Biology 115A     Evolution, Behavior & Ecology     Fall 2006
Lecture: MWF 8:00-8:50 am. MS 302
Kim Snipes
MS 326 x2545    AC Box 61541    ksnipes@austincollege.edu

Course Webpage: http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/ksnipes/bio15/bio15.html  On the page you will find this syllabus, formats for the assignments, and anything else I find that relates to the course material.

Texts: 1) Raven & Johnson. 2005. Biology, 7th ed. (Austin College customized) [See publisher's web page http://www.mhhe.com/raven7 for practice quizzes and other learning materials]. 2) Reserve reading articles on file in the library (see library web page). 3) Handouts given in class.

Office Hours: My regular office hours will be Monday 3:30-4:20pm and Thursday 3:00-3:50 pm. Individual appointments are also possible. I will be off-campus every Tuesday afternoon. Unless I am in a crisis situation, you are welcome to stop by anytime my door is open!

Grading: Your grade will be based on your total accumulated points in the class. The breakdown of points will be as follows (510 points total):
4 lecture exams at 100 points each 400 pts.
1 comprehensive final (optional*) (100)
3 quizzes at 12 points each** 36
1 biological journal article review 15
1 set of behavioral observations 35
1 ecosystem model 10
7 lecture responses at 2 pts. each 14
*Only your best four exam scores will be entered. Your final exam score can replace a lower exam score or an absence for an exam. **Four quizzes will be given. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped. Directions for the review, observations, and model are on the following pages. See the course schedule for the dates of assignments, quizzes, and exams. Lecture responses will be passed out and collected periodically (dates not announced). On each exam there will be multiple choice and short-answer questions plus one essay question for you to answer. Final letter grades will be assigned based on the distribution of points at the end of the course (any "curving" will happen at the very end and not on each assignment or exam). Class performance data will be posted with each exam key outside my office. The probable final cutoffs will be: for an A- 91%, for a B- 80%, for a C- 70%, and for a D- 60%.

Attendance & Make-ups: There will be NO make-ups of lecture quizzes or exams. A missed lecture exam will only be made up by taking the final exam. A missed quiz will be considered your lowest score. If you know that you will be missing a class in advance, see me ASAP about taking the quiz, exam or turning in the assignment early. It is your responsibility to contact me ahead of time and to make up the material. Unexcused late work will not be accepted.

Course Objectives: As this is the first course in the Biology core, material covered here will provide the foundation for your further study in biology. The title of the course reflects the its focus on the biology of individuals and their interactions with other individuals and the environment. The principles you will learn are applicable to any organism, from a single-celled bacterium to an extinct dinosaur. Vocabulary will be a substantial part of this course. However, the concepts of evolution, behavior and ecology are even more important for you to master. It is also very important that you learn how to think like a professional biologist. Critical thinking, the ability to use previously acquired knowledge in novel situations, is a vital asset in the study of biology or in any other academic discipline (this ability is the hallmark of our species and the reason for our success).

Academic Integrity: Austin College sets high standards of integrity for both its students and its faculty. The work that you submit for this course shall be the product of your individual effort. The answers on your exams shall be your own (cheating is not allowed). All the ideas in your assignments that do not originate from you must have their sources noted. This does not preclude discussion of the assignments with fellow students or faculty. Make note of the people you worked with, and make sure the final product is your synthesis of the discussion. Please refer to your student handbook for further explanation of Austin College's policy of academic integrity. All cases of plagiarism or cheating will be referred to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs for appropriate action.

Warning: This class is not identical to the other sections of Biology 115. The class schedule, lecture content on a specific date, and exam questions will most definitely be different.


ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments are to be typed in a 10-12 point standard font, double spaced, with 1 inch (2.5cm) 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.

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 (on-line access may also be available):

American Journal of Botany
Animal Behavior
Auk
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Biotropica
Canadian Journal of Zoology
Conservation Biology
Ecology
Evolution
Herpetologica
Ibis
Southwestern Naturalist
Systematic Biology
Systematic Botany

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].  The seond line of text must be indented (doesn't show up on this webpage).
Examples:
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 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 First Search 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). Could 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? If not, which ones were left out? Were any sources listed in the "References" not cited within the body of the article? If not, which ones were left out?
• 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, answers 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 (35 pts.): 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 or invertebrates). Each observation will consist of the following elements and should take no more than one page: Be very careful to avoid using the same wording as another student or "nature walk" guide. Using another person's words without citation is plagiarism and will be treated as a violation of the College's policy of academic integrity!
• 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 a species that are difficult to identify to exact species (for instance insects such as 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). Do not copy description from field guide or website!
• 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 nature walks (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. The Department has binoculars and field guides to 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. 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, as 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 a 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 very secretive in our area. 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 Eurasian Collared-Dove Monarch Butterfly
Great-tailed Grackle Mourning Dove Great Blue Heron Soldier Beetle
Northern Mockingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Great Egret Damselfly
European Starling Northern Cardinal Snowy Egret Bumblebee
House Sparrow Chimney Swift Field Cricket Swallowtail Butterfly
American Crow Red-tailed Hawk Fire Ant Paper Wasp
American Robin Killdeer Honeybee Dragonfly
Blue Jay Turkey Vulture Seed-harvester Ant Mud Dauber
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 simplified model ecosystem most likely using the species and habitats of North Central Texas (see behavioral observations). The model should contain a typed, double-spaced description of the abiotic environment (including information about the soil type, topography and climate) and a food web diagram. The food web must have at least three species at the producer through secondary consumer trophic levels, at least one tertiary consumer species, and decomposers. The trophic level, or levels, of each species should be indicated (with a key or legend for any abbreviations). The web itself does not need to be typed, but should fit within the 1 inch margins of the paper. Any references used for information on the environment or species need to be cited as in the journal article review. You may find information on climate from the Austin College weather station website (http://weather.austincollege.edu). You may find information on soil and topography on the Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas website (http://artemis.austincollege.edu/ acad/bio/gdiggs/introduction.html). Our course 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. 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.

EXTRA CREDIT

Extra credit responses (+1 pt. each) will be available for Biology Dept. seminars on Thursday afternoons from 4:30-5:30pm in MS 302 (free refreshments at 4:15pm in MS 303). Campus-wide Thursday 11:00am convocations with biological themes may also be available (see announcements in class). A field trip to our local wildlife refuge will also be an extra credit possibility in November (see announcement in class). I will also periodically show topical videos on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 11am-12n (see announcements in calss). You will be able to earn a maximum of 8 points of extra credit by attending these seminars, convocations, videos, or field trip and completing responses.
Seminar Etiquette: Seminar presentations require a great amount of work and bravery by the presenter. Common courtesy dictates that those in the audience show respect to the presenter. DO NOT COME TO A SEMINAR UNLESS YOU CAN ATTEND THE ENTIRE PROGRAM. Plan on arriving before the seminar begins and staying for an hour. TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE, and DO NOT TALK TO THOSE AROUND YOU. Save your questions or comments for the question time following the formal presentation.

STEPS TO SUCCESS IN BIOLOGY
"Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom." Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha, 1922)

1) Attend each lecture.
Nothing beats the real thing! Your mastery of the material will be much greater and easier to obtain if you attend the live performance. Copying a friend's notes, reading the text, or listening to a tape of the lecture are great supplements to your own lecture notes, but they are poor replacements.

2) Ask questions.
I strongly urge you ask questions during lecture! If you are confused about anything e-mail, call, or stop by my office hours. Concepts build on one another. You need to grasp what we are talking about now so that you can comprehend what will come up next.

3) Do quality studying.
It's quality, not quantity, that counts in studying! You should find a comfortable, quiet place to concentrate on your courses. 20 min. in a prime spot can equal 3 hr. in a place full of distractions. I am going to be asking you questions on the exams, so you should study by asking yourself questions. Instead of rereading your notes 500 times (passive studying), try making up your own exam (active studying). Study groups can be great ways to quiz each other. For each lecture I announce the review questions in the text and the study questions on the handout that apply to that lecture. You should work on these the same day as the lecture. Take advantage of the 10 min. before your friends are ready for lunch by reviewing questions you answered the night before. This is the easiest way to keep up on the material!

4) Study for exams early.
Do not wait to study for the exam until the night before! Your brain has only so much ability to integrate information in one night, no matter how long a night it is. Psychological studies have shown that comprehension and recall ability diminish rapidly after two hours on a subject. Plan on studying 1-2 hours for each course every night. You wouldn't try to run a marathon without training for it. Think of the semester as a brain marathon -- you must train for it through regular workouts!

5) Ask for help.
Everyone needs help along the way! We all have different brains and, therefore, learning styles. If you are having problems, please see me right away. I can make suggestions on note taking, exam preparation, etc. The Academic Skills Center is also available for you (in the Wright Center, campus ext. 2454). The center provides tutoring and great workshops on all sorts of topics.

6) Get enough sleep every night (6-7 hours at least).
Exhausted brains make mistakes, and exhausted bodies get sick! Avoid exam mix-ups and the dorm flu by treating your body and mind to enough dream time every night. If you do get sick, stay in bed. Sleep and fluids are the only cures around for viral infections; so, resting up early on can greatly shorten your illness. Go to the Health Center if your symptoms are severe or prolonged.

7) Exercise at least 3 times a week.
Stronger heart and stress relief! Our bodies are still adapted to cope with physical stress (e.g., leopards chasing us). That type of stress called for a physical response (e.g., spot a safe place, and run like crazy) that selected for a physiology involving epinephrine (a.k.a. adrenaline) and glucocorticoids. These hormones are great for muscles contracting and lungs expanding, but they're lousy for memory recall of exam material (psychological stress). Also, stress hormones depress your immune system and, hence, your ability to fight off pathogens. Work off your stress by physically responding at least 3 times a week for 20 min. You'll feel better, and your heart should start beating less often (i.e. resting pulse decreases with increased fitness).

8) Relax and have fun.
College is great! Stress is not. Allow yourself some guilt-free downtime. Get your homework done ahead of time, and then do something you really enjoy. This is the time when you will recharge, which will improve your performance in classes, in meetings, in sports, in relationships, etc.