ECOLOGY 1
SPRING Syllabus 2012
Service Learning Focus
| Resource Links | ||
| Canada de Los Osos Ecological Reserve Map and directions | ||
Watsonville Wetland Watch Mary Paul Restoration Specialist 831-566-4938 Become a Docent Training |
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| Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Project | ||
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute | ||
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National Parks Sevice - Find a National Park & Get involved |
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State Parks Service - Find a State Park & Get involved. Here are a few to choose from Central coast State parks Asilomar Moss Landing |
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| San Francisco Bay Birding Organization | ||
| www.openspaceauthority.org | ||
| www.greenfoothills.org | ||
| The World's Biomes | ||
| Plant Animal Geology Marine life and General Natural | ||
| History of California Resource |
Lecture Notes (Powerpoint slides) |
Week | Assignment |
1-2 |
Lab 1- Meet on campus | |
Lecture notes Water and Water relations Life in the water and major water biomes
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2HomeworkBiomes handout describe the different aboitic and biotic charaterisitcs of the aquatic biomes Biome table handout Note we will fill out the terrestrial part in week 6 |
Lab 2- SL Science Alliance 3 hours Meet on campus
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Presidents holiday No class |
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Check your iLearn or email for SL opportunities! Flower and Trees lab |
Nutrient Cycling
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3 -4 View the following: Coyote Valley: Connecting People, Connecting Wildlife Read the following links and write a 2 page critique on the following articles: Coyote housing group halts funding Coyote Valley Specific Plan Gavilan College Receives Land Grant in Coyote Valley |
Critique of Should we place a price Handout HW - 1 to 2 page type critique on the article handout 'Should a price be put on the goods and sevices provided by the World's ecosystems?'
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selected slides from the following Temperature powerpoint lectures below |
Click on the following link (yellow box) and Calculate your personal Footprint 1-2 page evaluation of your Calc. Personal footprint result Due on Monday 3/7 |
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Temperature Climate Soil and Major Biomes
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6-7 | Discussions Students will actively participate during field presentations. For full credit students should engage in discussion every time we have our evening meeting and at two different Field presentation events, students should ask at least one relevant biological question (make sure you log it into your journal for credit!).
Four 8 minute Field Presentation is required Each presentation must include at least one 8.5x11 colored image printed before we leave Gavilan Campus, and 8 to 12 flash cards that state its common name, scientific name and Family. Also it must state if it’s native or non-native. If non-native include where it originated and how it was introduced. Include its Natural Habitat. What they eat? Who eats them? What animals/plants do they affect? Why are they important? Why are we concerned? Can they be used as indicator species? (indicator species=help monitor any environmental changes) Are they a “keystone” species? Endemic? How does Climate change affect them? Habitat Fragmentation and human use, Chemical, toxins and air contaminants and What is being done? What can we do? Etc. Animal Vertebrate list click hyperlink below Cal photo Berkeley link collection of animal and plant photos from around the worldAnimal Vertebrate list Plant list click hyperlink below Wildlife Resource link and Fact sheet |
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In Natural history of Califorina reader text (on reserve in the library)- Read chapter 4 Biotic Zonation p. 92-108 (grasslands, foothill, chaparral, foothill animals) Read yellow pine forest also known as mixed conifer forest p 109- 126. Read animals of the yellow pine forest (mixed conifer) p. 126-138
Recall Natural Regions of California and that the book is presented by these Regions
We Start First with the Sierra Nevada Sierra Nevada Climate Altitude Rain-shadow effect Sierra Nevada Biotic Zonation (Distribution of Communities/biomes)
Changes in Environment ( Climate, elevation) Affect the type of communities as shown below:
Community/biomes (Grasslands, Woodlands, Chaparral, Yellow Pine Forest, Lodgepole- Red Forest, Riparian Woodlands) The type of community/biome is defined by the type of Plants and therefore the typr of Animals found in that region Plants found in different communities/biomes
Animals found in differnt Communities/biomes
Niche partioning among Forest birds We will not cover now but will touch on these topics later Mountaintops Subalpine Forest ( Coniferous Forest) plants text p. 167-183 animals p. 184-186 Pinyon- Juniper Woodland (lowest of the mountain communities , or considered the uppermost desert commnity of the Coniferous Forest) Plant and Animals p. 186-190 Alpine (Tundra) p. 190 Plants and Animals
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Study lecture notes and read chapter 2 sections presented during lecture Ch. 2 p. 18-26 Ecosystems, Energy Flow, Laws of Thermodynamics, Food pyramids and Food webs Ch. 2 p. 26- 33 Cycles of Matter, Carbon cylce, and Nitrogen cycle Figures and chemical Reactions:: Fig. 2.1 Components of an ecosystem, CO2 + H20 => C6H12O6 + O2, and C6H12O6 + O2=> CO2 + H2O + energy , Fig. 2.2 Transfer of energy in ecosystems, Fig. 2.3 A pyramid of biomass, fig. 2.4 the carbon cycle, Fig. 2.5 The nitrogen cycle Terms and concepts: : Ecology, Ecosystem, Prokaryote, eukaryote, ozone, aquatic, terrestrial, theories of evololution, Biotic level (living level), Abiotic level (Nonliving level), primary producers, consumers, decomposers, autotrophic, heterotrophic, herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, carrion, chlorophyll, autotrophic, heterotrophic, matter, nutrients, minerals, cellular respiration (metabolism), detritus, biodiversity, food pyramid, pyramid of biomass, cycles of matter, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, organic matter and inorganic matter.
Pinnacles habitat restoration 10-12 and hike 1-3 (bring notebooks) Meet in LS 102 |
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Coastal ranges | Pacific Northwest Mountains (Klamath Mountains and Cascade Range)
Riparian Woodland Mixed Evergreen Forest Moist Yellow Pine forest Red Fir Forest Dry Yellow Pine Forest Coast Ranges California Deserts (Great Basin Desert, Mojave Desert, Colorado Desert) The Great Central Valley Inland Waters (Lakes, Streams) The Coastline (Tides, Marine Terraces, Intertidal Communities, Estuaries, Salt Marsh, Mud flats, Coastal Strand)
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Condor video Big Sur fire and Pinnacles |
Exam #2 Covers lectures Succession, Population Growth, Population Dynamic, Population Distribution and Abundance, as well as our Saturday outings (Point Lobos and Canada del los osos)
Due 5/7 Point Lobos critique due 5/7 Saturday Typed one-page outline of Service Learning project with a reference Name and email/phone # review and Population Distribution and Abundance |
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Milpitas SFB Bird Observatory
Bay Bird Observatory Volunteer Opportunities click here SFBBO |
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5/13 |
SL Presentations on Saturday PresentationsTurn in Presentation Outline before presenting! |
Final will cover Lecture notes for Social Relations, Speciation and Global Ecology |
| Species Interactions and Community Structure | Elkhorn Slough kayak | NOVA Video- What Darwin Never Knew |
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Final
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| Activity | Dates | |
| High Sierra Trail Crew | Sign up link http://www.trailcrew.org/reg2007temp/reg201002w.htm Location: Sierra National Forest, Madera and Merced counties |
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Santa Clara County Parks Mt. Madonna
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| Henry Coe | ||
| Redwoods Mt. Madonna | ||
Elkhorn Slough Org. Humming bird Island |
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| Student Conservation Association Pinnacles | ||
| Spring Moss trail Pinnacles | ||
Canada del Los Osos reserve Cal Deer Association |
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| Moss Landing | ||
| Coyote Valley | ||
Morgan Hill Earthday |
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| Bird Banding Demonstration SF Bay Bird Observatory in Milpitas | ||
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Watsonville Wetlands Meet on campus at 9 am and return arond 1:30 Directions to Fitz WERC From Santa Cruz From Monterey |
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