ESM 201 Syllabus           Version Date 11/25/2008

Week

Topics

Readings

1. Scale and complexity in ecology
 

9/29 - 10/3

Introduction to Applied Ecology and Environmental Management;

Ecology Online Resources

Assignment 1: What do ecologists do anyway?

McPherson_Ch.1

Schneider (2001)

2. Autecology, energy balance and climate change

10/6-10/10

Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Biophysical Ecology, Species ranges, Species Responses to Climate Change

Assignment 2: Predicting species responses to climate change.

Gates Ch 2

Newman Ch. 2

Parmesan (2006)

3.  Population ecology and fisheries Management

(10/13-10/17)

Marine ecosystems, Population biology, Food webs, Harvest models, Sustainable yield, Aquaculture

Assignment 3: The relationship of marine reserves to biodiversity and fishery sustainability 

Newman Ch. 5

Pauley et al. 2002

Naylor and Burke 2005

4. Species interactions and pest management

(10/20-10/24)

Agroecosystems, Species interactions, Invasive exotic species, Biological control agents

Assignment 4: Biological control of  pest species: benefits and risks

Newman Ch. 8

Ecological Society of America (2000)

Sakai et al. (2001)

5.   Community Ecology and Range Management

(10/27-10/31)

Grassland ecosystems, herbivory, disturbance theory, community diversity

Newman Ch. 6

Auguustine and Frank (1998)

6 Forest Management

(11/3-11/7)

Forest ecosystems, Controls on forest growth, Plant population dynamics, Disturbance theory

Assignment 5: Forest carbon sequestration; Fire management in fire-prone ecosystems

Newman Ch. 7

Ecological Society of America 2000

Perry (1998)

7  Urban Ecosysems

(11/10-11/14) 

Urban ecosystems, landscape ecology, road system ecology

Pickett et al. (2001)

Luck et al (2001)

8  Species conservation

(11/17-11/21) 

Levels and measures of biodiversity, Island biogeography, Population Viability Analysis, Metapopulations, Reserve siting and design.

Assignment 6: Metapopulation dynamics, reserve design and reserve management

Armsworth et al. (2004)

Soule (1991)

Margules and Pressey (2000)

9 Restoration of Communities

(11/24-11/26)

Ecological Succession, Dispersal and supply side ecology, community assembly theory

Assignment 7: Adaptive management for ecosystem restoration

Newman Ch. 11

Zedler et al. 2001

10 Review and Synthesis

(12/1-12/5)

Frontiers in Applied Ecology

Socio-ecological scenarios

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005

Sutherland (2006)