
in a compilation?
2) Does your author follow the scientific method? Did he/she have
a hypothesis? If yes, in what section did the author first state his/her
hypothesis? Did your author intend to prove or disprove the hypothesis
by doing the experiment? If there was no hypothesis, then what was the
purpose of the research?
3) In what section(s) did your author use information from previous studies
completed by other researchers or himself/herself? How did the author
use this information? How does comparing the current research to previous
research relate to the scientific method?
4) In what verb tense (past, present, future) was the "Methods" section
written? How does the text of this section differ from a recipe in
a cookbook? Could you repeat the author's experiment by following the
procedure in this section [Hint: you should be able to]?
5) Read the "Results" section without looking at the tables and figures
(text only). Can you follow what happened in the experiment without
the tables and figures [Hint: you should be able to]? How should tables
and figures be used in a scientific paper?
6) In what section did the author interpret his/her results? Did your
author's results support or disagree with previous studies? Does your
author complete the loop in the scientific method by proposing changes to
his/her original hypothesis and new experiments?
7) How did your author cite other authors' work within the body of the article
(i.e., what format)? Were all the citations in the body given full citations
in the "References" or "Literature Cited" section? Were any sources
listed in the "References" not cited within the body of the article?
article summary and critique: In one short paragraph summarize
the article, including a) the question the researchers investigated, b)
their method of investigation, and c) their most significant finding and
conclusion. Also, critique the article. Could you understand
it? Is the article a good example of science?
ALL OF THE ABOVE (citation, anwers to section questions, summary, and critique)
MUST FIT ON ONE PAGE TYPED WITH 1 INCH MARGINS! The default margins
on Microsoft Word are 1.25 in. Change the format settings to 1 in.,
and then measure the final product with a ruler. All your margins will
be checked! copy of article: Attach a photocopy of your
article to your review.
Behavioral Observations (35pts.): Observations are the foundation
of science. Biologists develop questions about the natural world by closely
observing the phenomena happening around them. The questions are tested by
observing the results of experiments. The importance of developing keen observation
skills cannot be understated. The purposes of this exercise are: a) to give
you practice in identifying animals, b) to improve your observation skills,
c) to acquaint you with field biology, d) to give you some knowledge of the
role of animals in their ecological communities, and e) to give you an opportunity
to apply the conceptual material of this course to actual organisms. You will
make observations on five individuals (or groups, in the case of social animals)
of five different species of animals. The five species must comprise at least
two phyla (you can't use only vertebrates). Each observation will consist
of the following elements and should take no more than one page:
date, time, locality, and weather: When and where the observations were
made, as specifically as possible. Locality information might be "Austin
College campus, Sherman, Grayson Co. TX", "Red River, 0.5 km below Denison
Dam, Bryan Co. OK", or "East oil pads, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge,
Lake Texoma, Grayson Co. TX". You should include a short statement about
the weather (i.e. sunlight, wind, and temperature) during your observation,
as weather can dramatically affect behavior. You should follow standard
biological conventions for reporting date, time, and temperature (e.g., 1
Sept. 2000, 1340 CST, and 25C instead of 9/1/00, 2:40pm. CDT, and 77ºF).
Use only metric units in all science writing. Each observation
should begin with this element.
general habitat type: In what biome or vegetational district
was the observation made? Habitat type makes reference to such things "deciduous
forest", "grassland", "savanna", "disturbed roadside", "cultivated field",
"urban lawn", etc. Include some information about dominant plant species,
especially ones that affect your animals and your observations. I can help
you identify common local plants.
microhabitat: This means where specifically within the larger
habitat you saw the animal (shady patch under a pecan tree, Monarda flowers,
moist soil under leaf litter, trunk of oak tree, etc.). Many animals are microhabitat
specialists and are adapted morphologically and behaviorally for a particular
microhabitat.
species identification: This may consist of a formal scientific
name (for instance Sciurus niger, the fox squirrel that is common on campus),
a formally recognized common name (usually birds, e.g. Northern Mockingbird),
or a colloquial common name for species that don't have formal common names
and that are difficult to identify to species (for instance mud daubers
or bumblebees).
species description: Record a detailed description of
the appearance of the animal. Include both quantitative (e.g., number
of limbs) and qualitative (e.g., color of body parts) descriptions.
Be sure to describe any morphological structure that was necessary to perform
the behavior you observed. Take your time observing the animal so
that you can supply the necessary details on its appearance. If you
use relative adjectives (i.e. small, large, medium-sized), I need some standard
of what you mean (i.e. as small as a domestic cat, large as an eagle).
behavior: Behavior consists of anything the animal was doing.
This will be the most detailed element of your observations. Your behavioral
observations should include any communication displays, method of locomotion
and movement patterns. Just describe the behavior of the animal in as
much detail as possible. Don't jump to any interpretation (e.g., describe
the squirrel's actual movements instead of telling me it was looking for
nuts -- that would be your interpretation of its behavior). This section
is similar to the "Results" section of a scientific paper.
interpretation: Once you have made observations on a particular
species, the next step is to interpret what you have seen. My expectation
is that you will apply the concepts that we discuss in this course to an
understanding of the biology of the animals you observed. Tell me what
you think was the purpose of the behavior and why you have come to that conclusion.
Interpretations must be supported by evidence presented in the behavior section.
The interpretation section is similar to the "Discussion" section of a scientific
paper.
To accomplish this assignment, you will need some type
of notebook that can be carried in the field. I will lead some field excursions
(to be scheduled later), which will be opportunities for us to make observations
together. You may (and actually should) work together in small groups to locate
animals and make observations, but you must record your own observations in
your own words. Your interpretations must be your own thoughts based on your
own observations. I will make available binoculars and field guides to a
variety of animal groups and will assist you in identifying any particular
study animal that you find.
There are a variety of means by which you can locate
and observe animals. It is not necessary to be in the "wilderness" to make
worthwhile and interesting observations of animal behavior. There are numerous
animal species that are active on the AC campus and many more in public areas
in Sherman and surrounding communities. Herman Baker park in southwest Sherman
is a good location, as is the area below Denison Dam, about 20 minutes north
of Sherman on US Hwy. 75. There are many other areas nearby if you need suggestions.
Once you are in a locality where you hope to make observations,
you must next locate animals. It will be a good idea to concentrate on relatively
large and/or conspicuous animals -- you have to be able to find them to observe
them. The way to do this depends on what kind of animals you are looking for.
If you are interested in birds, one good possibility is to observe from a
vehicle (for instance at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge), because birds
do not always recognize a vehicle as a threat, when they would a human. You
may also walk slowly and cautiously through a particular habitat (open areas
are easier to work in than are wooded areas), stopping to make observations
when you encounter the species of interest. Wear drab clothing, as most birds
respond to colors. Mammals are often difficult to observe, because most small
mammals are nocturnal, and most large mammals are either very scarce or very
spooky. The Fox Squirrels on campus are an obvious exception. Most reptiles
are found only sporadically and unpredictably, so are difficult to observe
systematically. Some amphibians are active in the fall, such as bullfrogs
and leopard frogs, and may be found near aquatic habitats. Many species of
insects will be available to you. Many butterflies, moths, beetles, and bees
are attracted to plants in flower. A good procedure is to find a patch of
flowering plant and stand nearby, where you can observe the activities of
the six-legged visitors. It is possible to observe such animals quite closely,
with minimal danger of being stung. You may also observe the predators (mostly
spiders and other insects) of the flower visitors, but these will be less
common. Other species, such as crickets, fireflies, and fire ants, have particular
distributions or are active at particular times of day, so can be found with
ease. Do not endanger your safety! If you are allergic to insect bites and
stings, practice extreme caution during observations. Working in pairs or
groups is strongly recommended to reduce the risk of serious problems in the
event of an emergency (especially off-campus).
An example of a completed
observation
is on our webpage, so that you can see what I expect and the format your
observations should follow. I strongly encourage you to start early on your
observations as there are no guarantees about what you will be able to find
each time you go into the field. Animals that I encounter fairly regularly
each fall (some may be specific to particular habitats):
Fox Squirrel, Common Nighthawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Monarch Butterfly,
Common Grackle, Barn Swallow, Cattle Egret, Soldier Beetle, Northern Mockingbird,
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Great Egret, Damselfly, European Starling, Northern
Cardinal, Mud Dauber, Bumblebee, House Sparrow ,Chimney Swift, Field Cricket,
Swallowtail Butterfly, Common Crow, Snowy Egret, Fire Ant, Leaf-footed Bug,
American Robin, Killdeer, Honeybee, Sulfur Butterfly, Blue Jay, Turkey Vulture,
Seed-harvester Ant, Paper Wasp, Mourning Dove, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed
Hawk, Dragonfly.
Model Ecosystem (10 pts.): Ecosystems are extremely
complex connections between organisms and between organisms and their environment.
This assignment's purpose is to give you an appreciation of this complexity
and the problems ecologists face in trying to understand an ecosystem.
You will create a model ecosystem using the species and habitats of North
Central Texas (see behavioral observations). The model should contain
a typed description of the abiotic environment and a food web diagram.
The food web must have at least three species at each trophic level (except
for tertiary consumer). The trophic level, or levels, of each species
should be indicated. The web itself does not need to be typed but
should fit within the 1 inch margins of the paper. The webpage has
an example of a model ecosystem
for the Sierra Nevada foothills of California. You must develop your
own ecosystem. It is very easy to tell when students have copied ecosystems
from each other. This is plagiarism and will be treated as a violation
of the College's policy of academic integrity
Lecture Responses (14 pts.): On unannounced dates (surprise!)
I will pass out at the start of class lecture response forms. These forms
will give you the opportunity to ask questions or make comments about the
material we are discussing in lecture. Each response will be awarded two
points. Extra credit responses (+1 pt.) will be available for all announced
Biology Dept. seminars (see postings on the doors in Moody Science). I hope
that these responses will encourage you to think about the material as it
is being presented and will allow us to start a dialog outside of lecture.
Kim Snipes
Austin College Biology Dept.
ksnipes@austincollege.edu