EEB 100: Introduction to Ecology and Behavior

PROFESSORS
Dr. Greg Grether
Office: LSB 4325
Office hours: Tues 11-12, Thurs 1-2
Phone: 310-794-9769
email: ggrether@ucla.edu

Fall 2015

Dr. Leryn Gorlitsky

Office: Hershey Hall 320
Office hours: Tues 11-12, Thurs 11-12, or by appointment
email: gorlitsk@gmail.com
LECTURE: TR 9:30-10:45A; MOORE 100
COURSE WEBSITE:

TEACHING ASSISTANTS

https://ccle.ucla.edu/course/view/15F-EEBIOL100-1

Robert Cooper
Sections: D-G, H-I
Office: LS 4329
Email: rdcooper408@gmail.com
OH: Monday 24pm
Zachary Schakner
Sections: A-C, J-K
Office: LS 4802
Email: zschakner@ucla.edu
OH: Thurs/Fri, 11-12

Discussion
1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
1G
1H
1I
1J
1K
1L

Day
T
T
T
W
W
W
W
R
R
R
F
F

Time
11:00A-11:50A
12:00P-12:50P
1:00P-1:50P
8:00A-8:50A
9:00A-9:50A
10:00A-10:50A
11:00A-11:50A
11:00A-11:50A
12:00P-12:50P
1:00P-1:50P
9:00A-9:50A
10:00A-10:50A

Required Textbook:
All discussions meet in LaKretz 101
J. Alcock: Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach, 9th or 10th edition (copies are on 2-hour reserve at the Biomedical
Research Library)
EXAMS: The Midterm and Final will be a combination of multiple choice, written answer, and problem solving. Each exam
is scheduled for 2 hours. Please arrive on time. Anyone arriving after another student has left will not be allowed to
take the exam. Both exams will be partially open-note. You will be allowed to bring one 8 x 11 piece of paper on
which you can write any information you consider relevant or helpful for doing well in the exam. You may work with
others to study and discuss material to put on the sheet, but you cannot directly copy others sheets. No
calculators, smart phones, or other electronic devices will be permitted. The Final will be approximately the same
length as the Midterm and will cover only the last half of the course.
The mid-term is on Tuesday 3 November from 5-7 PM.
Last names beginning A-L: Young Hall CS50
Last names beginning M-Z: Young Hall CS24
The final is on Weds 9 December from 4-6 PM.
Rooms TBD
Please check the syllabus carefully to make sure you do not have a scheduling conflict with the test dates and times.
You must take the exams at the scheduled times. No make-up tests, or early exams will be given.
DISCUSSIONS: Discussion is geared towards review and exploration of lecture material. You will be reading assigned
papers from the scientific literature before section and submitting questions to stimulate discussion (papers are posted
on the course website). Points will be earned for submitting 3 thoughtful questions per paper at the start of the section
(i.e., not I dont understand x, but rather a more meaty question) and participating in the discussion. Each of the nine
discussions is worth up to 5 points; 5 additional points will be awarded for perfect on-time attendance (50 points total).
EVALUATIONS: Near the end of the quarter, you should receive an email invitation from the Office of Instructional
Development (OID) to fill out online evaluations for this course. By completing evaluations for both professors during the
evaluation period, you will earn 10 points toward your final grade in the course. Why are we offering course credit? We
really want your feedback! Also, this is the primary way that UCLA professors are rated on their teaching. Filling out the
evaluations should only take a few minutes of your time but please be thoughtful. Both the numerical scores and any
written comments that you put on the evaluations are important and will become part of the permanent teaching record of
the professors.
GRADING:
Behavior Exam (Midterm):
220 points
90-100%
A
60-69%
D
80-89%
B
<60%
F
70-79%
C

EEB 100: Introduction to Ecology and Behavior

Ecology Exam (Final):
Discussion:
Evaluation:
Total:

Fall 2015

220 points
50 points
10 points
500 points

FINAL GRADING: If the class mean is 75% or higher, letter grades will be based on a straight percentage according to the
breakdown shown above. Within each letter grade, a minus () will be assigned to the bottom three percentage points
and a plus (+) will be assigned to the top three percentage points (e.g., 80-82.9% is a B, 87-89.9% is a B+). If the class
mean is lower than 75%, we may adjust the grades to compensate (e.g., 89% may become an A).
COURSE WEBSITE: If you are having enrollment problems but need access to the site before you can be enrolled, go to
the Life Science Computer lab in Hershey Hall and ask how you can access a course site temporarily. Temporary access
is available during the first 4 weeks of a regular quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring) or 2 weeks of a Summer Session.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION: To receive academic and classroom disability accommodations, students must first consult
with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). An OSD counselor will work with the student and academic
department to provide reasonable academic accommodations. OSD counselors are located at A255 Murphy Hall and
can also be reached at (310) 825-1501. Please do not request accommodations from the professor or TAs directly. All
requests must be submitted through OSD.
LECTURE ETIQUETTE: Students coming and going during lecture can be a significant disruption in a class of this size.
Please arrive on time and stay through the entire lecture. However, arriving late is better than not coming at all. If you do
arrive late, please find a seat, as opposed to sitting in the aisle. If you must leave early (e.g., for a doctor's appointment)
please sit near an exit to minimize disturbance.
STUDY TIPS: The tests may include any material covered in lecture, discussion or the assigned readings, but you should
pay special attention to the lecture material. The emphasis of the tests will be on concepts (theories) and scientific
approaches (methods). You will encounter many terms in this course that have both common and scientific meanings. It
is very important that you learn the scientific definitions of these terms, as given in lecture or the assigned readings. In
general, you will not be expected to learn the names of scientists mentioned in lecture, but you should be familiar with the
names of people associated with major conceptual advances (e.g., Connell, Darwin, Hamilton). One of the best ways to
study for this course (and others like it) is to convert your lecture and reading notes into a series of questions and write
the answers down separately (e.g., on opposite sides of the same page) in your own words. When studying, try to
answer the questions without looking at the answers. Rote memorization will not serve you very well in this course. You
are encouraged to study with other classmates. Work together to ensure you really understand the concepts!
DROPPING THE COURSE: If you decide to drop this course, do not wait until the last minute to try and get our signatures.
You cannot drop after the final exam. For more information on dropping courses at UCLA, see
http://www.ugeducation.ucla.edu/counseling/dropping.html
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will be reported immediately to the Deans Office for
disciplinary action. Plagiarism refers to presenting someone elses words or ideas as if they were your own.

EEB 100: Introduction to Ecology and Behavior

Fall 2015

Lecture Schedule
Lecture
Dat
e

Topic

Discussion Papers

24 Sep
Thurs

Natural Selection & Levels of

Analysis

Introduction to Behavior

Reading
Alcock 9th edition Ch. 1 & 2
or Alcock 10th edition Ch 1 & 10

Alcock 9th ed. pp. 108-134,

29 Sep
Tues

Neural & Hormonal Mechanisms

1 Oct
Thurs

Behavior Genetics & Learning

6 Oct
Tues

Foraging & Habitat Selection

8 Oct
Thurs

Anti-Predator Behavior

13 Oct
Tues

Territoriality & Alternative Strategies

15 Oct
Thurs

Mating Systems

Sexual Selection

Evolution of Cooperation

10

Wrap up and review

20 Oct
Tues
22 Oct
Thurs
27 Oct
Tues
29 Oct
Thurs
3 Nov
Tues

11
12

3 Nov
Tues
5 Nov
Thurs
10 Nov
Tues
12 Nov
Thurs
17 Nov
Tues
19 Nov
Thurs
24 Nov
Tues
26 Nov
Thurs
1 Dec
Tues
2 Dec
Thurs
9 Dec
Weds

Intro to Ecology
Plant Adaptations to the
Environment
Behavior Exam

13

Properties of Population

14

Population Growth

15

Life History

16

Intraspecific Population /Interspecific

Competition

17

Predation

18

Parasitism & Mutualism

172-180
or Alcock 10th ed. pp. 360-384,
411-419
Alcock 9th ed. Ch. 3
or Alcock 10th ed. Ch. 11
Alcock 9th ed. Ch. 7
or Alcock 10th ed. Ch. 5 & pp.
140-141
Alcock 9th ed. Ch. 6
or Alcock 10th ed. Ch. 5
Alcock 9th ed. pp. 274-283, 345352
or Alcock 10th ed. pp. 142-152,
183-90
Alcock 9th ed. pp. 330-339, Ch. 11
or Alcock 10th ed. pp. 172-180,
Ch. 8
Alcock 9th ed. Ch. 10, pp. 299-309
or Alcock 10th ed. Ch. 7, pp. 70-76
Alcock 9th ed. Ch. 13
or Alcock 10th ed. Ch. 2 & 3

Smith & Smith, 9th ed.

Ch. 1
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 6
5-7 PM
see above for Young Hall
rooms
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 8
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 9
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 10
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 11 & 13
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 14
Smith & Smith, 9th ed.
Ch. 1

No discussion

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Schulze et al. 1987

Wilkinson et al. 2002

Krebs. et al. 2001.

No discussion this week

Thanksgiving holiday
(no lecture)
19

The Ecology of Climate Change

Smith & Smith, 9th ed.

Ch. 27

20

Ecology exam review session

TBA

Ecology Exam

4-6 PM
Location TBA

Walther, G. 2010.