Environmental Biology

Syllabus                                 Lectures                                  LAB

Biology 2407 – Environmental Biology - Fall 2010

Lecture M-W-F 11:00-11:50 WSB 107 Lab W 3:30-5:30 WSB 109

Syllabus

 

Instructor: Dr. Chris M. Ritzi

                  Office: Warnock Science Building - 216

                  Phone: 837- 8420

                  Email: critzi@sulross.edu

                  Office hours: M W F 9-10, T R 11-12, or by appt.

 

Class Website: http://bbsrsu/sulross.edu & http://faculty.sulross.edu/critzi/

 

Text:  Essential Environment: The Science Behind the Stories. 3rd Edition.  2009. Withgott, J. and S. Brennan.

 

Course Description:  Environmental Biology is an introduction to the biological effects of human activities on the environment and possible alternatives for a more effective use of natural resources.  The course emphasizes water, soil, and air pollution, as well as other current world ecological concerns.  The course will consist of formal lectures, open discussions, and formalized debates over current environmental topics.  The laboratory will focus on EPA Standard Methods used in field and laboratory analysis or environmental samples and other basic environmental and ecological research procedures.

 

Student Learning Objectives:

1)         Students will identify the basic elements associated with environmental biology

                        (species, nutrient cycles, etc.)

2)         Students will describe the path that elements cycle through the environment.

3)         Students compare various methods of using natural resources, and predict which

                        ones are the best to use under various conditions.

4)         Students will appraise their own use of environmental resources, and apply this to

                        improving their daily impact on the environment.

5)         Students will demonstrate a proficiency of environmental demonstration

                        techniques, to better enable them to teach and educate others about

                        environmental biology.

 

Grading: Your grade will be assigned based on the percentage of points you get out of a total possible 500 points. (100pt exams (4), 100pts Participation and Presentations)

 

Tests: There will be a total of 4 exams, each worth 100 points. If you miss an exam and have a legitimate excuse, contact me within 24 hours of the test and we will arrange a make-up test.  If you do not contact me within 24 hours, you will receive a zero on that exam. 

 

Attendance: Students missing 20% of lectures (9 lectures) OR labs (3 labs) may be dropped from the class per the SRSU catalog.  Any student dropped for excessive absences will receive an F for the course grade.  Please notify your instructor BEFORE missing class for authorized activities, death in the family, or illness.  Exams missed for any reason must be made up within one week of the originally scheduled date.  REGARDLESS OF WHY AN ABSENCE OCCURS, YOU MAY BE GIVEN AN F FOR THE COURSE GRADE IF YOU ACCUMULATE SIX ABSENCES.

 

Lecture courtesy:  The general rules of classroom etiquette are below.

1)                  Please do not talk to others in class while the instructor is lecturing.  If you have a question, ASK THE INSTRUCTOR!  That’s what I’m here for.

2)                  No eating, chewing, dipping, etc.

3)                  Please turn cell phones and pagers to silent while in class.  They are disruptive to the entire class, and detract from learning.

 

Students with disabilities will be provided reasonable accommodations.  If you would like to request such accommodations because of physical, mental, or learning disability, please contact the ADA Coordinator for Program Accessibility at 837-8203, FH 112.

 

Tentative Lecture Outline

Date                          Lecture topic                                                         Chapter

 

Aug 25                         Introduction to Environmental Science                      1

Aug 27                         Nature of Science and Environmental Science           1

Aug 30                         Environmental Ethics                                                  1

Sept 1                          Labor Day – No class                        

Sept 3                          Sustainability                                                              1

Sept 6                          Economics                                                                   2

Sept 8                          Economics continued                                                  2

Sept 10                        Environmental Policy here and there                          2

Sept 13                        Environmental Policy process                                     2

Sept 15                        Exam I

Sept 17                        Environmental Chemistry                                           3

Sept 20                        Energy and Ecosystems                                              3

Sept 22                        Biogeochemical Cycles                                               3

Sept 24                        Evolution                                                                    4

Sept 27                        Biodiversity                                                                4

Sept 29                        Ecological Organization                                              4

Oct 1                           Population Ecology                                                     4

Oct 4                           Systems and Cycles                                                    5

Oct 6                           Species Interactions                                                    5

Oct 8                           Ecological Communities                                             5

Oct 11                         Biomes                                                                        5

Oct 13                         Exam II

Oct 15                         Human Population Growth                                         6

Oct 18                         Human Population Growth                                         6

Oct 20                         Agriculture                                                                  7

Oct 22                         Agriculture                                                                  7

Oct 25                         Soils                                                                            7

Oct 27                         Toxicology                                                                  10

Oct 29                         Waste Management                                                    17

Nov 1                          Outdoor Air Pollution                                                 13

Nov 3                          Indoor Air Pollution                                                   13

Nov 5                          Climate Change                                                          14

Nov 8                          Freshwater                                                                  12

Nov 10                        Oceans                                                                                    12

Nov 12                         Exam III

Nov 15                        Biodiversity                                                                8

Nov 17                       Conservation                                                               8

Nov 19                        Land Use – Forests and Parks                                                9

Nov 22-26                   Thanksgiving Holidays – No Class

Nov 29                         Urbanization                                                               9

Dec 1                           Geology and Mining                                                   11

Dec 3                           Fossil Fuels                                                                 15

Dec 6                           Old Alternatives                                                         15 & 16

Dec 8                           New Alternatives                                                        16

Dec 10                         Make-up lecture & review

Dec 15 8:00 am           Final exam for MWF 9:00                                                    

 

Note – This outline is subject to change for reasons of course interest, time constraint, or instructor whim.  The exams will be administered on the dates given, unless material relevant for a given exam has not been covered.  Under such cases, an exam may be moved a class period or two to aid in the clarity and understanding of the material.

 

 

 Powerpoint Lectures

Introduction to Science

Ethics and Economy

Policy and Politics

Chemistry

Ecology and Evolution

Systems and Cycles

 

Exam 1 Review Sheet

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