Lecture Syllabus

BIOL 356/656 Plant-Animal Interactions
Lecture Outline
M,W,F 1:00-1:52 PM
Biology Room 101
http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/abrahmsn/bi356/
Fall 2000

Lecture/Discussion -- Topics and Number
(A) Abrahamson, W.G., editor. 1989. Plant-Animal Interactions. McGraw-Hill Publishing.
(AW) Abrahamson, W.G. & A.E. Weis. 1997. Evolutionary Ecology across Three Trophic Levels. Princeton University Press. Approx. Lecture Dates Discussion Dates

1 I. Introduction and Objectives Aug 30 ---

2 II. Interaction and Coevolution (Read Chapter 1A) Sep 1-4 ---

6 III. Pollination Biology (Read Chapter 2A)

Plant's Perspective
Animal's Perspective
Evolutionary Responses
Case Histories
Sep 6-18 Sep 18

4 IV. Fruits, Seeds, and Dispersal (Read Chapter 3A)

Agents
Fruits as food
Disperser feeding and movements after departure
Seed predators
Mimicry in seed dispersal
Sep 20-29 Sep 29

6 V. Insect Herbivore/Plant Interactions (Read Chapters 4A, 3AW, 4AW)

Plant defenses: morphology and chemistry
Physiological and behavioral responses of herbivores
Generalist and specialist herbivores
Natural enemies and herbiveres
Oct 2-18 Oct 18

Midterm Examination Oct 13 ---

5 VI. Mammalian Herbivore/Plant Interactions (Read Chapter 5A)

Impacts of mammalian herbivores on plant communities
Adaptations of mammalian herbivores to plants
Diet selection by mammalian herbivores
The problem of toxic compounds
Grazer migrations related to plant availability
Mutualism-- grasses and grazers?
Oct 20-30 Oct 30

3 VII. Ant/Plant Interactions (Read Chapter 6A)

Plants as ant-food-- leaf cutting, aphid-tending, and harvesting ants
Plants as ant shelters
Ants as plant protectors, pollinators, and seed dispersers
Acacia and Pseudomyrmex--a case history
Nov 1-6 Nov 6

3 VIII. Carnivorous Plants and Insects (Read Chapter 7A)

Plant habitats
Plant morphologies and adaptations
Nutritional benefits of carnivory
Cost-benefit of carnivory
Nov 8-17 Nov 17

3 IX. Plant Communities as Animal Habitats (Read Chapter 8A)

Ecological segregation
Habitat selection
Resource utilization
Resource partitioning
Nov 15- Dec 1 Dec 1

3 X. Plant-Animal Interactions in Agriculture (Read Chapter 9A)

Origins of agriculture
Medicinals, religion, and witchcraft
Western agriculture--energy budgets

Application of ecological and evolutionary
principals to food production techniques

and human diets
Dec 4-11 Dec 11

	Lecture/Discussion -- Topics and Number (A) Abrahamson, W.G., editor. 1989. Plant-Animal Interactions. McGraw-Hill Publishing. (AW) Abrahamson, W.G. & A.E. Weis. 1997. Evolutionary Ecology across Three Trophic Levels. Princeton University Press.	Approx. Lecture Dates	Discussion Dates
1	I. Introduction and Objectives	Aug 30	---
2	II. Interaction and Coevolution (Read Chapter 1A)	Sep 1-4	---
6	III. Pollination Biology (Read Chapter 2A) Plant's Perspective Animal's Perspective Evolutionary Responses Case Histories	Sep 6-18	Sep 18
4	IV. Fruits, Seeds, and Dispersal (Read Chapter 3A) Agents Fruits as food Disperser feeding and movements after departure Seed predators Mimicry in seed dispersal	Sep 20-29	Sep 29
6	V. Insect Herbivore/Plant Interactions (Read Chapters 4A, 3AW, 4AW) Plant defenses: morphology and chemistry Physiological and behavioral responses of herbivores Generalist and specialist herbivores Natural enemies and herbiveres	Oct 2-18	Oct 18
	Midterm Examination	Oct 13	---
5	VI. Mammalian Herbivore/Plant Interactions (Read Chapter 5A) Impacts of mammalian herbivores on plant communities Adaptations of mammalian herbivores to plants Diet selection by mammalian herbivores The problem of toxic compounds Grazer migrations related to plant availability Mutualism-- grasses and grazers?	Oct 20-30	Oct 30
3	VII. Ant/Plant Interactions (Read Chapter 6A) Plants as ant-food-- leaf cutting, aphid-tending, and harvesting ants Plants as ant shelters Ants as plant protectors, pollinators, and seed dispersers Acacia and Pseudomyrmex--a case history	Nov 1-6	Nov 6
3	VIII. Carnivorous Plants and Insects (Read Chapter 7A) Plant habitats Plant morphologies and adaptations Nutritional benefits of carnivory Cost-benefit of carnivory	Nov 8-17	Nov 17
3	IX. Plant Communities as Animal Habitats (Read Chapter 8A) Ecological segregation Habitat selection Resource utilization Resource partitioning	Nov 15- Dec 1	Dec 1
3	X. Plant-Animal Interactions in Agriculture (Read Chapter 9A) Origins of agriculture Medicinals, religion, and witchcraft Western agriculture--energy budgets Application of ecological and evolutionary principals to food production techniques and human diets	Dec 4-11	Dec 11