Laboratory work will consist of field and laboratory experiments that illustrate key concepts from the readings. Each lab will run for 3-4 weeks. While the first experiment will be pre-defined, subsequent experiments will be increasingly student-designed. Rigorous methods for data analysis will be used throughout. Students will develop their own predictive mathematical or computer models to identify key ecological processes responsible for their results.
Lab 1: Forest stand structure and plant species diversity (September 13-27)
Lab 2: Optimal foraging (October 4-18)
Lab 3: Assembly rules (October 25-November 8)
Lab 1: October 4
Lab 2: November 1
Lab 3: November 20
Each lab will be written up as a short (less than 10 pages) scientific paper. Papers should include all parts of a standard scientific paper: Title, Name(s) of Author(s), Abstract (< 200 words), Introduction, Methods & Materials, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, Literature Cited. Tables and figures, correctly constructed and labeled, should be embedded in text where appropriate. If you are unfamiliar with standard format for scientific papers, you should consult Day (1994) or any other text on writing scientific papers. Scientific papers that we read in class also can serve as appropriate models for formatting. Use the citation format found in the journal Ecology both for in-text citations and the Literature Cited section.
No more than 3 web-citations are permitted in each lab report. Full URLs should be provided for any web-based citation.
Since you have the option on each lab project to work individually or in groups, you also have the option to turn in your write-ups individually or in groups. If you choose to turn in a group lab report, it is assumed that each member of the lab group contributed equally to the lab project (from ideas through write-up), and each member will receive the same grade.
Write-ups should be turned in as read-only files, either on virus-free, IBM-compatible diskettes or as e-mail attachments. Acceptable formats are: Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, HTML. Print size should be no smaller than 12 point type (the default size of the HTML paragraph font). Figures in HTML files should be either JPEG or GIF, and the figures must be included on the diskette or as part of the attachment. Note that electronic files have date/time stamps indicating when they were submitted.
Labs will be evaluated for content and style based on the following criteria: