Spring 2007

(Syllabus Revised: 9 January 2007)

Biol 4331: Global change ecology

Instructor: Dr. Peter H. Wyckoff

Office: Science 1375

Phone: x6347

E-Mail: wyckoffp@mrs.umn.edu

Web Page: http://cda.mrs.umn.edu/~wyckoffp/

Class: TTh 12:00-1:40

Prerequisite: Biol 3131: Ecology

Office hours: M 1:00-2:00, T 10:00-11:00, W 1:00-2:00, Th 11:00-12:00

Description

This course is designed as an advanced ecology course (Bio 3131: Ecology is a prerequisite). The themes of the course are global change and the human impact on the biosphere. As with any ecology course, the interrelatedness of the topics covered makes it hard to design a syllabus with a satisfying linear progression. We will start the semester working through portions of an ecosystem-oriented global change text: Biogeochemistry by Schlesinger. After spring break, we will focus on two big, newsworthy issues: climate change and agriculture.

Readings

Texts:

Schlesinger, W. H. 1997. Biogeochemistry: an analysis of global change (2 nd edition). Academic Press, San Diego .

Pimm, S. L. 2001. The world according to Pimm: a scientist audits the earth . McGraw-Hill , New York .

Reserved readings:

Baldocchi, D. (2005). "The carbon cycle under stress." Nature 437 : 483-484.

Breon, F. (2006). "How do aerosols affect cloudiness and climate?" Science 313 : 623-624.

Broecker, W. (2004). "Future global warming scenarios." Science 304 : 388.

Dukes, J. (2003). “Burning buried sunshine: human consumption of ancient solar energy.” Climatic Change 61 : 31-44.

Eickhout, B., A. F. Bouwman and H. v. Zeijts (2006). "The role of nitrogen in world food production and environmental sustainability." Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 116 : 4-14.

FAO (2006). Livestock's long shadow: environmental issues and options , United Nations : 414.

Finzi, A. et al. (2006). "Progressive nitrogen limitation of ecosystem processes under elevated CO 2 in a warm-temperate forest." Ecology 87 : 15-25.

Gibbs, S., P. Bown, J. A. Sessa, T. Bralower and P. Wilson (2006). "Nannoplankton extinction and origination across the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum." Science 314 : 1770-1773.

Gedney, N. et al. (2006). "Detection of direct carbon dioxide effect in continental river runoff records." Nature 439 : 835-838.

Hansen, J. et al. (2005). "Earth's energy imbalance: confirmation and implications." Science 308 : 1431-1435.

Keppler, F., J. Hamilton, M. Brab and T. Rockmann (2006). "Methane emissions from terrestrial plants under aerobic conditions." Nature 439 : 187-191.

Kolbert, E. (2006). “The darkening sea.” The New Yorker : 66-75.

Long, S., E. Ainsworth, A. Rogers and D. Ort (2004). "Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide: plants FACE the future." Annual Review of Plant Biology 55 : 591-628.

Meehl, G. A. and C. Tebaldi (2004). "More intense, more frequent, and longer lasting heat waves in the 21st century." Science 305 : 994-996.

Mohan, J., L. H. Ziska, W. H. Schlesinger, R. Thomas, R. Sicher, K. George and J. S. Clark (2006). "Biomass and toxicity responses of poison ivy ( Toxicodendron radicans ) to elevated atmospheric CO 2 ." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103 : 9086-9089.

Murray, T. (2006). " Greenland 's ice on the scales." Nature 443 : online.

Pacala, S. and R. Socolow (2004). "Stabilization wedges: solving the climate problem for the next 50 years with current technologies." Science 305 : 968-972.

Parmesan, C. (2006). "Ecological and evoutionary responses to recent climate change." Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 37 : 637-659.

Ragauskas, A. (2006). "The path forward for biofuels and biomaterials." Science 311 : 484-489.

Reich, P. et al. 2001. “Plant diversity enhances ecosystem responses to elevated CO2 and nitrogen deposition.” Nature 410: 809-810.

Reich, P., S. Hobbie and et al. (2006). "Nitrogen limitation constrains sustainability of ecosystem response to CO 2 ." Nature 440 : 922-925.

Russell, M. (2006). "First Life." American Scientist 94 : 32-39.

Tilman, D et al. 2001. “Diversity and productivity in a long-term grassland experiment.” Science 294 : 843-845.

Tilman, D., J. Hill and C. Lehman (2006). "Carbon-negative biofuels from low-input high-diversity grassland biomass." Science 314 : 1598-1600.

Wigley, T. M. (2006). "A combined mitigation/geoengineering approach to climate stabilization." Science 314 : 452-454.

Wilts, A. R., D. C. Reicosky, R. R. Allmaras and C. E. Clapp (2004). "Long-term corn residue effects: harvest alternatives, soil carbon turnover, and root-derived carbon." Soil Science Society of America Journal 68 : 1342-1351.

Tentative Class Schedule

Final Exam

Tuesday, May 8, 8:30-10:30

Grades

Participation 100

Assignments

1. Bar napkin ecology (2 problem sets) 100

2. Carbon emissions at UMM 75

3. Biomass as a heating source for UMM 75

4. Literature review paper (10 pages) 150

5. Oral presentation of ecological literature (15 minutes) 100

Assignment Total 500

Exam 1 125

Exam 2 125

Final exam 150

Exam Total 400

---------------------------

Overall Total 1000

At worst: A = 90-100%; B = 80-90%; C = 70-80%; D = 60-70%; F < 60%.

I may curve up, but I will not curve down.

Grade expectations

Satisfactory work demonstrating a simple, but largely complete, grasp of the course material will receive a “C.” An “A” or a “B” requires you to demonstrate more thought and sensitivity to nuance.

Partial credit on problems and calculations will only be given if you show your work. If I explicitly ask you to show your work on a homework or exam problem, then a mere answer is not enough (even a correct answer)—you must show me how you reached your answer.

On average, this course should require 12 hours a week of work (4 credits* 3 hours a week per credit). That means that you should expect to work an average of 8 hours a week outside of class. If the work associated with this class appears to be either too light or excessive, please let me know.

Policy on incomplete grades

In accordance with University policy, incomplete grades will only be awarded under extraordinary circumstances. Normally, I will only consider awarding an incomplete in cases where illness or family emergency prevent a student from completing the last assignments in a course (end of the semester projects, final exams, etc.). You can only be eligible for an incomplete if your average on all graded, completed work is greater than an F.

Attendance policy

Lecture attendance is not mandatory, but I will take attendance and deduct 5 participation points for each unexcused absence . Tests will be based primarily on material covered in class.

Excused absences will be granted for family emergencies, illness, varsity athletic events, and other official university functions. Written documentation for excused absences must be submitted and can be obtained from health services or chancellor's office.

Late work policy

Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be turned in at the beginning of class on the day they are due (though they will not be counted as late if in by 5:00). Late assignments lose 20% of their value for each day or portion of a day they are late (not counting weekends). For example, if an assignment is due on a Friday, and you turn it in Tuesday, the assignment is 2 days late and thus only worth 60% of its original value.

Policy on Academic Honesty

I have no tolerance for cheating or plagiarism. Any paper, assignment or examination showing signs of academic dishonesty will be investigated. If I suspect dishonesty, I will notify the student that we must meet to discuss the matter. Failure to respond to a request for such a meeting will be taken as an admission of guilt. The standard penalty for dishonesty will be a grade of “0” on the assignment in question. In egregious cases, I will give an “F” for the course grade. In accordance with University policy, I will report any penalties levied to the vice chancellor for student affairs. Penalized students then have the right to appeal.

Any work submitted by a student must be written in his or her own words (i.e. you cannot simply copy or paraphrase textbooks, other written sources, or work submitted by other students). In the case of group work submitted with multiple names, I will assume that all have contributed equally. For homework and problem sets, I encourage students to work together, but that cannot mean that one student simply copies from another.

Extra credit policy

I may periodically offer extra credit as an incentive to participate in activities that are related to class, but not otherwise required—public lectures, service projects, etc. Extra credit cannot be used to raise your final course grade more than one step—i.e. a C- to a C or a B+ to an A-. Thus, any extra credit earned beyond 40-50 points will enrich your soul, but cannot enrich your grade.

Disability Accommodations

I will make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities or special needs upon request.