Chemical Ecology
EN 570
Spring 2000
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Instructor: Louis B. Bjostad
Office:  Room 219 Plant Sciences East
Phone: 491-5987
Fax:  491-3862
Email: lbjostad@lamar.colostate.edu
World Wide Web: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/courses/en570/outline.html
Lecture: 11 MWF, Room 100 Plant Sciences East
Meeting dates: First class is 19 Jan (Wed).
Classes will not be held March 6-10 (Spring Break).
Last class is 5 May (Fri).
Final exam is 12 May (Friday), 9:10 a.m.-11:10 a.m.
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Topic 1. Overview of chemical ecology: design and significance of bioassays, uses of chemical techniques in studing ecological interactions

Topic 2. Major chemical groups of natural products and their structural features, plant primary and secondary metabolism, biosynthetic origins of secondary compounds

Topic 3. Theories of the roles of plant allelochemicals

Topic 4. Herbivory and the chemical defenses of plants, detailed examples for alkaloids, tannins, terpenes, cyanogens, cardenolides, toxic amino acids and proteins, hormone mimics

Topic 5. Coevolution of herbivores and plant allelochemicals, induction and mobilization of plant defenses

Topic 6. Host plant selection: chemosensory and neurophysiological basis, behavioral mechanisms for herbivory and oviposition

Topic 7. Circumvention of defenses by herbivores: generalized defenses (mixed function oxidases, hydrases, esterases, reductases, group transfer enzymes, detoxification, recycling), specialized defenses and biochemical adaptation

Topic 8. Chemical interactions among plants: allelopathy, higher plant parasites, chemical communication

Topic 9. Pollination biology: floral pigments, floral scent and floral rewards, toxic nectar

Topic 10. Plant-microbial interactions:  phytotoxins and mycotoxins, phytoalexins and lectins

Topic 11. Chemical attack and defense in animals: toxins, venoms, phytotoxemia

Topic 12. Semiochemicals: pheromones, allomones, kairomones

Topic 13. Resource pathways in ecosystems: nutrient cycles,  abiotic components

Topic 14. Human use of chemicals in the environment, dispersion of wastes
 
 
 

GRADING CRITERIA

A. 1 March, Wednesday. Written examination (30% of grade).
This exam will include all material from 19 January (Wed)  through 25 February (Fri).

B. 20 March, Monday.  Abstract of review article due (5% of grade).
Abstract should have 300 words, along with a preliminary reference list of 5 principal references in  an appropriate format of your choice.  Your abstract  should summarize the topic that will be covered in your full- length review article that is due April 14 (Fri).

C. 14 April, Friday. Review article due (30% of grade).
Review article must be on a  research topic of current interest in chemical ecology in scientific format, including title, abstract (same one you turned in on 20 March), introduction, discussion (preferably in subsections), and references.  You may insert photocopies of tables or figures from other publications, if you like.  The paper should have 3000 words (this is usually about 10 double-spaced pages), and 10-20 references.  You must turn in one printed copy , and also one floppy disk with a copy of the report (please save the file in "text format", or "ASCII format").  I will use your disk to put a copy of your paper on the World Wide Web, which will make your article available to the entire world to read on the Internet.  Other comments:

Please double-space all pages, so that I have room to write comments between the lines.
Please number the pages.
Please staple the pages together.
Please do not put your article in a binder (manuscripts submitted to journals never are).
Please include your email address at the top of your review article.

D. 12 May, Friday. Final examination (35% of grade).
9:10 -11:10 a.m. This exam will include only material from 28 Feb (Mon)  through 5 May (Fri).