BIOL 3780 - General Ecology
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 41187,
Credit hours: 5
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Ian Renne
Email: ijrenne@ysu.edu
Course Description
3780. General Ecology. Examination of ecological principles affecting species distributions, interactions and biodiversity; dynamics of populations, communities and ecosystems; life history evolution; origin, maintenance and loss of genetic variation; mechanisms of speciation and extinction; experimental design and analysis. Three hours lecture, four hours lab. Prereq.: BIOL 2602. 5 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | Textbook (optional) |
Any good General Ecology textbook is recommended but not required (e.g.,
Stiling; Ricklefs and Relyea; Molles). Supplementary PDFs may be provided.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Introduction | No lab/campus walk (lab) |
| 8/31 | Darwin, population genetics | Field trip (1) |
| 9/7 | Natural selection | Field trip (1) |
| 9/14 | Speciation | Quiz (week 4 or 5, lecture) Field trip (1) |
| 9/21 | Extinction | Field trip (1) |
| 9/28 | Behavioral ecology | Field trip (1) |
| 10/5 | Biomes, ecophysiology (?) | Field trip (1) |
| 10/12 | Ecophysioloy (?) |
Field trip test (2, lab) Project discussion |
| 10/19 | Life-history strategies, population ecology | Exam 1 (4; lecture, week 8 or 9) Reading/video |
| 10/26 | Population ecology, dispersal | Reading/video |
| 11/2 | Competition, herbivory/predation, parasitism (Coevolution) |
Reading/video |
| 11/9 | Community ecology | Reading/video |
| 11/16 | Functional traits, succession Ecosystem ecology |
Misc. read or library time |
| 11/23 | Island biogeography | Thanksgiving |
| 11/30 | Seed ecology, conservation | Student presentations (3) Exam 2 (4; lecture) |
| 12/7 | Final exam (optional, see text) |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.