REM 611 Course Outline 2015
SimonFraserUniversity
SchoolofResourceandEnvironmentalManagement
Applied Population and Community Ecology
Instructor: Dr.AnneSalomon
Office:TASC1Rm8213
Tel:778-782-8739
[email protected]
Officehours:byappointment
Lectures: Tuesday
10:30am–12:20pm(SECBRm1011)
Friday
12:30am–2:20pm(SECBRm1011)
CourseOverview
Thiscourseexploresthescientificfoundationsofappliedecologyandhighlights
contemporaryconservationstrategiesdesignedtobalancetheneedsofpeopleandnature.We
willexploretopicssuchasmetapopulationtheoryandreservedesign,alternativestatesand
resilience,andecosystemfunctionandecosystem-basedmanagement.Coursereadingswill
includetextbookchapterstoprovidestudentswiththefoundationsofappliedecology,and
cutting-edge,peer-reviewedliteraturetoexposestudentstothelatestinnovationsinthefield
ofconservationscience.Studentswillalsohavetheopportunitytoapplyfieldandmodelling
approachestoreal-worldconservationissues.Halfandfulldayfieldtripstolocalconservancies
andparkswillallowstudentstodeveloppracticalfieldresearchskills.Finally,classroomsessions
willengagestudentsinlivelygroupdiscussionsandwillincludelectures,hands-onanalysis,
guestspeakers,andgroupworkoncurrentandcontentioustopicsinconservationscience.
OverallClassGoals
Asnewandaspiringgraduatestudents,myaimistofacilitateyourdevelopmentofthe
skillsandknowledgeyouwillneedtoexcelinthefieldofenvironmentalmanagementand
conservation,whetheryouareinterestedinanacademiccareerorindoingscience-based
conservationatgovernmentagencies,non-governmentalorganizations,orinternational
institutions.Thisclasshasbeendesignedtohoneyourcreativeandcriticalthinkingskills,enhance
yourcommunicationanddebatingability,andexposeyoutoadiversesetofproblemsolving
techniques.Iencourageyoutochallengecurrentdogmaandexploretheintersectionsbetween
appliedecology,yourownpersonalacademicinterests,andthediversityoffieldsyouwillbe
exposedtoatREM.
OverallLearningOutcomes
Bytheendofthiscourse,youwillbeableto:
1. Identifyandsynthesizethecoreprinciplesofecologythatshouldbeconsideredwhile
addressinganenvironmentalissue
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REM 611 Course Outline 2015
2. Understandthekeyprocessesthatdriveecosystemdynamicsandtheirassociated
uncertainties
3. Communicatecomplexand/orcontentiousecologicalinformationclearlyandeffectively
toatargetaudience
4. Workindependentlyandcollaborativelyoncontemporaryenvironmentalproblemsto
formulateandimplementsolutions
RequiredTextbook
Kareiva,P.andMarvier,M.2014.ConservationScience;BalancingtheNeedsofPeople
andNature.RobertsandCompany.GreenwoodVillage,Colorado.SecondEdition.
(availableattheBurnabyCampusbookstore)
FieldTrips
Fri,Sept25th(3hrs):
- LightHousePark:MarineProtectedAreaDesignandAnalysis
- 8:00am-11:00am(Tocatchthelowtide)
- 801willswitchtoREM611’s12:30-2:20pmtimeslot
(checkwithDr.KarenKohfeldfordetails)
Sat,Oct24th(7hrs-fullday):
- Lower-SeymourConservationReserve:Ecosystem-basedManagementofTemperate
Rainforests
- 9:00am-4:00pm
NoClass
Tu,Sept15th:
- Readingfor‘FutureofConservation’Debate
Fri,Oct16th
- CompensationforLower-SeymourFieldTrip
Fri,Nov6th
- CompensationforLower-SeymourFieldTrip
Fri,Nov20th
- CompensationforLower-SeymourFieldTrip
Modules
Module1:ReserveDesign
PartI:AnIntroductiontoReserve&ProtectedAreaScience
PartII:IslandBiogeography&theSLOSSDebate
PartIII:Metapopulations&SourceSinkDynamics
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REM 611 Course Outline 2015
Module2:EcosystemServices
PartI:Biodiversity,Productivity,EcosystemFunction
PartII:EcosystemServicesValuationandCritique
Module3:Ecosystem-BasedManagement
PartI:BioticProcesses,Competition,Predation,TrophicCascadesandShiftingBaselines
PartII:AbioticDrivers,TemperateRainforests,Ecosystem-BasedManagement
Module4:ManagingforResilience
PartI:IntroductiontoResilienceandAlternativeStateDynamics
PartII:AdaptiveCycle,RigidityTraps,GildedTraps
Module5:ImperiledSpeciesandPopulationsDynamics
PartI:AlleeEffectsandExponentialGrowthModels
PartII:MatrixModels,PopulationViabilityAnalysisandChoosingConservationActions
Module6:GlobalChallengesandSolutions
PartI:FeedingthePlanet;LandConversion,FoodSecurityandGlobalClimateChange
PartII:BioticHomogenization;EcologicalConsequencesofIntroducedSpecies
EvaluationandGrading
IndividualAssignments(20)
-Worksheets(10)
-Shortoralpresentation&criticalsummaryofpeer-reviewedjournalarticles
(point-counterpointcritiques&debates)(10)
2GroupProjects(40)
-MarineReserveDesign,AssessmentandFeasibility(20)
-Ecosystem-BasedManagementinTemperateRainforests(20)
2Exams(35)
-MidtermExam(15)
-FinalExam(20)
ClassParticipation(5)
-Activeparticipationinclassdialogues,posingquestions,catalysingdiscussions
-Enthusiasticparticipationinfieldtrips
-Beingpresentandontimeforlecturesandfieldtrips
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REM 611 Course Syllabus 2015
SimonFraserUniversity
SchoolofResourceandEnvironmentalManagement
Applied Population and Community Ecology
Week
1
Date
Tu,Sept8
1
Fri,Sept11
2
Tu,Sept15***
2
Fri,Sept18
T:10:30am-12:20pmF:12:30-2:20pmRmSECB(**unlessotherwisenoted)
Topic
RequiredReading
IntroductiontoCourse
none
CourseOverview&Goals
LearningOutcomes&CourseMechanics
How611FitsWithinREMProgram
IntroductiontoAppliedEcology&Conservation
KareivaandMarvier2012Bioscience
HumanAlterationofEarth'sEcosystems
Ch.1
AssignJournalArticles
Classoff
Readpapers&Ch.forFri,Sept18th
Readpapers&Ch.forFri,Sept18th
TheFutureofConservationDebate
Doaketal.2014aTREECritique
MarvierandKarieva2014TREEResponse
Module1:ReserveDesign
Doaketal.2014bTREEReply
PartI:IntroductiontoReserves&ProtectedAreas
Tallis&Lubchenco2014NatureCritique
IntroductiontoLightHousePark&BeginBrainstorming Ch.5
MarineReserveGroupProject
Ch.6
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REM 611 Course Syllabus 2015
3
Tu,Sept22
3
Fri,Sept25***
4
Tu,Sept29
4
Fri,Oct2
5
Tu,Oct6
Module1:ReserveDesign
PartII:IslandBiogeography&SLOSSDebate
RefineQuestions&FieldMethodsforMarineReserve
GroupProject
FieldTriptoLightHousePark:
MarineProtectedAreaDesignandAnalysis
8:00am-11:30am
LightHouseParkDebrief
StatsinaNutshell
PreparingManuscriptsforPublication
Module1:ReserveDesign
PartIII:Metapopulations&SourceSinkDynamics
Module2:EcosystemServices
PartI:Biodiversity,Productivity,EcosystemFunction
DebateontheUseofConservationMarkets
Module2:EcosystemServices
McClanahan2015JBiogeography
http://phys.org/news/2015-09-coral-reefsfish-safeguarding.html
Ch.10276-286p
Ch.15
Note:801willswitchto12:30-2:20pm
(checkwithDr.KarenKohfeldfordetails)
Hopfetal.2015EcoAppspreprint
Ch.10287-296p
Essington&Criddle2014EcoApps
Gerberetal.2014aEcoApps
Smithetal.2014EcoAppsCritique
Gerberetal.2014bEcoAppsReply
Ch.3
Curranetal.2014EcoApps
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REM 611 Course Syllabus 2015
5
Fri,Oct9
6
Tu,Oct13
6
Fri,Oct16***
7
Tu,Oct20
7
Fri,Oct23
7
Sat,Oct24***
PartII:EcosystemServicesandCritique
DebateontheUseofBiodiversityOffsets
ClassPresentationsofGroupProject#1:Marine
ReserveDesign,FeasibilityandAssessment
Mid-termExam
Mid-termCourseEvaluation
Classoff
(CompensationforLower-SeymourFieldTrip)
Module3:Ecosystem-BasedManagement
PartI:BioticProcesses;Competition,Predation&
Facilitation,TrophicStructure,TrophicCascades&
ShiftingBaselines
Module3:Ecosystem-BasedManagement
PartII:AbioticProcesses;TemperateRainforestEBM
PrepforFieldTrip&EBMGroupProject
FieldTriptoLowerSeymourConservationArea:
Ecosystem-BasedManagement
Quetieretal.2015EcoAppsCritique
Curranetal.EcoApps2015Reply
none
Reviewpreviousrequiredreadings
none
Ferrettietal.2015Frontiers
Ch.11319-320
Ch.15432-433
DuveneckandSchellerEcoApps2015
Ch.13
SeeAssignment
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REM 611 Course Syllabus 2015
8
Tu,Oct27
8
Fri,Oct30
9
Tu,Nov3
9
Fri,Nov6***
10
Tu,Nov10
10
Fri,Nov13
FieldTripDebrief
EnterandPlotData,BeginAnalysis
ScopeoutProjectPaper&Talk
Module4:ManagingforResilience
PartI:IntroductiontoResilienceandAlternativeStates
FunctionalResponses,Hysteresis
Module4:ManagingforResilience
PartII:AdaptiveCycle,Rigiditytraps,Gildedtraps
ClassOff
(CompensationforLower-SeymourFieldTrip)
GroupProject#2PresentationsonTemperate
RainforestEBM
Module5:ImperilledSpeciesandPopulationsDynamics
PartI:AlleeEffectsandExponentialGrowthModels
none
Selkoeetal.2015EcoHealth&Sus
Schultzetal.2015PNAS
none
none
Kuparinenetal.2014ConsBio
Ch.7
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REM 611 Course Syllabus 2015
11
Tu,Nov17
11
Fri,Nov20
12
Tu,Nov24
12
Fri,Nov27
13
Tu,Dec1
13
Fri,Dec4
Minimumviablepopulationsize
Module5:ImperilledSpeciesandPopulationDynamics
PartII:MatrixModels,PopulationViabilityAnalysisand
ChoosingConservationActions
Classoff
(CompensationforLower-SeymourFieldTrip)
Module6:GlobalChallengesandSolutions
PartI:FeedingthePlanet;LandConversion,Food
SecurityandGlobalClimateChange
Module6:GlobalChallengesandSolutions
PartII:BioticHomogenization;Ecological
ConsequencesofIntroducedSpecies
Invasionalmeltdown
CourseReview&Synthesis
CourseEvaluations
FinalTakeHomeExam
DueDec4thbyMidnight
Ch.8
Stringelletal.2015BioConservation
Ch.9
none
Johnsonetal.2014PNAS
Ch.14
Lampertetal.2014Science
Ch.17
ComewithClarifyingQuestions
none
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