DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY
Entomology Classes

Course Syllabus

ENT 5081: Insects, Aquatic Habitats & Pollution

Course title: Insects, Aquatic Habitats & Pollution

Course designator:Entomology

Course number: ENT 5081

Number of credits: 3 Credits

Day, time, & place of class meetings: Tuesday/Thursday, 8:00-9:50 AM, 485 Hodson Hall

Instructor's name: Leonard C. Ferrington Jr.

Office location: 306 Hodson Hall

Office hours: Monday 9:00-11:00 AM, Wednesday 10:00-Noon, Friday 1:00-3:00 PM

Telephone: (612) 624-3265

E-mail: ferri016@umn.edu

Preferred method of communication with Instructor: In person, during scheduled office hours.

Brief description of the course: This course will focus on the effects differing classes of pollutants have on the biology, ecology and community structure of insects that are aquatic. It is intended for (1) upper level undergraduates with interests in ecology, limnology, natural resources management or conservation, and (2) graduate students involved in research projects in Entomology, Water Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife, Conservation and/or Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Topics to be covered will begin with a basic introduction to groups of insects that are aquatic and concepts related to their life-cycle dynamics, trophic guilds and community structure. Coverage will be given to hypotheses that attempt to explain community structure in both lotic (streams, rivers) lentic (ponds, lake, reservoirs) settings. These lectures will be followed by lectures on organic pollution/eutrophication, heavy metal pollution, runoff and siltation, acidification, and thermal pollution. Changes in aquatic insect community structure will be discussed after reading an original literature source for each class of pollutant. Concluding lectures will deal with designing and maintaining biological monitoring networks to aid in decisions for water quality management. The course will include two lectures per week (26 lectures) followed by one recitation/discussion session (13 sessions). Three exams will be given. Copies of original data will be provided and hands-on, computer-based analyses of the data will give students experience in manipulating data and interpreting results. Weekly assignments will be based on data provided.

Required and recommended materials and the location of the materials: Text for the course is: C. F. Mason, 2002. Biology of Freshwater Pollution. Fourth Edition. Addison Wesley Longman Limited Publisher, 356 pp. This text will be supplemented with readings of original publications from a variety of journals. We will read at least one paper dealing with each type of pollutant. Photocopies of original papers will be placed on file in the Entomology and Fisheries/Wildlife Library. Copies of original data will be handed out at the beginning of the semester.

Course goals, objectives, and expectations: The goal of the course is to provide the student with essential technical skills to perform field and laboratory studies of pollution effects on insect communities in aquatic ecosystems. Copies of original data handed out at the beginning of the semester will be sequentially manipulated and analyzed throughout the semester. Weekly assignments will be based on the data analyses. Each student will prepare a field design appropriate for investigating one class of pollutant of their choice. It is expected that all reading assignments, data manipulation and analysis exercises, and course exams will be completed in a timely manner. Students will be expected to contribute to recitation/discussion sessions and prepare a field design appropriate for investigating one class of pollutant of their choice.

Schedule of assignments, papers, projects: Weekly assignments will form the basis for the recitation/discussion session and should be completed before the session. No written research papers are required. A completed design of a field research project will be turned at the last recitation/discussion section.

Course prerequisite: One of the following--- ENT 3005- Insect Biology,   BIOL 3407- Ecology,   FW 2001- Introduction to Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology,   EEB 4601- Limnology,   or permission of instructor.

Criteria for grading and grading standards: Grades will be based on three exams, timely completion of assignments, participation in recitation/discussion, and a completed field project design.

The Uniform Grading Policy is as follows:

A -- achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.

B -- achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.

C -- achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.

D -- achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements.

S -- achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better (achievement required for an S is at the discretion of the instructor but may be no lower than a C-).

F (or N) -- Represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I (=Incomplete)

Policy on Incomplete Coursework: Incomplete coursework is a major inconvenience for both students and instructors. I expect you to do everything in your power to avoid this situation. If legitimate circumstances arise you should contact me immediately to discuss possible strategies for completing coursework that is behind schedule. Legitimate excuses include verified illnesses and family emergencies. No incompletes will be given unless you have a prior written agreement with me.

Make-up exam policy: Class exams that are missed should be taken within one week of the exam date or special arrangements for make up at a later date must be made with the instructor. I firmly adhere to the policy of the University of Minnesota on Makeup Examinations for Legitimate Absences. A copy of this policy is provided below:

            UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA POLICY ON MAKEUP EXAMINATIONS FOR LEGITIMATE ABSENCES: Students should not be penalized for absence due to unavoidable or legitimate circumstances. Such circumstances include, but are not necessarily limited to, verified illness, participation in athletic events or other group activities sponsored by the University, serious family emergencies, subpoenas, jury duty, military service, and religious observances. It is the responsibility of the student to notify faculty members of such circumstances as far in advance as possible. It is the responsibility of faculty members to provide make-ups for major examinations, ordinarily including midterm and final examinations. Arrangements should be approved by the department chair. Except for major examinations, for which arrangements must be made by the instructor, special arrangements for absences are at the instructor's discretion in the course concerned.

Procedure for disputing a grade: If you wish to dispute the grade assigned to a question on an exam, you must do so IN WRITING within 24 hours after the exam has been returned. You must include a specific rationale for why your answer is correct, or why an essay question deserves a higher score. The statement "I think I deserve a better grade" does not constitute a valid rationale.

Exam re-testing policy: Students can re-test on the material of an exam multiple times, provided that re-tests are scheduled before the date of the next regularly scheduled exam. All scores on the initial exam and any re-tests will be averaged to calculate the final score for each of the three scheduled exams.

Senate student academic workload policy: For undergraduate courses, one credit is defined as equivalent to an average of three hours of learning effort per week (over a full semester) necessary for an average student to achieve an average grade in the course. For example, a student taking a three credit course that meets for three hours a week should expect to spend an additional six hours a week on coursework outside the classroom.

Statement on accommodations for students with disabilities: I welcome requests from, and am willing to work with, students who may need some academic accommodations due to a disability. I firmly adhere to the University Office of Disabilities Services Policies. The Office of Disabilities Services policy states:

Publications, such as course syllabi, college bulletins, program brochures, class schedules, newsletters, and instructional publications must be provided in alternative formats (braille, large print, tape, electronic) upon request; document conversion is provided through Disability Services, (612) 624-4037. This publication/material will be made available in alternative formats upon request It is also University policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor at the earliest opportunity to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.

Statement on classroom conduct: Open discussion and consideration of alternative view points are encouraged during recitation/discussion sessions. Questions about material and requests for clarification are encouraged, however a balance must be maintained during the course sessions between the needs of individual students and the overall progress of the class. Consequently, extensive questions or comments by any one individual may have to be moderated to allow others time for participation. It is also expected that discussions and presentations of alternative view points will be constructive and result in mutual benefit for the class.

Statement on academic misconduct: Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for this course shall be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course. I adhere to recommendations made by the University of Minnesota regarding Academic Integrity and Scholastic Dishonesty. The full text of these recommendations follows:

"Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking unfair advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else’s work as your own, can result in disciplinary action. The University Student Conduct Code defines scholastic dishonesty as follows:

Scholastic Dishonesty: Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement; altering forging , or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying data, research procedures, or data analysis.

Within this course, a student responsible for scholastic dishonesty can be assigned a penalty up to and including an "F" or "N" for the course. If you have any questions regarding the expectations for a specific assignment or exam, ask.”.

Statement regarding sexual harassment: Sexual harassment, as defined by the University of Minnesota Policy on Sexual Harassment, will not be tolerated. I firmly adhere to this policy and expect that participants in class will conduct themselves in accordance with the policy. The policy is available for review on the web at:

http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/humanresources/SexHarassment.pdf

Statement on penalties for late work: All assignments must be submitted to me by the end of class on the date the assignment is due. Late work will be penalized 5% for each day it is late. The weekend counts as one day. Repeated late completion of assignments should be avoided, and a meeting should be scheduled to discuss mechanisms to bring completion of assignments back on schedule.

FERPA Compliance:  Activities related to this course will be managed to be FERPA Compliant. However, a WebCT site will be available for student use and communication. Consequently, the following statement is included in this syllabus at the recommendation of the University of Minnesota.

"In this class, our use of technology will sometimes make students' names and University of Minnesota Internet IDs visible within the course website, but only to other students in the same class. Since we will be using a secure, password-protected course website, this will not increase the risk of identity theft or spamming for anyone in the class. If you have concerns about the visibility of your Internet ID, please contact me for further information."