COURSE DESCRIPTION

Organismal Biology (Bio 122), is an introductory course for Biology majors that emphasizes the origin and diversity of living forms from an evolutionary perspective.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

1. To discuss the scientific method
2. To generally characterize and classify living forms
3. To discuss natural selection, adaptation, speciation
4. To explore the principles of ecology
5. To discuss the structure, reproduction and behavior of organisms

Lecture- Campbell, N.A., J.B. Reece, and L.G. Mitchell. 1999. Biology (5^th edition)

Lab – Biology 122: Organismal Biology Laboratory Experiments.

GRADING

Four lecture exams 80% of your grade

Laboratory 20% of your grade

Laboratory is mandatory. No student will receive a passing grade unless (s)he attends the lab regularly (2^nd lab missed reduces the grade by 20%, 3^rd lab missed results in automatic failure of Bio 122).

GRADE DISTRUBUTION

Unit 1-Mechanisms of Evolution Readings

Jan 8 Introduction Ch. 22

Jan 10 History of natural selection

Jan 12 The evolution of populations Ch. 23

Jan 15 The Hardy-Weinberg theorem

Jan 17 The origin of species Ch. 24

Jan 19 Tracing Phylogeny Ch. 25

Jan 22 Exam I

Unit 2-Diversity-Origin of Life: Prokaryotes—Unicellular Eukryotes, Plants and Fungi

Jan 24 Early earth and the origin of life Ch. 26

Jan 26 Prokaryotes Ch. 27

Jan 29 Simple Eukaryotes Ch. 28

Jan 31 Lower Plants Ch. 29

Feb 2 Lower Plants

Feb 5 Gymnosperms Ch. 30

Feb 7 Angiosperms

Feb 9 Angiosperms

Feb 12 Fungi Ch. 31

Feb 14 Fungi

Feb 16 Exam II

Unit 3-Animal Diversity

Feb 19 Introduction to animals Ch. 32

Feb 21 Phylum Porifera and the Radiata Ch. 33

Feb 23 The flatworms, rotifers and roundworms

Winter Recess

March 5 Bryozoans and Mullusks

March 7 Phylum Annelida

March 9 Phylum Arthopoda

March 12 Phylum Echinodermata and Phylum Chordata

March 14 Vertebrate Diversity-Fish Ch. 34

March 16 The tetrapods

March 19 Mammals

March 21 Primates

March 23 Exam III

Unit 4- Ecology

March 26 Ecology and the biosphere Ch. 50

March 28 Biomes

March 30 Behavioral Biology Ch. 51

April 2 Population Ecology Ch. 52

April 4 Population Ecology

April 6 Community Ecology Ch. 53

April 9 Ecosystems Ch. 54

April 11 Conservation Biology Ch. 55

April 13 no class

Exam IV ---finals week

LECTURE ATTENDANCE AND USE OF TEXT BOOK

Come to every class meeting and read the assigned text book readings. You WILL be tested on your knowledge of the readings.

POLICY FOR MAKE-UP EXAMINATIONS

All students who miss an examination and who have an official institutional excuse may be given a make-up examination. Please see me in advance and let me know that you will be absent. Colds and minor illnesses are not a valid excuse for missing an examination. Routine physicians, dentists, orthodontists, chiropractors, ect. Appointments are not sufficient to excuse a student from an examination, and a physicians note may or may not excuse a student from missing an examination. Those students who miss an examination for personal reasons will not normally be given a make-up examination and will receive a grade of 0 points for that examination. All make-up examinations must be individually arranged with your instructor as soon as possible.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY