Instructor information

Instructor

Dr. Inna Sokolova

Email

isokolov@uncc.edu

Office location

WOOD 381c

Office hours

By appointment

Phone

(704) 687 8532

Biography

1991 M.S. St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1997 Ph.D. Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 1999-2001 Post-doctoral, Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany, 2001-2002 Post-doctoral, University of Guelph, Canada, 2002-2007 Assistant Professor, UNC Charlotte, 2007- Associate Professor, UNC Charlotte 

Research interests

Marine biology, ecological physiology and toxicology of marine invertebrates

Course Goals

Course Goals

My goal in this course is to explain to you to basic ecological concepts, approaches and methods in ecology and to help you to understand key regularities and laws underlying immense complexity of the living world. In this course you will learn how environmental variability shapes the world around us, how the interactions between organisms and their abiotic and biotic environment affect the patterns and processes at the level of individuals, populations and communities, and how humans (which are a very important part of ecosystems) influence these processes and patterns. This course will also help you to understand limitations of our understanding of ecology, to critically evaluate ecological claims and “buzzwords” in the popular media and to learn what is needed to make informed decisions about ecological and conservation issues.  For more details see "Course outline".

Course Information

Course title

Ecology

Course number

BIOL3144 Section 001

Course date

August 25 – December 9, 2008

Location

COED 065

Meeting day(s)

MW

Meeting time(s)

11:00 am-12:15 pm

Prerequisite(s)

Required: C or better in BIOL2130, co-requisite Organic Chemistry (CHEM 2130 or 2131)

Policies

Course schedule: Check calendar often for changes in lecture topics and upcoming assignments. Please note that the dates of exams WILL NOT change unless by consent of ALL students in the class.  

In class regulations: Attendance of this class is mandatory. I do not take attendance, but I distribute short bonus assignments in the class which allow students to earn additional points and allow me to determine how many classes a student has missed.

Walking in and out of class during lecture distracts most students in the class. Please come to the class in time and do not walk out during the lecture, except for an emergency such as diarrhea. Cell phones should be turned off during the class (turn off not only ringing but also the “vibrate” mode). If I find your behavior distractive for other students, I will ask you to leave the class and take points from your final grade (up to one letter grade).

Policy on tests and missed deadlines: No curve is given in this course, and there is no extra credit work except for a few small bonuses distributed in the class. Should you have a legitimate excuse for missing an exam (hospitalization, court appearances, a death in the family, etc.), you let me know by providing a written proof in support of the absence. I will then arrange a time for you to re-take the exam.

Academic misconduct: Your integrity is a starting assumption of mine. You are responsible for understanding the Policy on Academic Integrity at UNCC. Please consult the University policy documents at http://www.uncc.edu/unccatty/policystate/ps-105.html. Anyone caught copying on exams will receive an "F" for a semester grade in the course.

Contact policies: If you have any questions or issues to discuss, you are welcome to contact me by e-mail or personally during the office hours.  Do not leave voice mail on the phone if I am not in my office;  I will not return calls. I will be using e-mail to distribute important information, including answers to FAQs. For maximum advantage, check your UNCC 49er email account and the course Web page often.

UNC Charlotte strives to create an academic climate in which the dignity of all individuals is respected and maintained. Therefore, we celebrate and respect diversity that includes, but is not limited to ability/disability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.

Grading

Distribution of final grade

n      4 tests, 60% of the final grade (15% or 150 points each). One missed exam OR the lowest test grade (not both) can be replaced by the grade you have made on the final test.

n      5 take home assignments – small independent projects. 25% of the final grade (5% or 50 points each)

n      Final exam 15% (150 points) of the final grade. Final exam cumulative.

n      Total number of points: 1000 (100%)

n      In-class bonus – 1 bonus point per class (short questions).

n      No extra credits

n      Grading: 90% A -- 80% B -- 70% C -- 60% D – less than 60% F

Textbooks

Thomas Smith, Robert Smith. Elements of Ecology, 6th Edition. Benjamin Cummings.