Insect Ecology

Entomology 5041

University of Minnesota

Fall 2006, D. A. Andow

Click here to download a copy of the Syllabus in Microsoft Word format

Readings

Midterm Essay Instructions

First Midterm Essay Comments

Final Paper Instructions

Course Schedule  TR 8:45-10:00, BioSci 64

Fundamental Patterns: Insects may not be in an evolutionary equilibrium with the present environment.

No.	Date	Topic	Handouts (MS Word docs)
1.	9/5	Philosophy and Insect Ecology	Class handout
2.	9/5-7	Size and Scaling	Class handout
3.	9/7-12	Dominance and Diversity of the Arthropoda	Class handout
4.	9/12-14	Evolution of Insect Feeding Modes	Class handout
5.	9/14-19	Discussion: Abstract Exercise	Abstract Excercise Handout
6.	9/19-21	Insect Nutrition	Class handout

Variation Among Individuals: Basis for evolution by natural selection

	9/26	No class
7.	9/21-28	Larval Development and Temperature	Class handout DayDegrees.zip
8.	9/28-10/3	Adult Mating	Class handout
9.	10/3-5	Adult Dispersal	Class handout
10.	10/5-10	Climate and Dispersal	Class handout
11.	10/10-12	Oviposition	Class handout LackCS Excel spreadsheet

Analysis of Populations: Key concepts about modern population regulation theory

12.	10/12-17	Life Tables and Heterogeneity	Class handout
13.	10/17-19	Density Dependence and Time Lags	Class handout ACF PACF Excel spreadsheet
14.	10/19-24	Spatial Dynamics	Class handout
15.	10/24-26	Demographic Analysis	Class handout
16.	10/26-31	Mechanisms of Population Regulation	Class handout

Biological Structuring of Arthropod Communities: Indirect interactions and the contingent nature of communities.

17.	10/31-11/2	Community Structure	Class handout
18.	11/2-7	Plant Chemistry (Jetske de Boer)	Class handout
19.	11/7-9	Plant Diversity	Class handout
20.	11/9-14	Competition among Herbivores	Class handout
21.	11/14-16	Mutualisms	Class handout 1 page outline of Final Paper proposal due 11/14
22.	11/16-21	Decomposition Food Chains	Class handout
	11/23	Happy Thanksgiving
23.	11/21-28	Parasites	Class handout Powerpoint File
24.	11/30	Parasitoids (Jetske de Boer)	First Draft of Final Paper proposal due (bring 3 copies)
25.	12/5	Predators
26.	12/7	Intra-guild Predation and Cannibalism	Reviews due
	12/12	No class – ESA meeting

Monday December 18, 2006: Final Draft of Final Paper proposal due - Grants/papers received after this time will not be considered.  Submit 1 copy of your proposal and attach all 3 of your reviews.  You may deliver the proposal to Dr. Andow's office (232 Hodson) or leave it in his mailbox in 230 Hodson.

Class Participation (20%).  Graded daily and based on preparation and discussion in class.

Instructor Information

David Andow
Office:                         232 Hodson Hall
Phone:                         612–624–5323
E-mail:                        dandow@umn.edu (better than telephone)

Mailbox in 219 Hodson Hall
Office hours: By appointment

Texts

Required:  Nothing required for purchase.

A full set of readings is available in the Insect Ecology lab 241C Hodson Hall.

Recommended:

Goode's World Atlas (Rand McNally & Co.: Chicago), 372 pp.  A good ecologist is also a good geographer.  If you do not already own an atlas, this one is the best for the money.

Southwood, T.R.E. 1978.  Ecological Methods, 2nd Edition (Chapman and Hall: London), 524 pp.  This remains an essential reference to methods for any practicing insect ecologist.  Someone should write an updated version of this text.