2006 ELME courses at Kellogg Biological Station

Week 1: Theoretical Ecology
Week 2: Behavioral Ecology
Week 3: Maximum Likelihood
Week 4-7: Field Ecology and Evolution
All: General Resources

What are participants in ELME called?

Week 1 (MTH= 490.431) taught by Robin E. Snyder

• Course outline
• Readings from Gurney and Nisbet (1998):
  • Day 1: sections 1.4, 1.5, 2.2.1(second half), 5.2.2, 2.5.1, 2.5.2
  • Day 2: sections 1.3.2, 2.3, 2.4, 5.2.1, 5.4.3 (case study), 3.3.1, 3.3.2
  • Day 3: Readings from Caswell (2001): sections 4.1, 4.4, 4.5.2, Appendix A
  • Day 4: sections 2.5.3, 2.5.4, 3.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2
  • Day 5: sections 3.1, 4.2.1, 6.2.3, 6.4.1 (case study)
• Lab 1: Equilibria and stability in single-species, continuous-time models
• Lab 2: Equilibria and stability in single-species, discrete-time models
• Lab 3: Stage-structured populations
• Lab 4: Equilibria and stability in continuous-time predator-prey models
• Lab 5: Type II functional response (a.k.a. the Pistachio Lab)
• Mathematica Notebooks:
  • Exponential Growth
  • Logistic Growth
  • Ricker
  • Age Distribution
  • Lotka-Voterra Predator-prey
  • Rosenzweig

Week 2 (MTH 490.432) taught by Tom Getty

• Course outline
• Course page (will need to use MSUNet ID to access this page)
• Mathematica versions of exercises from Bulmer

Week 3 (MTH 490.433) taught by Chad E. Brassil

• General
  • Course outline
  • Guide to R in Ecology by Stephen Ellner
  • Download WinEdt to use as editor with R. Install and load package RWinEdt.
  • Download R.
  • Download bbmle package.
  • Download mleFunctions package.
  • Example code that can be used to install libraries like stats4, RWinEdt, and Rcmdr on controlled computers like the MSU microlab machines.
  • Pages listed below are from Hilborn and Mangel (1997)
• Day 1: pgs 39-57, 62-87
  • Discussion: Alternative Views of the Scientific Method of Modeling, Chapter 2, pgs 12-38.
  • Distributions Reference
  • Lab: Distribution exercises. Download chapter 4 bird data. Pgs 94-95, 98-103
  • Lab: Day 1 R code
• Day 2: pgs 59-62, 131-160
  • Maximimum Likelihood Analysis in R Handout
  • R code used in class to look at average of nutrients
  • Lab A: Example Data Set and step-by-step code.
  • Lab B: Flies Data Set and instructions. R code that will analyze this data is posted here.
  • Maximimum Likelihood Analysis in Excel
• Day 3: pgs 160-171 and Forsyth and Caley 2006
  • Maximum Likelihood Analysis in Mathematica
  • Morning Lab: Data from Scheffer 1951; example code posted here.
  • Morning Lab Up to Lunch
  • Afternoon Lab: Work through example in Chapter 8 (pgs 180-202). Just try to get through page 194, the effects of rainfall in the logistic model. Chapter 8 Data
• Day 4: pgs 106-117, 171-179
  • Categorical variables and ANOVA Design
    • R Code
    • Data Set
• Day 5
  • 15 minute presentations (12 min, with 3 min for questions)
• Resources for Projects
  • Global Population Dynamics Database
  • KBS LTER Data
  • Climate Indices
  • Talk to Steve Hamilton about PCB data from the Kalamazoo river

Week 4-7 (ZOL/PLB 440): Advanced Field Ecology and Evolution

General Resources

• Notebooks for Mathematica:
  • Math Magic: math cheat sheet
  • Mathematica Basics
  • General Differential Equation Solver. Note, to use the null clines, you must download DiffEqs, unzip it, and place the folder at "C:\Program Files\Wolfram Research\Mathematica\5.0\AddOns\Applications".
• Electronic Journals in Ecology and Evolution at KBS
• MathReader is a free download that can be used to view Mathematica notebooks (*.nb).
• Printer Driver for Halictus. Place folder "Printer" onto desktop.