Sec. 001  10:30-11:45 Tuesday and Thursday   Robinson Hall B106

Textbook: Newman, Edward I.. 2000. Applied Ecology and Environmental Management. 2nd Ed. Blackwell Science, Ltd.,  Oxford, UK. 396p.

Date  Topic       Text Chapter

Aug 27  Introduction (term papers? article discussions?) 1
Aug 29  Energy, carbon balance, and global climate change 2
Sep 3
Sep 5
Sep 10  Water       3
Sep 12
Sep 17  Soil       4
Sep 19
Sep 24  Test 1
Sep 26  Fish from the sea     5
Oct 1
Oct 3
Oct 8  Management of grazing lands    6
Oct 10
Oct 15  No class (Monday schedule)
Oct 17  Management of forests    7
Oct 22
Oct 24
Oct 29  Pest Control      8
Oct 31
Nov 5  Test 2
Nov 7  Pollution      9
Nov 12
Nov 14  Conservation of wild species    10
Nov 19
Nov 21  Restoration of communities    11
Nov 26
Nov 28  Thanksgiving break
Dec 3
Dec 5
Dec 12  Final test  (10:30-1:15)

Course prerequisites: 8 credits of biology, chemistry, or geology; 60 credits total; or permission of instructor

Course objectives: To provide an undergraduate level introduction to ecosystem concepts and their applications to natural and managed ecosystems.

Instructional methods: The course will be taught with lectures drawn from the text and the instructor’s background. Discussions among the class members will be encouraged at every class.

Grading: There will be three exams worth 100 points each. Questions will be mostly essay type, but some objective questions and graphics creation or interpretation may be included.

Honor Code statement: I believe in the GMU Honor Code and support it, and I expect all students to abide by and support it also.

Instructor contacts: 703 993-1061  dkelso@gmu.edu 3046 David King Hall
I will maintain open office hours between 9:00 and 4:00 most  days. Please call ahead to confirm my availability.
 

Topics for papers, talks, or classroom discussions:

A. Global ecosystem
deforestation
urbanization
atmospheric changes
food supply
 

B. Water
irrigation
governmental destabilization
desertification
wastewater treatment
 

C. Soil
topsoil creation
 

D. Live marine resources
control of fisheries
restoration of decimated populations
 

E. Grazing land
control of grazing pressure
restoration of “natural” prairie/ grassland
 

F. Forests
managing old growth forest
forest growth for lumber
balancing multiple goals
 

G. Pests
invasive species
wild animal diseases
disease vector management

 
H. Pollution
biomagnification
restoration of toxin-damaged ecosystems
 

J. Conservation of wild species
single species conservation
community or habitat conservation
ecosystem conservation
 

K. Restoration of communities
wetlands (marshes, riparian woodland, Everglades, mangroves)
streams
seagrass beds
coral reefs
oyster reefs