1. Welcome to General Ecology Bio 4416 Instructor: Susan Schwinning Office Hours: Mon, Wed 1:00 – 2:00 pm, or by appointment 312 Supple

2. 1. How this course works. Lab and Lecture sections are taught independently. To pass the course you must pass both (>60%). To pass the lecture: acquire a minimum of 120 points in 3 midterms (40pts) and 1 final (80 pts). To pass the lab: show up, submit assignments and complete an independent research project.

3. Advice on how to handle the lab: The lab grade is 1/3 of the course grade The lab grade will often improve the course grade Failure to attend 3x gives you an “F” in lab, therefore an “F” in the course 50% of the lab grade is tied to the independent research project Partnering up in teams of two is recommended

4. Advice on how to do well in lecture: attend and review all lectures using materials posted online think along and ask questions make use of office hours/email read the required texts form study groups study for the midterms and final.

5. Grading: Material coveredPoints MIDTERM 11/440 MIDTERM 21/440 MIDTERM 31/440 FINALall80 WEEKLY LAB EXERCISES Several guided field experiments or observations, writing assignments 50 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT up to you50 TOTAL300 Pass: 120(lec)+60(lab)

6. 2.How you get information. http://www.bio.txstate.edu/~schwinn/Ecology (or through TRACS or the department’s faculty web pages)

7. 3. What is ecology?

8. Ecology Ernst Häckel (1866) “Ökologie”: the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the environment. Today’s definition: The scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and of the interactions that determine distribution and abundance. From greek words oikos (= house/household) + logia (= study of)

9. The distribution and abundance of organisms is a complicated thing. How can we even begin to study it scientifically? Prairie Coral Reef

10. molecular cell tissue organ organism population community ecosystem landscape biome ecosphere The hierarchy of biological organization: (Adapted from Odum & Barret, 2005) Ecology

11. 4. Why do we need math to do ecology?

12. Why Math?

14. Math is a way to express commonality in the perplexing richness of human observation and experience.

15. The richness of biological phenomena:

16. Let’s have a great semester!