Universidad Americana, UAM College of University Studies in English, CUSE Green Adventure Program - ENV 0311-Ecology Summer 2013
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Universidad Americana, UAM
College of University Studies in English, CUSE
Green Adventure Program
ENV 0311-Ecology
Summer 2013
1
Professor:
Antonio Mijail Perez, Ph.D.
Website: www.asociacion-gaia.org
Text:
Compendium of readings.
Course
Ecology - Total Hours: 64 Credits: 4
Description:
Students will develop a deep understanding of biomes, land and aquatic ecosystems, the efficiency of
living things, and how these are impacted by the environmental crisis. This class explores
environmentalism and ecology as both a theoretical and practical system. Students examine the
relationship of populations, communities, and resources through time and space. Ecological topics
affecting environmental economics, legislation, and policy are addressed. Ecology is closely related to
Environment and Natural Resources. This introductory class has no prerequisites.
Class Methodology:
This class will use lecture and practical lessons as basic activities for the landing of the courses
curriculum. Field trips and presentations will be used as grounding experience. Most of the class time
will be spent in the field, conducting various short projects such as measurement of trees,
measurement of variables of vegetation structure, observation of key ecosystems, studying soil fauna,
etc.
Grade:
Assessments (2) ……………………………. 40%
Group Reports (2) …………………………. 40%
Attendance ...................................................... 20%
Class Activities & Assessments:
Assessments: You will have two formal tests, one at mid-course and the other at the end.
Reports: You will have to present two research reports following the structure of a scientific paper.
Each will account for 20% of the grade. Reports will be written in Arial, 12 pts., with a length of 1,000
words.
Presentations: Every group will make at least two presentations during the course, based on the
reports.
Attendance: Your participation grade is based on class attendance and homework.
Groups: You are encouraged to form groups ranging from two to three students.
2
Tentative Schedule
No. Subject Subject Area Fieldtrips Date
1.1. Presentation of the course.
Bibliography. Evaluations. General Concept Framework
1 General 1.2. Concepts: Environment, Ecology, At UAM July 12
Concept Species, Populations, Habitats,
Framework Communities, Ecosystems, Eco
regions and Biomes.
2 2.1. Definitions.
2.2. Morphological Variability and its Visit a reptile farm for
assessment. Polymorphisms, observation and handling of July 13-
Subspecies and Ecotypes. iguanas in order to analyze 14
2.3. Measurements and statistical more closely each species
tools of analysis.
Species and 2.4. Studying species variability. Lab:
Populations. 2.5. Characteristics of a Population. Measuring trees and analyzing
data. First project on
measurement of trees: learning
the techniques.
The Night will be spent in
Managua
3 3.1. Characteristics of communities:
Communities Species richness and Diversity. Using open source packages to July 15
Examples from Nicaragua and calculate community structure
Central America. indices
3.2. Estimation of the community Free afternoon
similarity.
3.3. Estimation of Diversity and other Night will be spent in Managua
community parameters.
Volcano Mombacho July16-
Hiking the crater in daylight to 17
4 Ecosystems see the components and
and Eco 4.1. Concepts. Criteria of structure of the clouds and
regions of classification. forest, measuring tree 16
Nicaragua. 4.2. Ecosystems of Nicaragua. perimeters along the way.
Description. Endangered ecosystems. Calculating CO2 captured by
4.3. Agro-ecosystems (Silvo-pastoral trees.
systems and Agroforestry Systems. Night will be spent on Volcano
4.4. Ecosystem services and Payment Mombacho:
for Environmental Services. Hike the crater in the morning
4.5. Estimation of Carbon Capture. to see the Salamander endemic.
Night in Managua 17
Montibelli,
Bird watching of multiple
beautiful species associated
with the Dry Forest (Toledos,
Guardabarrancos, Güises, ect.)
Night in Managua
Visit to Volcano Santiago,
traveling to the crater in a
3
No. Subject Subject Area Fieldtrips Date
vehicle.
In the protected area you will
be able to see lava flows, a
unique local ecosystem, and
vegetation successions.
This area is an example of
payment for environmental
services, where you pay an
entrance fee that is used to
preserve the ecosystem.
Afternoon at UAM
Night in Managua
Subjects 1 to 4 Assessment
July 17
5 The Ecological 5.1. The ecological niche. Sub-niche Morning At UAM
Niche. dimensions. Niche Breadth and Afternoon
Niche overlap. Calculating niche Tour around Managua, visit to
breadth and niche overlap. the Sandino Lookout located at
5.2. Potential niche. Definition and the north side of Tiscapa July 18
calculation. SDM. Lagoon. Best view of the city!
5.3. Interspecific relationships This site is a National Historic
(mutualism, commensalism, Park.
amensalism, predation, parasitism, Visit to Tiscapa lagoon, a
herb ivory). protected area, located at the
center of the city.
Dinner at the restaurant nearby.
Night in Managua
6 The 6.1. Why preserve biodiversity?. Tour of Consigüina Peninsulae.
Conservation 6.2. Assessments: GAP analysis. Steps Watch the Farallones, some
of Biodiversity. and goals. The Nicaraguan gap impressive cliffs looking at the July 19
analysis. Main outputs. Fonseca Gulf as well as the
6.3. Protected areas and other forms Mangrove ecosystems.
of conservation: Municipal Parks, Tour to El Realejo, (First Church
Private Reserves, Local Community in Nicaragua) July 20
Conservation.
6.4. Conservation in farms. Night in León
6.5. Conservation in cities. Students will experience Leon´s
night life and stay with local
people in Homestays.
Vvisit Botanical Gardens in
León, where some species of the July 21
dry forest are kept for the
enjoyment of visitors.
Visit UNAN Campus.
UNAN León is the oldest July 22-
university in Nicaragua and the 23
oldest of Central America
(1804).
Downtown Leon
Visit the Cathedral built in 24-25
1747-1814.
4No. Subject Subject Area Fieldtrips Date
July 26
Night in León (Homestays)
Free morning- back to Managua
Afternoon at UAM
Night in Managua
El Jaguar Private Reserve.
Bird watch along transects
crossing the coffee plantation.
Conduct measurements on the
structure of vegetation and
make samplings to study the
soil fauna associated with coffee
plantations.
In Selva Negra, witness the
variety of initiatives developed
by the owners to make their life
project sustainable: an organic
farm, produce biogas, an eco-
friendly coffee farm, restaurant,
lodging and other initiatives.
Night in Managua
7 Climate change. 7.1. Biochemical cycles. at UAM
7.2. The Greenhouse Effect. Modeling species distribution.
7.3. Models and scenarios of climate In the tropics with scarce
change. information regarding species July 27
7.4. Biodiversity based models for distribution, the elaboration of
climate change prediction. potential distribution maps is a
powerful tool to make
predictions and assessments in
different fields.
Night in Managua
8 Legal 8.1. Global and Regional Cattle farm in León. Visit a cattle
framework. Conventions, Programs and farm in the countryside of León
Strategies. to see feeding, milking and July 28
8.2. Environmental Laws. strategies for biodiversity
8.3. Environmental Education. conservation in farms.
Night in Managua July 29
Discuss Environmental
Education and Laws at UAM
Night in Managua
Subjects 5 to 8 Assessment July 29
5References (Papers and reports will be provided on CD in pdf).
Topic
II-Species and Populations:
Pérez, A.M. 1994. Variabilidad en moluscos gasterópodos. Una aproximación general. Editorial UCA,
Managua. 64 p.
Pérez, A.M. 2004. Aspectos conceptuales, análisis numérico, monitoreo y publicación de datos sobre
biodiversidad. Araucaria-Marena, Managua. 300 p.
Pérez, A.M. 2012. Introducción a la medición de la biodiversidad. Editorial Ampe, Managua. 161 p.
III. Communities.
Pérez, A.M., L. Corrales & T. Tekelenburg. 2010. Revisión de los valores del índice de abundancia relativa
de especies (Mean Species Abundance) para Centroamérica. Rev. Nica. de Biodiversidad, No. 2:119-125.
Pérez, A.M. 2012. Introducción a la medición de la biodiversidad. Editorial Ampe, Managua. 161 p.
Pérez, A.M., M. Sotelo, F. Ramírez, I. Ramírez, A. López e I. Siria. 2006. Conservación de la biodiversidad
en sistemas silvopastoriles de Matiguás y Rio Blanco, Dpto. de Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Ecosistemas,
2006/3.http://www.asociaciongaia.org/images/documentos/artosmiembros/Diversidad_sistemas_sil
vopastoriles_Ecosistemas.pdf
IV. Ecosystems and Eco regions of Nicaragua.
MARENA. 2001. Estado de conservación de los ecosistemas de Nicaragua. En: Estrategia Nacional de
Biodiversidad. Imprimatur, Managua.189 p.
Pérez, A.M. 2012. A revision of biogeography-related classifications existing for Nicaragua: Eco regions,
ecosystems and natural regions. Gaia, 14:1-23 http://www.asociacion-
gaia.org/images/Revista%20Gaia/Gaia14.pdf
Pérez, A.M. 2011. Análisis del estado de la biodiversidad y su conservación en Nicaragua y América
Central. Gaia, 13, 65 p. http://www.asociacion-gaia.org/images/Revista%20Gaia/Gaia13.pdf
Pérez, A.M. 2012. Introducción a la medición de la biodiversidad. Editorial Ampe, Managua. 161 p.
Pérez, A.M. & I. Siria. 2010. Estado del arte y experiencias de PSA en Nicaragua. In Servicios de los
ecosistemas provistos por las Reservas de la Biosfera de Iberoamerica. Editorial
UNESCO.http://www.asociaciongaia.org/images/documentos/informesgaia/Perez%20&%20Siria%20
PSA%20como%20herramientas.pdf
V. The Ecological Niche.
References:
Ludwig, J.A. and Reynolds, J.F. 1988. Statistical Ecology. A primer on methods and computing. John Wiley &
Sons, USA. 337 p.
Pérez, A.M. 2009. Biogeografía aplicada. Editorial LEA, Managua. 308 p.
6Pérez, A.M., C. Poveda, L. Aburto, I. Siria, E. Arets & M. Sotelo. 2009. Modelos de nichos potenciales de
especies para tomadores de decisión y su relación con el cambio climático en Nicaragua y América
Central. Encuentro, 84:62-80.
http://encuentro.uca.edu.ni/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59%3Aedicion-
84&catid=14%3A2009&Itemid=7
VI. The Conservation of Biodiversity.
Brown, J.H. & M.V. Lomolino. 1998. Biogeografía. 2nd edition. Sinauer associates, inc.
Sunderland, Massachussets. 691 p.
MARENA. 2009. En línea. Estudio de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad de Nicaragua y su representatividad en
el SINAP. 1ra. Edición. Managua Nicaragua. 133 p
http://www.sinia.net.ni/wsinap/documentos/Analisis_de_Vacios_de_Conservacion_deNicaragua_2009.
pdf
MARENA. Various. Protected áreas management plans.
Pérez, A.M. 2012. Notes on urban wildlife in the city of Managua. Encuentro, 91:116-119.
http://encuentro.uca.edu.ni/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76%3Aedicion-
91&catid=22%3A2012&Itemid=7
VII. Climate change.
Pérez, A.M., C. Poveda, L. Aburto, I. Siria, E. Arets & M. Sotelo. 2009. Modelos de nichos potenciales de
especies para tomadores de decisión y su relación con el cambio climático en Nicaragua y América
Central. Encuentro, 84:62-80.
http://encuentro.uca.edu.ni/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59%3Aedicion-
84&catid=14%3A2009&Itemid=7
VIII. Legal framework.
MARENA. 2007. Estado actual del ambiente en Nicaragua 2003-2006. II Informe Geo. Impresión
comercial La Prensa, Managua. 274 p.
Objectives & Learning Outcomes.
Upon completion of this course you should be able to accomplish, develop, and mature the following
abilities:
No. Objectives Learning Outcomes
1 Identify and define Key concepts related to 1.1. Be able to explain each concept in
Ecology. your own words.
2 Define concepts of species and populations, 2.1. Be familiar with the definitions of
as well as characteristics of the latter. species and populations.
2.2. Discuss morphological variability
and its assessment.
2.5. Understand the characteristics of a
population.
7No. Objectives Learning Outcomes
3 Define the concept of community, its 3.1. Analyze characteristics of
characteristics and analyze data on local communities with examples from
communities. Nicaragua and Central America.
3.2. Estimate some basic community
parameters, v. g. diversity and similarity.
4 Define concepts of ecosystems and eco 4.1. Define concepts of ecosystems and
regions and be able to identify terrestrial eco-regions and its classification criteria.
eco-regions of Nicaragua. 4.2. Have an overview of the ecosystems
of Nicaragua.
4.3. Discuss the importance of agro-
ecosystems (Silvo-pastoral systems and
Agroforestry Systems) for the
conservation of biodiversity.
4.4. Be familiar with services provided by
ecosystems and existing mechanisms
used as incentive for ecosystem´s
sustainable use.
4.5. Estimate the carbon captured by
trees.
5 Discuss the theory related to the ecological 5.1. Be familiar with the concept of
niche and perform some simple calculations ecological niche.
and analyses regarding it. 5.2. Make some simple calculations of
niche overlap and niche width.
5.3. Know the basic types of species
interactions.
5.4. Get to know the software tools (Open
source) for making potential niche
estimations.
6 Know the importance of preserving 6.1. Get to know the importance of Why
biodiversity at national, regional and preserve biodiversity.
international levels. 6.2. Discuss the importance of
assessments for setting up conservation
priorities.
6.3. Be familiar with protected areas and
other forms of in situ conservation.
6.4. Understand the role of farms and
cities in conservation.
7 Address the causes and consequences of 7.1. Discuss general biochemical cycles.
climate change. 7.2. Analyze the greenhouse effect.
7.3. Discuss global models and scenarios
of climate change and examples of
applications for Nicaragua.
8 Be aware of the most important 8.1. Get to know global and regional
environmental agreements and laws of the conventions, programs and strategies.
country. 8.2. Get to know the most important
national environmental laws.
8UAM’s Transversal Competencies.
Competencies Objectives Learning Outcomes
Competency related to 1. Use information and 1.1 To use the print and electronic media as
learning communication technology to well as personal interaction in
permanently learn, abstract, autonomous learning, communication, and
analyze, synthesize, identify, permanent up-dating in the profession.
propose research, resolve 1.2 To identify, formulate, and resolve real or
problems, and put knowledge simulated problems by systematically
into practice. using established methods that have
technical validity.
Competency related to 2. Using English, motivate 2.1 To optimize the use of English.
interpersonal relations students to work in teams, 2.2 Identify group objectives and orient
establish common goals, and toward these.
develop skills in international 2.3 Apply the best practices of the profession
context. according to the latest techniques.
Competency related to 3. To commit to quality, 3.1 To satisfactorily reach academic standards
personal autonomy and adaptation to new situations and parameters that are personal and
development and decision-making as well professional.
as innovation and work
leading to personal autonomy. 3.2 To effectively adapt to new situations and
be able to propose innovative solutions.
3.3 To plan execute, and evaluate autonomous
and formative tasks and professional roles
that encourage autonomy.
Competency related to 4. To foster responsibility, 4.1 To always perform with academic
using values ethical values and integrity according to the highest
demonstrate social standards and democratic values.
responsibility and citizenship. 4.2 Realize or participate in projects based on
principles of democracy, inclusion, gender,
human development, citizenship,
sustainable development, transparency,
and care of the environment.
UAM-CUSE Transversal Competencies:
1. Master the mind.
2. Master communication.
3. Master information & technology.
4. Master a holistic view of the world.
5. Be an ethical leader: create a legacy.
Class Code:
1) Dates in the syllabus are subject to change.
2) Late work: Will NOT be accepted regardless of excuse! Students will receive a ZERO for all
missing work.
3) ALL make up exams: Grade lowered 10%.
94) More than 5 absences (excused/unexcused): Grade lowered 10%.
5) More than 3 late arrivals = 1 Absence. Please enter through the back door.
6) Plagiarism/Cheating…NOT! Students who are caught cheating on any work/test will be failed on
that work with a ZERO. A student, who is caught cheating a second time, will be failed for the course
with a notification to the program office.
7) The passing grade at UAM is a 70… NOT 68 or 69 but 70. There is no extra credit in this class.
8) All work turned in via e-mail must receive an answer from the professor as confirmation of effective
delivery. If the student does not get a response, the professor did not receive it. All documents must
open successfully; if a document is sent but does not open, it was not delivered. Students are
responsible for e-work delivery, NOT THE PROFESSOR.
Important Note:
University students should not be told how to behave for they already know how to do it (They are not
in high school anymore!) However, if university students were to forget, they will be treated
accordingly. Here is a quick reminder on university behavior:
1. Students at this level know that cellular phones MUST remain silent/OFF during class. If there is a
need to answer, they step out of the class silently through the back door.
2. Students by this time know they should go to the restroom before/after class; thus, opening and
closing doors distract class. Besides, they may miss important notes.
3. University students have freely chosen to be in the university pursuing a particular degree that
interests them. They want to be in class! They pay attention!
4. Students in universities participate in class in an orderly manner; thus they realize that the best way
to learn is through meaningful interaction, discussion, and debate.
5. Above all, university students tend to be mindful and respectful of themselves, their classmates, and
professors.
Field Trips:
We will have water/ drinks along in the vehicle, but each student should take a water bottle of at least
1.5 liter capacity to refill and keep hydrated. Field trips will depart at the pre-arranged time- we will
not wait for late arrivals.
Cliff, Cosigüina Peninsula, Dpt. Of Chinadega.
10Waterfall, Cerro Musún, Dpt. of Matagalpa.
Peñas Blancas Hill, Dpt. of Jinotega.
Antonio Mijail Pérez
Post-Doctorate on Biodiversity-based Modeling. Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the
Netherlands. 2007.
Post-Doctorate on Eco-toxicology. University of the Basque Country, Spain. 2001.
Ph. D. on Biology. University of the Basque Country, Spain. 1999.
Diploma on Advanced Studies on Biology. University of the Basque Country, Spain. 1997.
Specialty on Conservation Biology. Academy of Sciences, Cuba. 1990.
Bachelor on Biology. Havana University, Cuba. 1987.
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