Contents

BIOL 208 Biodiversity

This course will introduce students already familiar with ecology and the basic mechanisms of micro and macroevolution to the concepts of biodiversity, speciation, and phylogeny. Students will learn methods for constructing and interpreting phylogenies. The course will survey organisms in three major domains of life (Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya) as well as nonliving infectious agents such as viruses. Within the domain Eukarya, the course will expand on diversity, adaptation, and phylogeny within the Kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Organismal form and function (as well as animal development) will be examined through the lens of evolution and natural selection.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

BIOL 102 (Must be taken no earlier than the Fall 2016 semester)

Hours Weekly

3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab weekly

Course Objectives

  1. 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the biodiversity concept as well as its evolutionary and ecological significance.
  2. 2. Explain the biological species concept and major mechanisms for speciation.
  3. 3. Apply basic methods of phylogenetic construction and phylogeny interpretation.
  4. 4. Describe the defining features and evolutionary interrelationships of organisms in three domains of life (Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya) as well as the placement of nonliving infectious agents (such as viruses) in the scheme of life.
  5. 5. Describe the defining features, adaptations, and evolutionary interrelationships of eukaryotic organisms in the kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Course Objectives

  1. 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the biodiversity concept as well as its evolutionary and ecological significance.
  2. 2. Explain the biological species concept and major mechanisms for speciation.
  3. 3. Apply basic methods of phylogenetic construction and phylogeny interpretation.
  4. 4. Describe the defining features and evolutionary interrelationships of organisms in three domains of life (Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya) as well as the placement of nonliving infectious agents (such as viruses) in the scheme of life.
  5. 5. Describe the defining features, adaptations, and evolutionary interrelationships of eukaryotic organisms in the kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.