Oceanic Island Ecology

Course Objectives:
BIO 319 examines the biogeography of marine and terrestrial plants and animals on oceanic islands and adjacent waters. Examples will be drawn from Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Galapagos, and Hawaii. Learning will be tested through weekly quizzes and a final exam. This course is a prerequisite for BIO 320 Tropical Biology--San Salvador; students must pass BIO 319 with a grade of C- or better in order to participate in BIO 320 Tropical Biology--San Salvador. Students who plan to use the combination of BIO 319 and BIO 320 to fulfill an upper-level course requirement for the biology major must pass BIO 320 with a grade of C- or better.

Pre/Co-requisites:
Four biology major core courses: two at the freshman level, and two at the sophomore level.

Class Meeting Times:
Mondays, March 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4, and 11 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in Science 331; note that students with a conflict with BIO 350 Human Physiology Laboratory may need to make arrangements with Dr. Booth.

An additional class period for BIO 319 may be scheduled for one of the reading days (May 14).

Bio 319 Final Exam: May 18 4:00 - 6:00 PM Science 331.

Assigned Readings:
Carlquist, S. 1981. Chance dispersal. Scientific American. 69: 509-516.
Case, T.J. and M.L. Cody. 1987. Testing theories of island biogeography. Amer.Sci. 75: 402-411.
Goreau, T.F., N.I. Goreau, and T.J. Goreau. 1979. Corals and coral reefs. Sci. Amer. 241(2): 124-136.

Supplemental Readings:
Sealey, N. 1998. Bahamian landscapes. 2ded. Media Publishing, Nassau, Bahamas.

Discussion Topics:

March 30	Geological origin of oceanic islands. Download Powerpoint (4.25 Mb)
April 6	Quiz 1. Structure and organization of coral reefs. Download Powerpoint (29.45 Mb)
April 13	Quiz 2. Theory of island biogeography (McArthur and Wilson); plant and animal dispersal mechanisms; colonization and establishment of pioneer populations. Download Powerpoint (5.52 Mb)
April 20	Quiz 3. Continue discussion of Island Biogeography. View DVD episode on Galapagos Islands. Download Notes
April 27	Quiz 4a (Booth) and 4b (Koning). Origin of Hawaii. Review of Cladistics with Clade Critters. Evolution of organisms Hawaii (adaptive radiation, endemism, extinction). Download Powerpoint (5.73 Mb)
May 4	Quiz 5. Formation of San Salvador Island: geology, meterology, and modes of transport of colonizers. Download Powerpoint (5.7 Mb)
May 11	Quiz 6. Habitats of San Salvador Island: habitat diversity and abiotic and biotic factors in marine and shore habitats. Download Powerpoint (48.2 Mb) Download Steve Palumbi's Green Reefs Video (5.3 Mb) (requires Real Player software),
May 14 10A-12N	Quiz 7. Habitats of San Salvador Island: terrestrial habitats. Preparation for field trip. Download Powerpoint (37.3 Mb).
May 14 12N-1:30P	Optional: ECSU pool session to try out your snorkeling gear and skills. Need to bring suit, gear, and ID with you for the pool.
May 18	Comprehensive Final Exam. Last minute announcements for BIO 320 field trip to San Salvador Island, Bahamas.

Grading:
The course grade for BIO 319 will be based on participation (20%), quizzes (40%), and the final exam (40%).

Accessibility:
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact the Office of AccessAbility Services at (860) 465-5573. To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact the Office of AccessAbility Services as soon as possible. Please note that we cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until we have received an accommodation letter from the Office of AccessAbility Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.

This page © Ross E. Koning 1994.

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Send comments and bug reports to Ross Koning at rkoning@snet.net.