Ecology I: The Earth System

Calendar

LEC #	TOPICS	TERM PROJECT DATES	HOMEWORK DATES	RECITATION TOPICS
1	Introduction: what is ecology?	Term project out
2	Evolution of Earth and the biosphere		Homework 1 out	MIT libraries
3	How to be alive/thermodynamics of life	Term project topic due
4	CI lecture: getting started with the term project Lecturer: Harlan Breindel, MIT Writing Center	Term project topic back		Literature reviews and TA review of materials
5	Primary productivity I
6	Primary productivity II		Homework 1 due	Review for quiz
7	Biogeochemical cycles	Term project description due
8	Global carbon cycle		Homework 1 back	Figures and technical writing, TA review
9	Quiz 1	Term project description back	Homework 2 out
10	Limiting factors and Redfield			No recitation
11	Ecosystem experiments/geoengineering	Term project introduction due		CI: lecture
12	Secondary productivity/food webs
13	Population growth	Term project introduction back	Homework 2 due	Review for quiz
14	Chemostats/life tables
15	Human population growth	Term project proposal due	Homework 2 back	Breindel: revising a document
16	Quiz 2		Homework 3 out
17	Competition and the niche			Breindel: structuring and oral presentation
18	Predation/symbiosis/mutualism	Term project proposal back
19	Biogeography			Review for quiz
20	A thought experiment in sustainability Guest lecture: John Sterman, MIT Sloan School		Homework 3 due
21	Quiz 3			Q and A, office hours
22	Project presentations	Term project complete due	Homework 3 back	Project presentations
23	Project presentations (cont.)
24-25	Project presentations (cont.)			No recitation