Community Ecology
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Community Ecology (BIOL 4310)
& Advanced Community Ecology (BIOL 5310)
Fall 2024 - Tu & Th 11:00 a.m. - 12:20 p.m., Biology 106
Dr. Nancy McIntyre
420 Biology Bldg.
(806) 834-7977
nancy.mcintyre@ttu.edu
Office hours: Tu and Th 1:00-2:00 p.m. or by appointment (call or email to set up an in-person or virtual appointment)
Last updated: 24 March 2024 - Content on this page may change during the course of the semester. Please check this website prior to every class period in case of updates.
All items that are underlined and blue are links. You may click on any blue, underlined item for more information. Please notify me of broken links ASAP!
Expected learning outcomes: Community ecology focuses on the interactions among groups of species with each other and their environment. The objectives in this course are to provide a survey of the historical and current ideas that have created community ecology and to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each idea in order to gain an understanding of the factors that generate and limit biodiversity. Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
be able to explain the guiding principles of community ecology;
appreciate the abiotic and biotic forces that generate and maintain biodiversity;
have obtained a sense of the history and future trajectory of community ecology;
students in BIOL 5310 only: be able to perform the most common methods of data analysis used in community ecology, using the R software environment;
have skills that will allow them to apply community ecology principles in research settings;
understand why such skills are necessary to conservation and natural resources management;
be able to apply knowledge and skills learned in this class to perform analyses needed to make conservation recommendations; and
know how to make a narrated PowerPoint presentation and upload it to YouTube.
Methods for assessing expected learning outcomes: (1) in-class "test your comprehension" QR quizzes, (2) tests, (3) homework assignments on assigned readings from the primary literature, (4) homework assignments on videos, (5) biodiversity project presentation, and (6) students in BIOL 5310 only: homework assignments in R on common analyses performed in community ecology.
Grading, BIOL 4310:
5% in-class "test your comprehension" QR quizzes
15% first test
15% second test
15% third test
15% fourth test
5% homework assignments on videos (8 assignments), done via Google Forms
5% homework assignments on readings (6 papers), done via Google Forms
25% biodiversity project presentation
Grading, BIOL 5310:
5% in-class "test your comprehension" QR quizzes
10% first test
10% second test
10% third test
10% fourth test
5% homework assignments on videos (8 assignments), done via Google Forms
5% homework assignments on readings (6 papers), done via Google Forms
20% R assignments (10 assignments)
25% biodiversity project presentation
Assignments:
Tests: Tests will be mixed-format (i.e., short-answer questions, definitions, essays, multiple-choice, etc.).
Video homework assignments: You will answer some questions about short, publicly accessible videos on various community ecology-related topics. You will submit your answers via Google Forms; the Google Forms URL will be sent to you via email and will contain embedded links to the videos.
Readings: Some classic papers in PDF format will be assigned for homework (links are provided below in the table with dates/topics/assignments). The homework assignments will assess your ability to summarize, explain, and reflect on some of the primary literature in community ecology. When you read the assigned discussion papers, this should not simply be a passive exercise. Instead, you must make it active, which will cement your learning. To be an active reader, you must have your computer or paper and pencil at hand, to jot down notes, questions that come to your mind, and so forth. For each paper, you should be asking yourself the following:
1. What is the main point of the paper?
2. What study organisms were examined?
3. Where was the study located?
4. Were any specialized terms used? What do they mean?
5. What kind of study was performed: An experiment? In lab or field or both? Were there adequate controls, replication, and randomization? Or was there no experiment, just observation?
6. How strong was the evidence presented? Was it presented as words, graphs, tables, or some other format? Did it convince you of the author’s claims? What would you do differently to make a more convincing case?
R assignments (students in BIOL 5310 only): Students in BIOL 5310 will have several assignments, using the R software environment, to give them first-hand experience with the types of data analyses performed in community ecology (e.g. calculating diversity indices, orgdination, etc.). R is now the world's leading analytical program; gaining experience in R will be a very valuable (and marketable) learning experience.
Biodiversity project: Later in the semester you will be given an Excel spreadsheet with community data to analyze to make a hypothetical conservation recommendation; you will then present a report of your findings in video format that will be uploaded to YouTube. In lieu of a comprehensive final exam, this project is meant to encapsulate a synthesis of many topics we will have covered throughout the semester and give you an opportunity to apply your knowledge. More details will be forthcoming later in the semester.
Note: questions about assignments posed within 24 hours of the due date will not be answered. In addition, questions may not be answered quickly over weekends or holidays.
Because achieving mastery of content is the most important outcome of this class, you will have the opportunity to make an appointment to come see me to discuss any parts of your assignments (homeworks, tests) where you did not receive full points; demonstration of understanding of why you had something marked wrong and of what the correct answer is will result in full credit being awarded for that question. This must be done within one week of an assignment being returned to you. Furthermore, the assignment must be fully complete to be eligible for resubmission.
Materials needed for this class:
Computer with an internet connection: You will be using the internet to access the syllabus and using online forms to complete some assignments. I will send out announcements and assignments via email; please make sure that I have your current TTU email address on file, and check to ensure that emails from me are not going to your Junk folder. If you do not have a computer:
There are computers in the Main Library's ATLC that you can use.
A limited number of laptops are available for loan from TTU's IT Division; use your TTU email address to send an email request to verify.ithelpcentral@ttu.edu and provide your phone number, Tech ID number (R number), and equipment requested.
Smartphone with a camera: You will need a smartphone with a camera to be able to read QR codes displayed in class for in-class quizzes. (If you do not have a smartphone with a camera, please let me know ASAP; I have a "Plan B" that can be deployed on an individual basis.)
Software (students in BIOL 5310 only):
R - https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/ - there are computers in the ATLC (Main Library) that have R
RStudio - https://www.rstudio.com/products/rstudio/download/ - there are computers in the ATLC (Main Library) that have RStudio
If your computer does not already have built-in zip software: 7-Zip - this lets you compress/uncompress large files and folders - https://www.7-zip.org/download.html
TTU’s official policies concerning academic honesty, special accommodations for students with disabilities, student absences for observance of religious holy days, and accommodations for pregnant students:
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/tlpdc/RequiredSyllabusStatements.php
Absences/missed assignments: Make-up assignments will be given only in the event of an excused absence. Please be advised that absences for clubs and club sports teams, even if they are recognized TTU Student Organizations, are technically considered unexcused absences as per the TTU Operating Policies and Procedures Manual 34.06. For University-approved curricular and extracurricular activities, verifiable documentation must be presented to the instructor(s) at least one week prior to the first absence; students are responsible for the material missed.
Important notes & helpful hints:
1. Taking good notes in class is crucial. We will cover a large amount of material, most of it rather theoretical in nature. If, at any time, you do not understand the concepts being discussed, please speak up! If after doing so you feel that you still do not grasp the subject, please come see me at office hours (or make an appointment for another time slot) to ensure that you comprehend the material.
2. There are outlines of lecture notes available on this website. Downloading these outlines is NOT an adequate substitute for attending class or for taking notes of your own in class. They are meant to be supplements, not substitutions. These outlines are designed to give you an idea of the flow of each lecture; you are supposed to take notes of your own on each lecture. Listening and understanding is not enough--you must be engaged in active learning (with the “active” part being the activity of taking notes). Education is not a spectator sport!
3. Look over the online notes before attending lecture.
4. There has been a strong positive correlation between attendance and performance. Do not be lulled into thinking that because there are note outlines online, you can miss class and expect to comprehend the material.
5. There is no required textbook for this course, but there are some textbooks out there that you may wish to consult for more information about the topics we will cover. I draw lecture materials from:
Mittelbach, G.G., and B.J. McGill. 2019. Community Ecology, 2nd edition. Oxford University Press.
Morin, P.J. 2011. Community Ecology, 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
Lecture note outlines (Microsoft Word documents): Notes may be periodically updated. Notes updated during the semester will be marked with the date they were updated; check back before every class period in case of updates. For the readings, you may need to download Adobe Reader first to read the PDFs.
(Note: dates are not yet updated for F24.)
Data for R assignments (for students in BIOL 5310 only):
brycesite.zip - this is a zipped folder that contains the file brycesite.R; download it and extract the file to your computer
bryceveg.zip - this is a zipped folder that contains the file bryceveg.R; download it and extract the file to your computer
data_sources_info.docx - this is a Word document with information about each dataset listed above
Career links for jobs in community ecology and other environmental fields:
2. Environmental Career Opportunities
3. Jobs and internships with the Ecological Society of America
4. The federal government employs lots of ecologists (including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey [also covers biology!], and the Environmental Protection Agency); click here for more U.S. government job listings.
5. The U.S. Departments of Defense and Interior hire biologists.
6. Check out state fish and wildlife departments. Here is the link to jobs with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; different states’ agencies may have different names.
7. Other state government agencies also hire biologists, such as the Department of Transportation (link to TXDot), and environmental regulatory agencies (such as TCEQ).
8. The Nature Conservancy has various positions in all 50 states (and overseas)
9. Texas A&M has a jobs board for various types of wildlife-related positions
10. The Wildlife Society's jobs board
11. Vacancies in Science, Engineering and Technology
12. Career advice on environmental consulting jobs
13. A Google search on "environmental consulting jobs" yields hits from companies searching for college graduates from the life sciences. Also search on “clean energy jobs,” “sustainability jobs,” and “green jobs.”