BIOGEOGRAPHY 490/690: Spring 2009
CLASS TIME: Monday and Wednesday, 2:30-3:45, BHS 130
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Brett Riddle
OFFICE: 102 FMA
PHONE: 895-3133
EMAIL: brett.riddle@unlv.edu
OFFICE HOURS: 1:00-2:00 Monday and Wednesday
TEXT:
Lomolino, Riddle, and Brown. 2006. Biogeography, Third Edition. Sinauer Assoc., Inc.
ISBN: 0-87893-062-0
Internet: www.sinauer.com
GRADING:
|
|
|
490 |
690 |
|
A. |
4 Exams (3 mid-term, 1 final) |
90% |
80% |
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B. |
misc. assignments |
10% |
5% |
|
C. |
Graduate research paper |
0% |
15% |
WHAT WILL THIS COURSE COVER?
As you will discover the first week, biogeography includes an extremely broad range of subjects including evolution, ecology, paleontology, geology and climatology. This is because many different processes are involved in determining the distribution and diversity of organisms, and explanations differ in their importance depending on whether one is interested in global, intracontinental, oceanic island, or mountain island distributions and diversity. What kinds of ecological and geological processes are causally associated with biogeographic patterns and processes? What can biogeographic patterns tell us about the evolution of organisms, populations, species, and ecological interactions among these groups? To what extent and in what ways are we changing global biogeographic pattern through species invasions, extinctions, habitat destruction, and climate change?
I will first introduce the study of biogeography, and then survey the history of biogeography as a field of study. The rest of the semester will be devoted to: 1) examining patterns and processes that can explain origination, maintenance, and changes in biotic distributions and diversity; 2) introducing methods of analysis in biogeography; and 3) relating biogeographic pattern and process to the conservation of biodiversity.
UNLV STATEMENT ON DISABILITY:
The UNLV Disability Resource Center (DRC) houses the resources for students with disabilities. If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, you will need to contact the DRC for the coordination of services. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC), Room 137. Their numbers are: (702) 895-0866/Voice; (702) 895-0652/TDD; and (702) 895-0651/Fax. For additional information please visit http://www.unlv.edu/studentlife/drc.
UNLV STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
“No form of academic dishonesty is acceptable…” This is a long statement you can read elsewhere…the first seven words pretty much says it all however, right?
UNLV STATEMENT ON RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS:
As a general rule, a student missing a class or laboratory assignment because of observance of a religious holiday shall have the opportunity to make up missed work. Students must notify the instructor of anticipated absences by the last day of late registration, September 2, to be assured of this opportunity.
UNLV STATEMENT ON COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE:
The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. YOU ARE INDIVIDUALLY AND SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VIOLATIONS OF COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE LAWS. THE UNIVERSITY WILL NEITHER PROTECT NOR DEFEND YOU NOR ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT VIOLATIONS OF FAIR USE LAWS. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies. To familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright website at: http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright/.
EXAMINATION POLICIES:
Students will be expected to take the scheduled exams at the scheduled dates and times. Legitimate exceptions may be granted in discussion with the instructor prior to the exam, in which case an alternative examination date and time will be scheduled. The instructor is not required to provide make-up exams if prior permission to miss the scheduled examination date has been discussed and granted.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:
Students will be encouraged to actively participate in class discussions. You will be expected to generally attend all lectures during scheduled times. You will be expected to produce assigned readings summaries within the allotted time frame.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will have an understanding of:
THE HISTORY OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
DISTRIBUTIONS OF SPECIES AND COMMUNITIES
PHYSICAL DETERMINANTS OF BIOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTIONS
GEOGRAPHY OF SPECIATION, DISPERSAL, ENDEMISM
DETERMINANTS OF ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHIC PATTERN AND PROCESS
DETERMINANTS OF CONTINENTAL BIOGEOGRAPHIC PATTERN AND PROCESS
THE BIOGEOGRAPHY OF CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Assessment of learning/outcome objectives will be based on lecture exams, classroom participation and attendance, ability to read and synthesize assigned materials, and completion of miscellaneous assignments.
http://complabs.nevada.edu/~jezkovat/biogeography/
NOTE ON WEB OUTLINES OF LECTURE TOPICS
I will try to post an outline of each lecture on the course web site (I don’t guarantee this to be up to date, but will give it a try). In any case, these notes will generally not be available before the lecture is delivered, AND, I do not view these as an acceptable substitute for attending the actual lecture. I will not hear arguments along the lines of: “that exam question did not reflect the web outline” if the material actually was presented during the lecture. Again, Web notes are only tools for your use in organizing concepts, not substitutes for the actual lectures.
NOTE ON USING THE LIST OF WEB SITES
For many lecture topics, I will outline a set of web sites that are relevant. I will try to identify them as either:
· REQUIRED (information that could be found on an exam)
· RECOMMEND (added depth on a particular topic)
· ENTRY INTO A TOPIC FOR A READING/WRITING ASSIGNMENT
· INTERESTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (for exploration beyond the scope of the course)
Course Website
http://complabs.nevada.edu/~jezkovat/biogeography/
Biogeography 490/690; 2:30-3:45 Mon/Wed; BHS 130
Dr. Brett R. Riddle; brett.riddle@unlv.edu; FMA 102; 895-3133
JAN 12 Reading and essay assignment
JAN 14 continue reading and essay assignment
Introduction to the Discipline
JAN 19 Holiday no class
JAN 21 Structure of the course Ch 1 The Science of Biogeography
JAN 26 Ch 1 continued Ch 2 The History of Biogeography
UNIT ONE: The Environmental Setting and Basic Biogeographic Patterns
JAN 28 Ch 3 Physical Setting: The Geographic Template
FEB 02 Ch 4 Distributions of Species: Ecological Foundations
FEB 04 Ch 5 The Geography of Communities
FEB 09 EXAM I covers unit one material
UNIT TWO: Earth History and Fundamental Biogeographic Processes
FEB 11 Ch 6 Dispersal and Immigration
FEB 16 Holiday no class
FEB 18 Ch 7 Speciation and Extinction
FEB 23 Ch 8 The Changing Earth
FEB 25 Ch 9 Glaciation and Biogeographic Dynamics of the Pleistocene
MAR 02 EXAM II covers unit two material
UNIT THREE: Evolutionary History of Lineages and Biotas
MAR 04 Ch 10 The Geography of Diversification
MAR 09 Ch 11 Reconstructing the History of Lineages
MAR 11 Ch 11 continues
MAR 23 Ch 12 Reconstructing the History of Biotas
MAR 25 Ch 12 continues
APR 01 EXAM III covers unit three material
APR 06 SPRING BREAK, NO CLASS
APR 08 SPRING BREAK, NO CLASS
UNIT FOUR: Ecological Biogeography
APR 13 Ch 13 Island Biogeography: Patterns in Species Richness
APR 20 Ch 14 Island Biogeography: Assembly and Evolution of Insular Communities
APR 22 Ch 15 Areography, Ecogeographic Rules, and Diversity Gradients
UNIT FIVE: Conservation Biogeography and the New Frontiers
APR 27 Ch 16 Biodiversity and the Geography of Extinctions
APR 29 Ch 17 Conservation Biogeography and the Biogeography of Humanity
MAY 06 EXAM IV covers units four and five material, 3:10 pm