Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Ecology (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 3030-01

Course: BIOL 3030-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Biology
CRN: 30685

Course Description

Biological and physical mechanisms related to the distribution, abundance, and adaptations of organisms. Topics include ecosystem structure and function, physiological ecology, population ecology, life-history strategies, community ecology, and geographical ecology. Three (3) hours of lecture per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. Students are encouraged to complete MATH 1040/2040 prior to taking this course. (Fall, Spring, Summer [As Needed]) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): BIOL 3035 Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615 and BIOL 1620 and BIOL 1625 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

Ecology, 6th edition, by Bowman and Hacker

One of the following non-fiction books (assigned the first week in class):
·        Life After Deadpool (Zak Podmore)
·        Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer)
·        Tropical Nature (Adrian Forsyth and Ken Miyata)
·        Eager (Ben Goldfarb)
·        Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law (Mary Roach)
·        The Hidden Half of Nature (David Montgomery and Anne Bikle)

Note that limited copies of each of these non-fiction books are available in the library.

Learning Outcomes

Ecology is the study of interrelationships of organisms with each other and with their abiotic environment – it is the biological science of connections and context. The scope of ecology is broad and fundamental to understanding our place in nature. The course is geared toward covering the basic principles you need for a working knowledge of ecology and covers the following topics: evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, the role of the abiotic environment, organismal traits and life histories, behavioral ecology, population biology, species interactions, community ecology, biogeography, landscape ecology, and ecosystem ecology.

  •  Learning the theories related to the distribution, abundance, and interactions of organisms.
  • Learning to apply these theories to new information through analysis of scientific literature and problem solving.
  • Developing skills necessary for a professional biologist, including scientific communication, experimental design, and data analysis/modeling.

Course Requirements

Assessment
  • Daily assignments – 30%
  • Weekly quizzes – 15%
  • Weekly Reflections – 5% 
  • Non-Fiction Book Assignments – 20%
  • Exams – 30%

Daily Assignments (30%)
During each lecture, you will complete in-class exercises. The topic of the assignment will be from that day’s lecture, but the assignment will cover additional skills including the following: writing, reading scientific papers, experimental design, data analysis, modeling, or interpretation of visualizations including graphs. The purpose of these activities is to help you learn to apply information from the course to new data and information - you will be expected to do this on quizzes and the exam, so consider these assignments useful practice! The daily assignment will be due at the end of each class, unless otherwise noted. You must be present in class to turn them in.

Weekly Quizzes (15%)
There will be weekly Canvas quizzes, available each Friday and then due by the following Friday before class. Quizzes are open book but can only be taken once. Quizzes will consist of questions based on concepts and skills covered and practiced in lecture. Sometimes you will be asked to apply the knowledge and skills you have learned to new situations and information.

Weekly Reflection (5%)
How does ecology relate to your life? You will complete a weekly reflection assignment to review concepts and to make personal connections between what we are working on in class and the wider world. For each week, upload an entry that applies to the concepts covered that week. Your entry will be due on Canvas at midnight on Fridays. Note that you can submit your entry at any time during the week, you do not have to wait until Friday. 

Nonfiction Book Assignments (20%)
You will be assigned one of the required non-fiction ecological books listed above. You will read the book and participate in a group interview with the professor. Secondly, you will identify and summarize a research paper or data set related to this book. Lastly, you will make a group oral presentation integrating the book and this paper/data for the class.

Exams (30%)
There will be three exams. They will be given on paper, in person in our classroom. The format will be like the quizzes and daily assignments.

Course Outline

Topic By Lecture
1. What is ecology?
2 - 4. The physical environment
5. Water cycle & local water issues
6. Biomes
7 - 8. Coping with environmental variation
9. Evolution and adaptation
10 - 12. Organismal ecology – Life histories & behavioral ecology
13 - 16. Population ecology
17. Predation
18. Parasitism and disease  
19. Competition
20. Mutualism and commensalism
21 - 25. Community ecology
26. Biogeography
27. Ecosystems
28. Nutrient cycling
29 - 30. Conservation biology
31. Landscape ecology & adaptive management
32. Climate change
33. Global processes
34. Applications of ecology
35 - 36. Local case study

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

I drop three missed Daily Assignments, regardless of why they were missed. You do not even have to ask permission for three of them.

I have due dates because it helps all of us complete assignments and get feedback in a timely manner, to increase learning. However, I will accept work late if you communicate with me about why you need an extension. Tell me as soon as you can why you have to turn in something late so that I can help you. I am here to help! If you do not communicate with me, I do not accept work late. If you find that you end up missing a significant portion of the class, I highly recommend dropping or making an emergency withdrawal and retaking the class at a later date to maximize learning.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is expected, and daily assignments can only be completed during class in person (with exceptions for excused conflicts that have been communicated with me in a timely manner).

If you feel even mildly unwell, stay home. You will not be penalized for missing any class because you are unwell. I will apply the “drop three daily assignments policy” first, then allow make-ups if you are sick longer than a week and keep in touch. We will work on catching you up as soon as you are able. I am here to help. I want to make sure you are well and safe, have access to quality education, and succeed in this class. Let me know if you need anything or have any questions at any time.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.