BISC 350
Community And Ecosystem Ecology
3.0 Credits
Description
Welcome to BISC 350, a one-semester, three credit university course in ecology. The course introduces the principles of the science of ecology and gives a basic understanding of ecosystems and communities.
We begin by examining how the historical context and the scientific method have shaped and continue to shape the study of ecology. We then look at the relationship of living organisms to their physical environment, with particular reference to limiting factors and how they define a species' niche. We discuss the ways in which they fundamentally alter the basic physical exchange of materials in the environment. We look at ecosystem theory, focussing on energy assimilation and transfer as a system function. We also examine constraints on the availability of energy and consider how patterns of energy transfer in communities affect the size, makeup, and distribution of populations in the major ecosystems of the planet. We then examine hypotheses about the nature of ecological communities and the processes that guide their assembly. Special attention is paid to the biogeoclimatic zone classification system developed and used in B.C. The relationship between the life histories of individual species and the structural changes that occur during community succession is also explored.
These principles are brought together in our examination of the emergent properties of ecosystems and how communities respond to disturbance. We close with a discussion of human relationships with the environment, including insights into how better ways to manage biodiversity are emerging. The management implications of our ecological knowledge are emphasized throughout the course. Students of BISC 350 can expect to gain a solid understanding of the environmental issues our society faces, along with the basis for more advanced studies in ecology.
Delivery Method
Delivery is self-paced, allowing you the flexibility to proceed through the course according to your own schedule. This course is offered in both print and web versions. TRU-OL has no admission requirements and you can register for this course at any time.
Prerequisites
BISC 120 or equivalent.
Objectives
After you complete your work on this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the aims and methods of ecological studies.
- Discuss the relationship between evolutionary theory and ecology, in particular the nature and role of natural selection.
- Explain the effects of the physical environment on individual organisms.
- Describe the ways in which energy moves through the individual components of ecological communities, and how the energy relationships among organisms can explain patterns of the abundance and diversity of organisms.
- Identify the ways in which materials, such as nutrients, move between the living and nonliving components of ecosystems, and how the patterns of these movements affect the structure of ecological communities.
- Discuss how ecological communities are produced by the forces of competition and natural selection within and among species, over both ecological and geological time.
Course Outline
Unit:
- Introduction: The Science of Ecology
- The Organism and Its Environment
- The Ecosystem
- Assembly of Communities
- The Function and Management of Ecosystems
Maximum Completion
30 weeks maximum duration. Students may choose to complete this course in less than the allowed maximum time.
Required Text and Materials
- Smith, Robert and Thomas Smith. Ecology and Field Biology. 6th. Edition. New York: Benjamin. Cummings, An imprint of Addison Wesley Longman, Inc, 2001.
Type: Textbook
- Open Learning Agency. Selected Readings. 1998.
Type: Readings
DVD:
- Ecology and New Forestry, DVD
Additional Requirements
Access to a TV and a DVD player.
Tutor Information
A course tutor is available to assist students. Primary communication is by phone if you are taking the print version of the course or by email if you are taking the web version. You will receive a welcome letter or e-mail from the tutor with contact information when you start the course.
Assessment
A series of four assignments and a final exam are used to formally measure your success in meeting the course learning objectives. In order to successfully complete this course, you must obtain at least 50 % on the final mandatory examination and 50 % overall. Students who do not submit an assignment will be assigned a mark of zero (0) for that assignment.
It is strongly recommended that students complete all assignments in order to achieve the learning objectives of the course.
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