Geography 316: Biogeography
Fall 2002: 
with Barbara A. Holzman, Ph.D.
Holzman's Office: 271 HSS
Office Hours: M 1-2, WF 12-1 and by appointment,
Office Phone: 338-7506 (338-2049 message)
email: bholzman@sfsu.edu
WEB PAGE:http://bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/316/
EXAM I REVIEW SHEET
EXAM 2 REVIEW SHEET
FINAL REVIEW SHEET
Project Assignment:
The Biogeography of.......
Past Class Projects
Your Fall 2002 Projects
Course
Description
Biogeography
is concerned with the distribution, ranges and limits of plants and animals. It overlaps several disciplines. Consequently the
field is extremely broad and includes biologists, botanists, paleontologists, geographers,
and zoologists to name a few. It follows that
there are several approaches to biogeography, each with its own philosophy and
methodology. In this course, the emphasis will be on ecological and historical themes, the
changing patterns of plant and animal distribution in space and time.
What you should already know… Geography 101 is a prerequisite for this course. If you haven’t taken it or are taking it concurrently be advised that you may have some catching up to do. Concepts and terms explained in Basic Physical geography will be built upon, hence if you don’t have the foundation; the building process could get shaky. It is also helpful to have had a course in Biology, minimally sometime in this lifetime. Again, there will be terms and concepts that may be unclear for you if you are new to this field. If you are persistent, you can make it through, but be forewarned you may have to do some extra reading and thinking!
Schedule
Class meets MWF 11:10-12:00 pm, 287 HSS ....I expect you to be on time!
My Office: 271
HSS
My Office Hours:
M 2:-3:00 , W 1-2 and by appointment;
Office Phone:
338-7506 (338-2049 message)
email:
bholzman@sfsu.edu
WEB PAGE:
http://bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/316/
Textbook and Readings
Mac Donald.
Glenn. 2003. Biogeography Introduction to Space, Time and
Life. J. Wiley Publisher.
Pacific Coast
Tree Finder
Additional Readings will be on reserve in the Map Library (HSS 289)
Grading Structure
Journal 5%
Quizzes 10%
Exam I & 2 20%
Final Exam 20%
Final Project 20%
Lab & Assignments 20%
Attendance/Participation 5%
Grading will be on a percentage basis 100-90% A, 89-80% B, 79-70 C,69-60% D. Plus/minus grades will be assigned for points near the margin. I would be more than happy to give everyone As provided you reach the desired goals (i.e. > 89% of all points)
Graduate students will be required to read the additional readings on reserve in the map library and will be questioned on them during the exams. Undergraduates are encouraged to read the additional readings and can answer those exam questions for extra credit.
Quizzes (10%): There will be several short (10-15 minute) quizzes during the semester. These will be given during the first 10-15 minutes of class. If you come in late, you will not be able to make up the quiz at another time.
Exams 1 & 2 ( 20%) Exams are a combination of objective format (multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, etc.) short answer, and short essay. Makeup exams will only be given in cases of verifiable illness or verifiable emergency, otherwise don't ask! Any makeups may be entirely essay or oral exam format.
Final Exam (20 %) will be cumulative.
Journal Assignment (5%): You will be required to keep a journal during this class. The journal should be in a report-type folder. In the journal you are to record your observations of the natural world, reflect on class material or world events as they relate to your observations, or note your interactions with the natural world. You will also be given discussion questions in class that you will answer in your journal. You should make entries into your journal on a Weekly basis (minimally). Your journals will be collected periodically and checked. You will not be graded on the content per se, but on the consistency of your entries. I have found that keeping a journal has helped me see and reflect on nature more vividly, I hope you will have similar positive experiences with this exercise.
Assignments( 10%): There will be several lab exercises and written assignments throughout the course. A more detailed description will be provided at a later date. Assignments are due on dates indicated; late assignments will be docked 10% for each class day late.
Final Project: (20%): This will be a project that you will be working on throughout the semester. The final product will be a Biogeography of a specific organism or plant in California. You will be creating maps, and discussing the organism’s life history, evolution, status, etc. In the end you will put together a web page, paper and a presentation on the organism you researched. I will give you more information on this project during Week 2 of the class.
FIELD
TRIPS:
There will be field trips during class time that you are required to attend.
There will also be at least two field trips on Weekends, you are required
to attend at least one, and you are welcome to attend all. There will
be an assignment from each Weekend trip, you must complete one of these
assignments and hand it in on time. You can choose to do both assignments and
receive extra credit for the second. You will be required to contribute to
transportation costs for the field trips.
This schedule is subject to change without advance notice. I will try to keep the website updated with current schedule changes. “Ch” refers to chapters in text book, “RR” refers to reserve readings in Map Library.
Class Schedule Readings
Week
1 Introduction to course and
class Ch 1 & 2
9/2
Basic
physical geography
Week 2
Biodiversity/
Ecosystems and Ecological Processes Ch 3 & 4
(no class
9/2) Photosynthesis RR
Week
3 & 4 Climates, Communities and
Biomes Ch 5 & 6
(Check out WWW site)
RR
9/21 Saturday Field Trip to Point Reyes 8:00 am- @5:00 pm
Week
5 &6 Dispersal/Distribution
Ch. 8 & 10/RR
Week
7
Distribution/EXAM I /
Evolution
Ch. 9/RR
10/19 Saturday Field Trip to Mount Diablo: 8:00 am- @5:00 pm
Week
8
Past Changes in Physical Geography
Ch7/RR
Plate Tectonic
and Continental Drift
Week
9
Fossils and Historical Biogeography
Ch. 13/RR
Paleobiogeography
Week 10 Climate Changes
Week 11 Exam II
Week 12 Quaternary Events Ch. 11 & 12
WEB SITE DUE MONDAY 11/25
Thanksgiving Break : No Class 11/27 & 11/29
Week
14
Island Biogeography Ch. 14/15RR
Extinctions/Conservation
Ch. 15/RR
Week
15
Humans/Extinctions of the Past
Summary/Geopardy Challenge
Dec. 16 (10:45am -1:15pm) FINAL EXAM :Review sheet
email: bholzman@sfsu.edu
SFSU Page SFSU Geography Department Biogeography 316 Professor Barbara Holzman's Home Page