This lecture provides a brief overview of the Biology 205: Ecology and Adaptation Course offered at Morgan State University during Fall 2015.

1. Biology 205
Ecology and Adaptation
Fall 2015
Dr. Erik D. Davenport

2. Objectives
 Introduction of the students and instructor:
Why ecology?
 Introduction of the BIOL205.
– Syllabus, textbook, Schedule.
– Grading.
– Something important: What would make you pass
this class with a “A” or “B”.

3. About myself….
 B.S. Environmental
Science.
 M.S. Biology
 Ph.D. Bio-
Environmental Science
 Ecologist
– NOAA
– 14 yrs

4. Introduction about yourself
 Your name (speak it loudly and slowly)
 Why you want to take this class?
 What you will do after you graduate from
Morgan?
 What grade do you expect from this class?

5. Welcome to ecology
Instructor: Dr. Erik D. Davenport
Office: 166 Key Hall
Office hours: By appointment. E-mail me anytime I will
respond with in 24hrs.
Contact info: erik.davenport@morgan.edu

6. Course required textbook:
 Molles, M.C. 2012. Ecology: Concepts and
Applications. Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill,
Boston
 Lab text: Brower J.E. Field and Laboratory
Methods for General Ecology, 5th edition
McGraw-Hill. (only for reference, the lab
materials will be distributed during the class)

7. Course description:
 This course deals with the study of the interactions among
living things and their environments.
 As an introductory course in ecology, we will explore key
principles of ecology through consideration of ecological
theory, case studies, and management applications.
 The topics are arranged by levels of organization,
including individual organisms, populations, communities
and ecosystems, and landscape to global levels.
 Our goal will be to integrate across these levels of
organization to provide a synthetic framework for
understanding ecological issues.

8. Course requirements:
 First undergraduate course in ecology.
 Students should have basic chemistry and
mathematics knowledge.
 Students should have had a course in general biology.
 Students should be comfortable with Windows
operating systems, word and excel programs, and to
have regular access to email and the World Wide
Web
 All course materials (lecture notes, assignments,
Lab introduction, exam review) are all on
Blackboard.
 Activate your Morgan mymail account.

9. Course objectives / Learning
goals:
 To provide students with an understanding of the key
ecological processes: water and nutrient cycles, energy
flow, species composition changes, population dynamics;
 To introduce students to ecological concepts that provide a
foundation for understanding present and future
environmental issues;
 To provide an opportunity for students to learn about
environmental issues that are critical today, including
population growth, natural resource management,
biodiversity, global change, food production, changing
habitats;
 To help students learn to think critically about information
they receive regarding environmental issues.

10. Grading
 2 section exams @ 100 points each
 Final exam, the last section of the course, @ 100 points.
 Class project @ 100 points. A term paper and class presentation is required.(
For more details, please see the syllabus, information will also be given during
the class)
 Lab and assignments: 9 lab exercises during the whole semester, each lab
@20 points, so total points are 180 points.
 Six quiz @ 10 pts each. Four highest scores will be counted toward your
grade, (two lowest will be dropped). However, no makeup for quiz.
 Total of 620 possible points.
 The final grade will be calculated as the percentage of the total.

11. Class attendance
 Class attendance is expected and mandatory!
 For absence due to illness, please inform instructor in
advance via phone or email. In case of an emergency,
please inform instructor as soon as possible.
 Attendances will be taken at the beginning of the class
during the semester for student class attendance record.
 To encourage class attendance, students with good
class attendance record may receive some leeway if
they are in the borderline positions for grades.

12. Classroom courtesy and civility
 I expect you to pay attention and participate where
appropriate when you are in class. That means I
don’t want to see you reading the paper, doing
homework for another class, talking, or sleeping. If
you decide to come to class, be prepared to take
notes, ask questions, and participate.
 Furthermore, ALL CELL PHONES, PAGERS,
IPODS, and other electronic devices must be
turned off and put away (i.e., out of sight) for the
duration of class.

13. About Blackboard
 During the semester, I will post many important
documents on Morgan Blackboard, such as
syllabus, lecture notes, lab introduction and
assignment, study guides for the exams, and
your grades for each lab assignment, quiz,
and exam.
 There will be several active learning modules
on blackboard.
 The lab assignments will be submitted via
blackboard.
 It is your responsibility to check it frequently,
at least once a week, to see if there is any
updated information.

14. About email communication
 Students MUST comply with the University
mandate that ALL email communication
between faculty and students MUST utilize
MSU email addresses. If you are having any
difficulty with your MSU email account,
please notify the Help Desk [ext. 4357
(HELP)].

15. Keys to the success of this class
 Right attitude
 Active learning
– Attend the class on time
– No cell phone during the class
– Turn in your lab assignments on time
– Read the review questions before the exams
– Talk to the instructor before it is too late.

17. Internships for environmental
sciences
 Interested in something different?
 Spend sometime doing sciences – not just reading about it.
 A research experience for undergraduate student in Aquatic
environmental sciences.
 Making money…..
 More information will be given by Dr. Clark (Director of Morgan
State University Estuarine Research Center).
 You can find the application package at:
 http://www.morgan.edu/Estuarine_Research_Center/Environm
ental_Education_Program/Summer_Internship_Program.html

18. Any questions????
Have a successful and productive semester