Biology 1407 Syllabus: Spring 2012, Athens Campus
Biology 1407 Topics: Evolutionary development of all types of cells; Evidence
and processes of evolution; Characteristics of major groups; Development of
systems in plants & animals; Ecosystems and populations; Energy in biosphere.
Lab: is graded separately and will be 25% of the final course average.
Lecture: is 75% of grade. Grade based on 4 exams. Each exam worth 100 pts.
« No extra credit assignments, though test may have bonus questions.
Daily: Grades of 5 points each will be taken almost every day. This grade
is a test & consists of from 1 to 10 questions at the end of class. At the
end of the semester these 20 grades will be added up to give one score.
The daily grade replaces the lowest test score.
Course Objectives: Student shall be able to perform each of the objectives
stated below for Biology 1407:
1.) Describe conditions of early earth for chemical evolution.
2.) List items of evidence for & processes of evolution.
3.) Identify conditions leading to speciation .
4.) Compare the prokaryote cell to the eukaryote cell.
5.) Explain the causes of cell complexity.
6.) Categorize organisms to taxonomic levels based on traits.
7.) Use cladograms to show relationships of taxonomic groups.
8.) Describe importance of several single celled organisms.
9.) Compare development of multicellular plants and fungi.
10.) Recognize systems & functions of invertebrate animals .
11.) Organize chart of related invertebrate groups.
12.) Recognize systems & functions of vertebrate animals .
13.) Organize chart of related vertebrate groups.
14.) State significance of population graphs .
15.) Organize a given set of organisms into correct order by trophic level
16.) Characterize the world's major biomes and with respect to climate and life.
17.) Predict importance of predator- prey relationships, competition,
and symbiosis to the community.
18.) Describe the movement of nutrient materials through biogeochemical
cycles that involve the living and nonliving world.
Test question types: Grouping terms, Match & T/F , Multiple choice
short essay and short answer, completion of flow charts.
Syllabus for Biology 1407, Spring 2012, Carlisle page 2:
Make- ups for exams: A makeup test must be taken within 2 class periods
after the exam. Otherwise it will be a zero, and the daily grade will
take its place. A make-up test will be a different test than the regular.
If a student knows he/she will be absent, make arrangements to take
it early if that is possible. Note dates of exams on calendar.
Notes: Good notes are the best way to study and these should be your first
priority for studying. Textbook reading assignments are made. They are a
great backup for the notes you take. A reading guide is provided here,
coordinated with the topics and the testing schedule.
Reading Guide :
Test I: A. Evidence & Processes Ch.17-19
B. Early earth & conditions for life: Ch. 20
C. Endosymbiosis & Cell complexity Ch. 21_____
Test II: D. Protists & Early Eukaryotes: Ch. 22
E. Fungi & Plants Ch. 23 & 24
F. Plant Tissues______________ Ch. 28 & 29
Test III: G. Invertebrates Ch. 25
H. Vertebrates Ch. 26_____
Test IV. J. Populations Ch. 45
K. Community & diversity Ch. 46
L. Niches & Food Webs Ch. 47
Absences: More than six absences may result in being dropped.
Class Restrictions: No cell phones should be left out or on during class.
If emergency calls are expected , skip part or all of class.
A cell phone may not be out during an exam.
No student may leave and return to test during exam period.
Turn in test before leaving.
Conduct: Instructor reserves right to decide matters of class conduct.
Disruption of class, disregard for learning environment may lead
to dismissal from class.
Calendar Biology 1407, Spring 2012, Carlisle, page 3:
Exam # 2
Exam # 2
Exam # 3
Exam # 3
Exam # 4 during FINAL EXAMS WEEK
CONCEPTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT
TO THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION
variation & adaptation in populations
as a cause of: specific evolution.
fossil record & stratigraphy used to identify:
geological eras. SEE PAGE 270 - 271
radio-carbon dating & uranium / lead ratio
homologous organs & vestigial organs
selection of traits & fitness
selection pressures in nature
gene frequency in a stable population
divergent selection: acts on 1 species
convergent selection: works on 2 different species
germ cell mutation vs. somatic cell mutation
gene flow vs. genetic drift
bottleneck effect or founder effect
types of isolation
primordial earth & early conditions
Miller experiment results
early cells & early cell characteristics
prokaryotic; unicellular; heterotrophic;
organelles & membrane bound nucleus
nucleus, mitochondrion & chloroplast
cilia & flagellae
Biology 1407: Evidence for Evolution.
1. GENETIC & PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES AMONG MEMBERS OF
THE SAME SPECIES - CALLED VARIATION.
1A.) ARTIFICIAL SELECTION
2. FOSSIL RECORD EXTENDS BACK TO 3.8 BYA ( 3.8 x 10 9 YEARS)
2A.) BY COMPARISON , THE DINOSAURS BECAME EXTINCT
AT 65 x 10 6 YEARS AGO. THAT IS 1.7 % OF 3.8 BILLION.
3. BIOGEOGRAPHY SHOWS PLANTS & ANIMALS HAVE MOVED
ACROSS CONTINENTS WHEN CONTINENTS WERE STILL
3A.) ISOLATION SPEEDS UP EVOLUTION
4. HOMOLOGOUS ORGANS & EMBRYOLOGY: COMPARE
FORELIMBS OF VERTEBRATES
4A.) EMBRYOS REVEAL CHANGES IN DEVELOPMENTAL
GENETIC PROGRAMS. GILL SLITS FORM IN ALL VERTS.
5. BIOCHEMISTRY OF PROTEINS SHOWS THAT GENETIC CHANGE
MAY ALTER PROTEINS WITH OR WITHOUT CHANGING WHAT
THE PROTEIN DOES
6. VESTIGIAL ORGANS REMAIN IN BODY BUT ARE NOT ESSENTIAL
6A.) APPENDIX ; WISDOM TOOTH; AURICULAR MUSCLE;
7. BRAIN SIZE IN VERTEBRATES DOES NOT REFLECT ON
INTELLIGENCE , SPEED OR SURVIVAL CAPABILITY.
8. MUTAGENS FROM ENVIRONMENT CAUSE DNA CHANGES.
8A. CIGARETTE SMOKE CHEMICALS INDUCE TUMOR GENES
9. ADAPTATIONS RESULT FROM LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO
9A. MELANIN ADAPTS TO SUNLIGHT LEVELS.
THICKENING OF SKIN ADAPTS TO PRESSURE.
Biology 1407: Processes of Evolution.
I. DIVERGENT EVOLUTION = ALLOPATRIC SPECIATION
A. Emergence of variations that are successful;
B. Mutations that are valuable may succeed
in different environment
C. Migration of part of population to islands
or isolated areas may lead to new varieties.
D. Reaction of embryo to environmental factors:
II. CONVERGENT EVOLUTION
A. Environmental pressure on very different families, orders ,
B. Reaction creates similar effects of physical traits in
very different species.
III. NATURAL SELECTION = SELECTION PRESSURE
A. Pressures from nonliving world include
2. climate ( rainfall , temperature)
3. light & U,V
4. oxygen availability
B. Pressures from living world
1. nutrients ? wastes provided by nerby species
4. chemical defenses like antibiotics, poisons (creosote)
C. Lethal mutations cause the decline of one gene while
another form increases in frequency.
IV. GENE FLOW = mixing of gene populations
A. MIGRATION of one variety to a new area
followed by interbreeding with another variety
and forming new gene combinations
B. Sudden accidental interbreeding between groups who
were formerly separated by geographical barriers .
V. GENETIC DRIFT = prevention of mixing genes, OR a trend
away from widespread random mating.
A. Sub-groups of a species with a subgroup of the gene pool are
separated from the larger group. The sub group may enlarge
to a ‘new’ population.
B. BOTTLENECK effect results if the gene pool mentioned in A
is very small. Limited gene pool means susceptibility to disease.
Also called the FOUNDER effect.
C. ARTIFICIAL SELECTION = use of specific plants & animals with
desired traits to be the parent stock of new populations.
Also called SELECTIVE BREEDING
(for productivity, strength or other desired appearance )
VI. MEIOSIS = reduction of chromosome count
A. New chromosome combinations result from
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION (FERTILIZATION).
B. Crossing over during the first stage of meiosis
causes new combinations even from the same parents.
VII. SYMPATRIC SPECIATION
A. Hybridization of 2 species with different chromosome
counts: may result in sterility.with an odd #
B. Spontaneous doubling of chromosome count from
odd # to an even # allows new meiosis and
possible FERTILITY of new species.
A.) Geographic = mountain, ocean, canyon, desert
B.) Behavioral = change in courtship, feeding, etc.
C.) Temporal = time of year or time of day changes.
D.) Ecological = change in niche & habitat might happen
even within short distances
E.) Mechanical = physical inability to mate or have young
F.) Reproductive isolation follows when 2 species do mate:
1.) gametes cannot fuse, chemical incompatibility.
2.) embryos die, due to some defect.
3.) hybrids cannot compete for food, habitat.
4.) hybrids sterile because of infertile chromosome #
MULE = horse X donkey
IX. PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM = long term stability
A. changes occur quickly and survive
B. no further change for a long time: stability of population
X. TRANSDUCTION = transfer of genes from species to species by virus
WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CELLS
iN cOntraStING GROUPS
CHEMOSYNTHESIS GREEN NONSULFUR
Protists, Fungi & Plants
Protists divided into groups by ecological
or descriptive terms, not Phylum names
Parabasalid: Trichomonas. Trichonympha
Dinoflagellates: a.) Noctiluca b.) Gymnodinium & Gonyaulax
Radiolarians: silica shell + ameboid cell + algae
Foraminifera: calcium carbonate shell + ameboid cell
Coccolithophores: calcium carbonate shell
Diatoms: silica shell
Apicomplexans = Sporozoans: Malaria caused by Plasmodium
Slime molds (Myxomycetes): Physarum
Amebozoa: Entameba, Chaos, Ameba
Red algae deep water algae; medicine
Brown algae Unique marine ecosystems , food products
Green algae Food web
ADAPTATIONS OF PROTISTS
some multicellular forms; most unicellular
autotrophic algae & heterotrophic protozoa
complex cells (mostly in aqueous environments)
cell walls with variable composition
shells of lime, silica (called tests)
cilia or flagellae for locomotion
specialized cilia or other features in some
Fungi divided by reproduction & other traits
Asco - mycetes sac fungi & some “yeasts”
Zygo “ molds
Basidio “ club fungi = mushrooms, bracket fungi
Deutero “ Penicillium
Chytrids diseases of some amphibians
Microsporidia living in some invertebrates
Oomycotes tree parasites
ADAPTATIONS OF FUNGI
cell walls with chitin
mycelium formed by hyphae
asexual spores on sporangia
mating strains produce sexual spores
require moisture, but endure long time
in suspended animation
Economic benefits Disease & crop parasites
tree roots- mycorhizae corn smut , wheat rust
food products chestnut blight, potato blight
pest killing histoplasmosis; skin fungi
antibiotics wood destruction
recycling = decomposition sudden oak death
TERMS IMPORTANT TO PLANT PHYSIOLOGY & ADAPTATION
GROUPS OF PLANTS GEOLOGICAL AGE
Plants divided by cell types and reproduction
Type Ecological Importance
Mosses fuel, soil production
Ferns coal deposits
Conifers major forests
Flowering plants major forests ; SEED
most diverse group
important food producers
ADAPTATIONS of PLANTS to DRY LAND
1. CELL SPECIALIZATION
2. VASCULAR TISSUE & ROOTS
3. LEAF SHAPES
4. HORMONE CONTROL
5. SAP RESISTING FREEZE
6. CUTICLES & LEAF PITS
7. FLOWERS & FRUITS
ADAPTATIONS OF PLANT TISSUES
Types of cells Function
vascular tissue water (xylem)
sap transport (phloem)
soft tissue of fruits
sclerenchyma protection; seed coats
stomata for gas exchange
ê meristem tissue production
hormone secreting growth control, etc.
gametophyte produce male & female cells
see diagrams on plant
CONTROL OF PLANT GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
Nutrient availability Soil content & packing of soil grains
Bacterial activity & Mycorhizae
Seeds Factors to preserve, save seed
Factors that cause dormancy, germination
Asexual propagation reproduction without seeds
Apical :Light induced hormones: auxin
Meristem Root growth
Lateral : may be dominated by apical
Geotropism plant roots grow downward
Phototropism plant bends to face leaf to light
Photoperiodism: Long day vs. Short day plants:
Ripening of fruit ethylene
Light & Heat C3 plants vs. C4 plants
Attracting pollinators Color, odor, co-evolution,
Toxins in plants on thorns; in leaves;
ADAPTATIONS OF FLOWERING PLANTS
some require insects to pollinate
short day & long day plants
dormancy in cold weather