Geography 309 - Plants, People and the Ecosystem
03
MWF:
9:30am – 10:20am
INSTRUCTOR: Toshi Ikagawa, Ph.D.
OFFICE: Saunders 404
OFFICE
HOURS: MW: 10:30am – 11:30am
TELEPHONE: 956-3521; ikagawa@hawaii.edu
EFFECTIVE DATE: Spring 2007
Our Mission
Leadership • Excellence • Innovation
Our Vision
Mānoa is a premier research institution whose
scholars are leaders in their disciplines and whose students are prepared for
leadership roles in society. Mānoa strives for excellence in teaching,
research, and public service. Mānoa is an innovative institution,
comfortable with change. Mānoa celebrates its diversity and uniqueness as
a Hawaiian place of learning. We build on our strengths including our
unparalleled natural environment and tradition of outstanding Asia-Pacific
scholarship.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Introduction to ecosystem concept; environmental
adaptations for energy and nutrient transfer; characteristics, dynamics,
productivity, and distribution of principal vegetation communities. Human
dominance. Pre: sophomore standing or higher, or consent.
Activities
Required at Scheduled Times Other Than Class Times
One half-day field trip
will be held:
February 17
(Saturday) to Hawai‘i Nature Center (in Makiki)
At the completion of the
course, the student should learn to:
1. Describe
the components (inputs), processes (actions) and resulting spatial patterns (outputs)
of the natural environment as a system
(ecosystem).
2. Apply
the scientific method, and theories and concepts of biogeography to explain the nature and distribution
of living things in space and time.
3. Explain
critically the interaction of humans
and the biological environment.
REQUIREMENTS
COURSE SATISFIES
At UHM: Meets
Biological Science general education requirements (DB).
RECOMMENDED
BASIC SKILLS LEVEL
Ability to read and write at a
college level
Required Textbook: Biogeography: An Ecological and Evolutionary
Approach (7th Ed.) by Cox,
Barry C. and Peter D. Moore, 2005
COURSE
TASKS
Dear
Geography Students:
Welcome to
the Geography 309 course. The course will investigate the nature and
distribution of living things in space and time. It will survey current theory
that attempts to explain why are there so many, or so few, species in various
places, why are they distributed as they are and for how long have they
occupied a particular space. The role that human beings have played in both
changing species distribution patterns and altering species themselves (by
artificial selection and genetic engineering) will be discussed. The nature of
ecosystem form and function will be illustrated with case studies.
Assignments:
It is assumed that you read and
understand all the assigned part of the textbook before each class
period (see the class schedule attached). During and after each class you will
write a learning log which will be
counted toward your final grade. There may also be non-prescheduled pop-quizzes and/or assignments in any
classes, which will be counted toward your final grade.
Attendance/participation:
Attendance is mandatory, and presence/absence will be evaluated by roll call (signup
sheet) and participation is
evaluated by class participation and learning logs. It is assumed that you know
and understand all the materials covered in all lectures (part of which may not
be covered in the textbook).
Also, any changes in the
content/material/schedule/procedure related to the class, announced during any
class period will stand, even if you are not there. It is your responsibility
to obtain such information from your classmate or any other sources, if you
miss any lectures.
ASSESSMENT
TASKS AND GRADING
Student Evaluation:
There will be one midterm exams
(30% of the total grades), one final exam (30%
of the total grades), three short papers (10% of the total grade each; total
30%), and attendance/participation
(10% of the total grades) for the evaluation.
Short Paper Topics
Three writing assignments (and
class presentations) will be required that together count for 30% of the grade.
The topics, weighting and deadlines are indicated below. Please note that
penalties will be imposed on papers handed in after the deadline. For each day
the paper is late, points will be deducted representing 10% of the score.
Papers may be handed in during class or can be delivered my mailbox in the
Geography Department office (Saunders 445) by 4:00pm on the due date.
All writing assignments should
exceed 1000 words (three pages, double spaced with normal margins and 10 - 12
font).
Your paper must have a
bibliography listing all the works consulted including books, articles,
websites or audio-visual material.
1. Plant species. Select
one plant species seen during the Campus Plant Walk and write an essay based on
library research. Include in your report Latin and common names, botanical affinities
(other closely related plants), place of origin, natural habitat, usefulness to
humans, places where it is cultivated and any other significant botanical or
cultural information.
DUE: Friday 2 February.
2. Field trip report.
Write an account of your observations during the field trip to Hawai‘i Nature
Center (Makiki Valley) to observe forest management. Discuss the management
methods that have been used to protect and restore O‘ahu’s watershed forest and
the condition of the site.
DUE: Friday 16 March
3. Aliens, Adventives, Weeds.
Select one plant for which you can demonstrate a range expansion that is
related to human activity. Identify the former range of the plant and the
timing of spread. Discuss the factors that made this range expansion possible
and the ecological consequences of this change.
DUE Friday 27 April
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Participation (via learning logs) will be
used to evaluate each student’s achievement of course objectives listed above,
especially #3: Be able
to assess the interaction of humans and the biological environment.
Because these learning logs are record of
class participation and will be done in class, students missing class regularly (i.e. more than 10%
of classes), thus missing learning
logs, cannot be assessed for these objectives and
therefore will not be able to pass the course.
Please mark
your calendar now.
|
Items |
Material Covered |
Date |
|
Midterm |
Chapters 1-5, & 8-10; lectures |
3/9/07 |
|
Final |
Chapters
6,7, & 11-15; lectures |
5/7/07 |
|
Field
trip |
Hawai‘i
Nature Center |
2/17/07 |
|
Paper
1 |
Plant species |
2/2/07 (4th week) |
|
Paper
2 |
Field trip report |
3/16/07
(10th week) |
|
Paper
3 |
Aliens,
adventives, weeds |
4/27/07
(15th week) |
|
Learning
logs |
Opinions, reactions (not summary) |
Due
on the end of each class |
NOTE: Exams cover both lectures and
the textbook. It is mandatory to attend all the lectures. Each exam includes
(1) multiple-choice questions, including true/false questions and (2) any
possible essay type questions. When you study, it is strongly recommended to
check ideas and concepts using the textbook. Review questions may be
distributed.
Academic dishonesty: (SERIOUS WARNING!!)
Academic dishonesty such as
cheating and plagiarism that may occur in this class will be severely punished.
It most likely will result in immediate dismissal from the class. In other
words, “DON’T DO IT” even if you have noble reasons to do so. It is NOT worth a
try it in this class.
Grading uses the standard scale:
A: 90.0-100.0%, B: 80.0-89.9%; C: 70.0-79.9%, D: 60.0-69.9%,
F: 0-59.9%.
For Cr/NC options, Incomplete (“I” grade), and “W” grade,
see the UH College Catalog.
There is no “N” grade in this class.
NOTE:
1. There is NO
extra credit work.
2. Make-up
exams will be all essay type.
COURSE
CONTENT
Plants, People
and the Ecosystem (GEOG 309) Schedule
Subjects (Reading assignment of Textbook)
WEEK 1 (Chapters 1 & 2)
INTRODUCTION
1.
Introduction
to the class
2.
Research
example: Residential gardens of Honolulu
3.
What
is biogeography?
WEEK 2 (Chapter 3)
PART 1: ECOSYSTEM
CONCEPTS
4.
Ecosystem
5.
Campus
plant walk
WEEK 3 (Chapter 4)
6.
Plant
taxonomy
7.
Community
concept
WEEK 4 (Chapter 5)
PART 2:
PHYSICAL FOUNDATIONS
8.
History
of Earth
9.
PAPER
1 PRESENTATION (2/2/07)
WEEK 5 (Chapter 8)
10.
Biosphere
11.
Atmosphere
WEEK 6 (Chapter 9)
12.
Hydrosphere
WEEK 7 (Chapter 10)
13.
Glaciations
14.
Climate
WEEK 8 (Chapter 6)
15.
Lithosphere
WEEK 9
16.
Review for
Midterm
17.
Midterm Exam
WEEK 10 (Chapter 7)
PART 3: BIOGEOGRAPHIC
PATTERNS
18.
Evolution
19.
PAPER 2 PRESENTATION (3/16/07)
WEEK 11 (Chapter 11)
20.
Island biogeography
SPRING BREAK
WEEK 12 (Chapter 12)
21.
Native flora & fauna
WEEK 13 (Chapter 13)
22.
Aquatic environment
WEEK 14 (Chapter 14)
PART 4: THE
HUMAN IMPACTS
23.
Ethnobotany
24.
Agriculture
WEEK 15 (Chapter 15)
25.
Nature-human relationship
26.
PAPER 3 PRESENTATION (4/27/07)
WEEK 16
27.
Summary
28.
Review for Final
Exam
WEEK 17
29.
Final Exam (5/7/07)
NOTE:
Schedule/subjects may change without prior notice.
Legal assumptions:
It is hereby assumed that you will strictly follow
all and any reasonable procedures/ethics, etc. that are enforced in this
academic institution.
Last revised:
December 18, 2006