BIOS 323 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Overview:
The course is designed to give students a broad overview of conservation biology. Lectures and discussions will focus on conservation issues such as biodiversity, extinction, management, sustained yield, invasive species and preserve design.
Prereq – Bios 201, 202 (or permission of instructir), 3 credits, Group B Biosciences*, Group III distribution, *unless counted as a lab.
Meeting place:
T, Th 10:50-12:05
Anderson Biology Lab 123
(and other times and places - see below)
Instructor:
Dr. Evan Siemann
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Anderson Biology Lab 101A
X5954 (off campus 713-348-5954)
Chris Gabler
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
X2570 (off campus 713-348-2570)
Stop by my office at your convenience or make an appointment. The TA also maintains an open door policy, so feel free to contact him or stop by his office as well.
Textbook:
None - readings will be assigned throughout the semester. The majority of these readings will be posted as pdf files on this website though there may be some readings that handed out as hard copies during class as well. These will typically be readings from the primary literature but may also include book chapters, review papers, or material from the web.
Grading:
Mid-term exam (20%): There will be a closed-book, limited time, in-class midterm exam with short and long answer questions. You are welcome to look at old exams. Their styles range from limited-time, in class exams to take-home, open-book exams and may not be representative of the exams this year.
Final exam (30%): There will be a closed-book, limited time scheduled final with short and long questions. This exam will emphasize material from later in the course but will be cumulative.
Problem sets (20%): There are four problem sets that will be assigned during the semester. Each will consist of a series of quantitative problems. Sometimes I will provide you with the data for these exercises. Sometimes you will be required to collect your own data either from the web, from short exercises or from the field. You are welcome to work in small groups on these problem sets. In fact, you are encouraged to do so. However, you will need to turn in your own set of answers and these interactions should be mutualistic and not parasitic. The top three problem set grades will count towards your grade. I realize that this can lead to a temptation to completely ignore one of the problem sets but they will help you on the exams so I encourage you to make a try at each one.
Field based exercises (30%): Conservation biology is a discipline focused on the preservation of biological diversity but it has traditionally been taught in a classroom setting. It is difficult to gain a full appreciation of the subject in the absence of real experiences related to the natural environment. Because of this, you are required to complete a short, field-based, independent research project in the area of conservation biology. This can take many forms but must have the features that it involves testing of scientific hypotheses and data must be collected in the field. The location where you do the field exercises could be on-campus or off-campus. Off-campus locations could be nearby, like Herman Brown Park or the Zoo, or distant such as in your home state over spring break. It could be an observational study in which you collect data but do not perform experimental manipulations but it could also involve manipulations. You could focus on plants, insects, birds or other taxonomic groups. You could instead focus on ecosystem attributes and not have an explicit focus on biological diversity. You are welcome to work in small groups (2, 3 or 4). The first thing that will be due is a topic proposal on Tuesday January 30th. This will include the following information: background to problem, hypothesis that you are proposing to test, types of data you propose to collect (including methods and required equipment), and anticipated methods of data analysis. I expect that these proposals will be short - no more than a single page single spaced. If you are working in a group, I need only a single topic proposal from your group. The second thing that will be due is preliminary data on Thursday March 15th. You will turn in a copy of the data that you have collected up to that point. Depending on how you are dividing up the data collection in a group, it could be appropriate to turn in individual data or a single group set of data. The final thing that is due is a poster on Tuesday, April 24th. A group would only make a single poster. You MUST be at class on this day and be prepared to discuss your poster with me and Chris and any other folks that come to see the posters. I will try to find a space better than BL 123 for us to exhibit posters.
Pop quizzes (bonus 10%): At seven haphazardly selected times during the semester, I will give short (~5 minute) pop quizzes. The top five grades will be counted as bonus points. If you are absent when the quiz is given, there will be no opportunity to make it up.
Field trips (0%): During the course of the semester, there will be several, optional field trips to local field sites. Trips may include canoe trips (Buffalo Bayou, Armand Bayou) or hiking trips and may focus on plants or animals. They will likely include weekday trips, weekend trips, night trips and day trips.
Lunches with people working in conservation (0%): I will have local people involved in conservation come and give informal presentations usually at lunch time. Pizza and drinks will be provided. In the past this has included people working for local NGOs but may also include some folks working in government or private industry. The idea of these informal get togethers is to allow you to interact with professionals working in the area of conservation biology. They will be announced in class and posted on the web sites as they are scheduled.
Regrades: If you have questions about your grade on an assignment, quiz, or exam, please give me a written regrade request within 1 week of getting your graded quiz or exam back. After 1 week, the grade is final.
Misc:
Off-campus access to web page: If you are off-campus and do not connect with Rice dial-up, you need to install the VPN software on your machine. It is free but requires a little lead time to get a user account. Follow instructions on the Rice IT website.
Honor Code: See official Rice University Honor Code policies. All exams will be pledged and must be completed in the time allotted unless arrangements are made ahead of time. Policies in Rice University’s General Announcements apply to this course.
Does this course count as a lab? Sort of... YES, you can count this course as a lab in all four biosciences majors. However, if you do this, you cannot also count it as a group B class towards the biosciences majors. You don’t have to decide which you want to count it as now, but when your major audit is done at the end of your senior year, you can only count it towards one of the requirements (i.e. it is either a lab or a group B lecture course). See Bios requirements.
Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Additionally, you will need to contact Disability Support Services in the Ley Student Center.