Hi Patrick - A very interesting question. I have taught both a "Classic Papers in Ecology" course (as a Graduate Seminar), and also an undergraduate Plant Ecology course with reading that come almost exclusively from the primary literature. I've come to think that the "classic" papers don't serve (even advanced) undergraduates as well as reading current papers that represent examples of current research.
For a specific example, I used to assign to my undergraduates the classic Connell and Slatyer (1977) paper that lays out several mechanisms of succession. Now instead, I use my lecture to give them the theory that the classic paper established and instead have them read a modern case study that illustrates where the field is today. My current reading list for this undergraduate class is a mixture of experimental "data" papers that test a clear hypothesis, relatively recent meta-analyses or reviews, and finally, acting like a "textbook," a selection of reviews from Nature's excellent Knowledge Project: http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/ecology-102 I'd be happy to share my syllabus with anyone who is interested in more details. -Jeff Corbin On Wed, Oct 2, 2013 at 12:50 PM, PATRICK, L <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello, > > > > I would like to solicit opinions about readings for an undergraduate > course in ecology: If you had to list the top 5 papers that any > undergraduate student in an upper level ecology class should have to read, > which papers would you choose? > > > > I understand that papers would vary from topic to topic, etc..., but > that's not my point. Are there 5 or so seminal papers in the field of > ecology that every undergraduate student should read as part of the basic > curriculum of an upper level biology course? Are there 5 or so papers that > have so formed the field that every undergraduate ecology student should > have to read these papers? > > > > Thank you for your time and for your advice/opinions. > > > > Best regards, Brian > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > L. Brian Patrick, Ph.D. > Assistant Professor of Biology and Chair > Department of Biological Sciences > Dakota Wesleyan University > 1200 W. University Ave. > Mitchell, SD 57301 > -- ************************************ Jeffrey D. Corbin Associate Professor Department of Biological Sciences Union College Schenectady, NY 12308 (518) 388-6097 http://jeffcorbin.org ************************************
