Pygmy Seahorses

photo by Alexander Mustard

Here is a video about what might be my all time favorite organisms!!

http://bcove.me/nmccqd8i

Competition in Animals and Plants

Readings

Competitive Exclusion Principle http://www.eoearth.org/article/Competitive_exclusion_principle

Resource Partitioning and Why It Matters
http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/resource-partitioning-and-why-it-matters-17362658

Slideshow

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/competition-in-animals-and-plants

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a full engaged student should be able to

1) discuss the relationship between the fundamental and realized niche

2) discuss some ways animals can partition niches

3) define and describe character displacement

4) discuss why plants and animals may not be able to partition niches in the same way

5) explain Tilman's R* model

The Daily Show Discusses House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Interesting Daily Show segment covering climate change discussions taking place on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technolgy.

http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/8q3nmm/burn-noticed?xrs=synd_facebook_092314_tds_60

Intro to Community Ecology

Suggested Readings

Community Ecology- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Community_ecology

Competition- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Competition

Interspecific Competition- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Interspecific_competition

Exploitative Competition- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exploitative_competition

Predation- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Predation

Mutualism- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Mutualism

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- define competition, exploitative competition and interference competition

- identify and explain examples of exploitative and interference competition from a variety of environments

- define predation (narrow and broad sense), herbivory, and parasitms

- identify and explain examples of predation, herbivory, and parasitism from a variety of environments

- identify examples of morphological and behavioral adaptations that animals have to help capture their food

- identify examples of morphological, biochemical, or behavioral adaptations that animals have to protect them from predators

- identify and explain examples of mutualisms from a variety of habitats

- define a keystone species and an ecosystem engineer and provide examples of each.

Ecocsystem Ecology

Ecosystem ecologists focus on the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients through the ecosystem.

Further Readings

Ecosystems- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ecosystem

Ecological energetics- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ecological_energetics

Nitrogen cycle- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Nitrogen_cycle

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- diagram and discuss the flow of energy through an ecosystem
- diagram, discuss the causes of, and discuss some of the implications of the enegy pyramid
- diagram nitrogen cycle within an ecosystem
- discuss the factors that influence the rate of flow from dead bodies to the soil and discuss the implications of differences in this rate

Depressing Example of Science Denial

Wealthy L.A. Schools; Vaccination Rates are as Low as South Sudan's.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/wealthy-la-schools-vaccination-rates-are-as-low-as-south-sudans/380252/

Some Things to Think About When Working on Your Writing Assignments

I am sure that you are all trying to figure out exactly what I, and your other professors, expect on your written assignments.  Some professors will supply you with a detailed "rubric" outlining exactly what you are expected to do and how points will be allocated for the assignment.  I do not supply rubrics.  Instead, I grade on the "gestalt" basis assigning an A for work that does an excellent job meeting the requirements of the assignment, a B for work that does a good job, etc.  The main reason that I do not provide a detailed rubric is that I think that can limit and inhibit your creativity on how you complete an assignment.

However, I do think that it would be useful for me to provide you with some more explicit guidelines about what I am looking for.  The Association of American Colleges and Universities has developed suggested rubrics on how to evaluate a college level work.  I will post links to two of these rubrics, Written Communication and Critical Thinking, which might be helpful as you begin preparing your assignments for this and other classes.

Written Communication- https://apir.wisc.edu/assessment/Rubric_WrittenCommunication.pdf

Critical Thinking- http://assessment.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/CriticalThinking.pdf

Writing Assignment #1

We need to start by having a conversation about climate change. It would be irresponsible to avoid the issue just because it's uncomfortable to talk about.

Al Franken

I would like you to start a conversation about climate change with one of your fellow TTU students.  Identify your audience (you don't need to identify them by name, but identify the important characteristics of this person that will influence how you direct your conversation).

3 pages maximum, double spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font (if you include references you may add an additional page for references)

First Draft Due-Wednesday November 12th

Writing Workshop-  Friday November 14th

Final Draft Due- Monday November 24th

Conflicting Climate Change Reports

Hello Everyone,

Here are links to two articles drawing very different conclusions over whether global temperatures are increasing or not that showed up on my Facebook page yesterday (I have friends from all parts of the political spectrum).

Report: No Global Warming for the Last 215 Months.  http://dailycaller.com/2014/09/08/report-no-global-warming-for-215-months/


The pause in global warming is not even a thing. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2014/feb/12/global-warming-fake-pause-hiatus-climate-change


And two more.

The Global Warming Pause Puts "Crisis" in Perspective.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2014/08/07/global-warming-pause-puts-crisis-in-perspective/

Who Created the Global Warming Pause?
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/09/global-warming-pause-ipcc

Groupers and Eels Work Together to Hunt Prey

Here is an interesting article about a fascinating ecological relationship between a grouper and an eel who work together to catch their prey.  It appears that there is communication going on between the two species and that they are able to remember which individuals are good partners and which are not.  Pretty cool!!!

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/09/08/groupers-eels-animals-science-oceans-teamwork-hunting-prey/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20140908ngnw-eelsgroup&utm_campaign=Content&sf4540429=1

Tech Professor Receives Death Threats Over Climate Change

Here is a link to a couple of articles about Tech Political Science Professor Katharine Hayhoe. Dr. Hayhoe is a climate scientist whose research supports the conclusion that human activity have helped to cause global climate change. Dr. Hayhoe is perhaps unique in the debate about climate change because she is an evangelical Christian and she and her husband, a pastor, have written a book about climate change from an evangelical perspective.

http://www.katharinehayhoe.com/

I was quite disturbed to learn that her views have led to her receiving death threats!! If you would like to know more about this then please take a look at the following articles. I think these articles show how misunderstood the process of science is by many Americans!

Texas Tech scientist sees intimidation effort behind barrage of hate mail. http://texasclimatenews.org/wp/?p=4153

Newt Dumps Christian Climate Scientist
http://motherjones.com/environment/2012/01/newt-dumps-leading-climate-scientist

Climate Change Deniers and IPCC

Here is my (incomplete and poorly organized attempt) to try to gather additional useful and interesting information about climate change.  First, I will post the "Summary for Policy Makers" recently released by the IPCC and a recent USA Today article expressing and opposite viewpoint.
The I will list some links to some "climate change deniers" groups (this list is certainly not exhaustive).  Finally I have included links to some interesting videss on both sides of the "climate debate".

IPCC Report

IPCC Summary for Policy Makers- http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/uploads/WGIAR5-SPM_Approved27Sep2013.pdf

IPCC Exaggerates Risks: Opposing View (USA Today October 14, 2013)- http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/10/14/ipcc-climate-change-heartland-institute-editorials-debates/2983941/

The Science Fiction of IPCC Climate Models. (Heartland Institute, October 12, 2013)- http://news.heartland.org/editorial/2013/10/12/science-fiction-ipcc-climate-models

Some Climate Change Denial Groups

Heartland Institute- http://heartland.org/

Climate Change Dispatch- http://www.climatechangedispatch.com/

GlobalClimateScam.com- http://www.globalclimatescam.com/

Climate Change Denial-http://www.climatechangedispatch.com/

Friends of Science- http://www.friendsofscience.org/index.php?id=158

Heartland Institute and its NIPPC Report fails the credibility test- http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/2013/09/09/heartland-institute-nipcc-fail-the-credibility-test/

Videos

Rick Perry Debate- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPvxcwZ5xw

Global Warming Panic Explained- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdxaxJNs15s&feature=player_embedded

Providing Insight into Climate Change- http://www.friendsofscience.org/index.php?id=394

The Truth About Global Warming- Stephen Schneider: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_eJdX6y4hM

Bill Nye vs Marc Morano (CNN debate) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWT-EWKIR3M

Koch Industries and Climate Denial - http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/

Climate Deniers: Bill Maher- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OwFSLm4pII  (careful, contains a few naughty words)

John Oliver and Bill Nye on Climate Change Deniers. http://uproxx.com/tv/2014/05/john-oliver-and-bill-nye-on-the-opinions-of-climate-change-deniers-who-gives-a-sht/  (careful, also contains a few naughty words)

Funny Video: Dad, I Can't Take You Anywhere, Even the Science Fair

http://action.lcv.org/site/PageNavigator/Science_Fair_Nightmare_video_share.html

Political Beliefs Change How People Do Math

Here is a link to an interesting article, that was posted on Facebook by Dr. Jeff Lee a professor in the Geography Department at Tech.   The article reports on the results of a study showing how a political beliefs can cloud a person's ability to think clearly about numbers.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/09/new-study-politics-makes-you-innumerate

Please read this article carefully over the weekend so that we can discuss it on Monday.

Here is an interesting follow up article in case you are interested.

The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/denial-science-chris-mooney

How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic

How to talk to a climate skeptic: responses to the most common skeptical arguments on global warming.

http://grist.org/series/skeptics/#.UvuhszYb1HU.facebook

Mantis Shrimp

This article, from Sept. 7th, 2014 contains a video showing a mantis shrimp cracking open a clam and a photo of a giant mantis shrimp that someone caught in Florida last week.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/mantis-shrimp-warm-waters-lurk-video/33498799

This longish video (over 7 minutes long) discusses many interesting aspects of  how the mantis shrimp uses its claws.  Pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXrxCT0NpHo


Why the mantis shrimp is my new favorite animal (also pretty cool)

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp

Peacock Spiders

Cool Video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_yYC5r8xMI

Governor Perry's Comments Regarding Climate Change

Here is a link to a video with Governor Perry's answer to a question about climate change at the Republican Presidential Candidates' Debate on September 7, 2011.

**I am sorry that I couldn't find a clip on youtube that lacked a "comment" in the title of the video- I'll report, you decide ****

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYOQDz9Gt0Q

Amazing Bird Sounds of the Lyrebird

Here is link to a short video, narrated by David Attenborough, showing the amazing mimicry ability of the lyrebird.  This video is one of my all-time favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y

Lyrebirds, are medium-sized, ground-nesting birds found in Australia.  These birds are well know for (1) their ability to mimic the sounds of other birds (and other sounds in their environment) and the elaborate mating display of the male (shown above).  When I was about 12 or 13 years old I was living in Melbourne, Australia.  One Saturday my Dad and I drove to a forest area where lyrebirds live hoping to see one.  After hiking around for less than an hour we discovered a male and after following him for just a short while we were lucky enough to see the full display.  We were joined by an Australian wildlife photographer who said he had been exploring the forest for the last two weeks and this was the first display he saw.  I sure got lucky that day! (by now it should be clear that my biology nerdom started at a young age)

Global Carbon Cycle and Climate Change

Most of the slides from the global climate change portion of this presentation came from Katharine Hayhoe's website (she is a professor in the Tech Political Science Dept and the link to her website is listed on the presentation).

Global Carbon Cycle and Global Climate Change
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/C6iDTujQlIh73C

Further Reading

Climate Change FAQ- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Climate_change_FAQs

Causes of Climate Change- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Causes_of_climate_change

Global Warming- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Global_warming

Economics of Climate Change- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Economics_of_climate_change

Mauna Loa Curve- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Mauna_Loa_curve

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- identify the major reservoirs of carbon

- discuss the two most important biological processes that result in a movement of carbon from one reservoir to another

- discuss the three ways that human activity has altered the global carbon cycle

- explain the Mauna Loa Curve

- discuss why climate scientists have concluded that global temperatures have increased

- discuss why climate scientists have concluded that this increase in temperature is most likely caused by humans

- discuss some potential consequences of global climate change

Extinction of the Passenger Pigeons

September 1st is the 100th anniversary of the day that the final passenger pigeon, a female name Martha, died in the Cincinatti Zoo.  What makes the extinction of this species is that just a hundred years earlier the population size of passenger pigeons was in the billions!!

This recent article from the New York Times disucsses this specie's extinction.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/opinion/sunday/saving-our-birds.html?utm_source=Cornell+Lab+eNews&utm_campaign=a2816d4773-eNews_Flash_Times_OpEd_Article_31August_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_47588b5758-a2816d4773-277675305&_r=1