Week 1. Introduction

I will only have to show you a few photos for you to see that there are very big differences between ecological comunities in Texas (a temperate region) and Malaysia (a tropical region). There are corresponding differences in the traits of organisms, the organizing ecological interactions, and patterns of biodiversity. We will start to examine these differences by comparing the WWF Ecoregions found in Texas with those found in Malaysia. Trying to understand these differences will be the purpose of this course.

Powerpoint Presentations

I will try to make all of the powerpoint presentations available to you on Slideshare. You should be able to view all of the presentations by clicking on the appropriate link.

Introduction- http://www.slideshare.net/secret/DIdjlCfDtKCqLm

WWF Ecoregions of Texas and Malaysia- http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/wwf-ecoregions-of-texas-and-malaysia

Readings

I don't expect you to be experts on all of the characteristics of all of the ecosystems. But I would like you to browse through these links so that you have a better idea about some of the systems that we will be talking about in the US and how they differ from Malaysia.

Ecoregions of Texas

Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sierra_Madre_Occidental_pine-oak_forests
East central Texas forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/East_Central_Texas_forests
Arizona Mountains forest
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Arizona_Mountains_forests
Piney Woods forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Piney_Woods_forests
West Gulf coast grasslands
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Gulf_coast_grasslands
Central and Southern mixed grasslands
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Central_and_Southern_mixed_grasslands
Central forest-grassland transition
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Central_forest-grasslands_transition
Edwards Plateau savanna
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Edwards_Plateau_savanna
Texas Blackland Prairies
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Texas_blackland_prairies
Western short grasslands
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Western_short_grasslands
Chihuahuandeseret
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Chihuahuan_desert
Tamaulipanmezquital
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Tamaulipan_mezquital

Ecoregions of Malaysia

Borneo Lowland Rain Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Borneo_lowland_rain_forests
Borneo Montane Rain Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Borneo_montane_rain_forests
Borneo Peat Swamp Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Borneo_peat_swamp_forests
KinabaluMontane Alpine Meadows
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Kinabalu_montane_alpine_meadows
Myanmar Coast Mangroves
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Myanmar_Coast_mangroves
Peninsular Malaysian Montane Rain Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Peninsular_Malaysian_rain_forests
Peninsular Malaysian Peat Swamp Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Peninsular_Malaysian_peat_swamp_forests
Peninsular Malaysian Rain Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Peninsular_Malaysian_rain_forests
South China Sea Islands
http://www.eoearth.org/article/South_China_Sea_Islands
Sunda Shelf Mangroves
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sunda_Shelf_mangroves
Tenasserim-South Thailand Semi-evergreen Rain Forests
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Tenasserim-South_Thailand_semi-evergreen_rain_forests

Expected Learning Outcomes

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

1) Discuss ways in which ecosystems in West Texas are different from those in Malaysia.

2) Discuss differences in the physical environment (particulalry precipitation and temperature) between West Texas and Malaysia.

3) Compare and contrast climate graphs of Lubbock and Kuala Lumpur.

4) Define an ecoregion.

5) Discuss the types of ecoregions found in Texas and in Malaysia

6) Contrast the dominant plant growth forms found in ecoregions in Texas with those found in Malaysia.

First Assignment (due next week- July 21)

In one page, double spaced, written in English (I am sorry, but that is the only language that I understand) address the following issues. Because you have only one page, you might not be able to address all of the points. I just want to see that you have thought about the material and to determine if there are any areas of misunderstanding.

What was the most important point/points of the previous lecture? How would you explain this point to your friends or family (I am assuming that your friends and family are intelligent people who are not experts in ecology and biodiversity). Why is important for a member of the general public to be aware of these concepts? What questions do you have about the topic?

Format as follows- At the top of the page

Your Name Assignment #1 Date