NOTES ON THIS
COURSE:
This is a course for non-majors who have already taken a Foundation lab
science course. The course departs from a traditional biology
survey in four ways. First, the course focuses on two areas of
biology: (1) evolution, biological diversity, and conservation and (2)
ecology and environment issues. Second, the course includes
substantial application of evolutionary and ecological principles to
environmental and conservation issues. Third, the course also
allocates much time relating these principles and applications to the
ecology and conservation of Maine natural environments. Finally,
at least in spring 2004, we are not using a textbook; instead we are
reading five popular books: The
Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner (1994), Search for the Golden Moon Bear by
Sy Montgomery (2002), Water: A
Natural History by Alice Outwater (1996), A Sand County Almanac by Aldo
Leopold (1949), and North Woods
by Peter Marchand (1987). I'm looking forward to experimenting
with this non-traditional approach to reading.
INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY (BIO 110)
Dr. Drew Barton
Spring 2004
GETTING IN TOUCH: Office: Ricker
23, Phone: x7397, Email: Barton@maine.edu
On-Line
BIO 110: http://www.courses.maine.edu
My
Home Page: http://faculty.umf.maine/edu/~barton
Textbook Home Page: http://highered.mcgraw-
hill.com/sites/0072346949/student_view0/index.html
OFFICE HOURS: Tues 1:45-2:45, Wed 2-3, and
by appointment
TEXTS: REQUIRED
(available downtown @ Devaney Booksellers
The
Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner (1994)
Search
for the Golden Moon Bear by Sy Montgomery (2002)
Water:
A Natural History by Alice Outwater (1996)
A
Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold (1949)
North
Woods by
Peter Marchand (1987)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (and
only $20-25!)
Concepts in Biology Ð and eBook by Enger & Ross
(relevant chapters available for purchase and download at
http://ebooks.primisonline.com/
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Welcome
to Introductory Biology. Biology is the
study of life, and, as such, is a broad discipline spanning research
from microscopic molecules that form the basis of life up to the entire
biosphere. People have an intrinsic
interest in life and thus biology. The
distinguished scientist, E.O. Wilson, has termed this biophilia. All
of you remember your childhood curiosity about the natural world. Most of us retain this innate love of natural
discovery as we age. I hope that this
course helps you tap into this reservoir of curiosity and love of the
living world.
My
goal is not for you to learn about the entire field of modern biology,
which is an impossible task in one semester. Instead,
I will focus on a few related areas of biology that I know the best and
that excite me: evolution, conservation of biological diversity,
ecology, environmental issues, and Maine ecology. You
will notice that the course is divided into three parts. In
the first part, we will explore evolution and biological diversity, as
well as peripheral topics such as DNA and genetics that will help us
understand our main focus. This section
will end with Exam I. In the second part
of the course, we will take up some of the fundamentals of ecology and
then we will apply these to some major environmental problems,
especially global climate change. Exam II
will occur at the end of this section. Finally,
we will spend the last few weeks focusing on Maine -- its forest
ecology and ecological history, its ecology diversity, and its
conservation. Exam III will cover this
last part of the course. The lab will be
very eclectic. We will spend several labs
outside learning trees, taking tree cores for a multi-week
dendrochronology project, and exploring Maine ecology. We
will carry out a multi-week lab experiment on very small plants. We will try out some new computer simulations
that will allow us to run evolution Òexperiments.Ó You will give oral presentations. Along
the way in lecture and lab, you will learn some of the fundamental
principles of biology, how science works, how the field of biology
applies to the problems of our world, and how these principles apply to
our own state.
You
might be surprised that we will not be reading a textbook for this
course (although a reference will be available). Instead,
we will read several ÒpopularÓ science books written for
an educated, sophisticated readers like yourselves. Beak
of the Finch is
a compelling account of research on evolution, focusing on
DarwinÕs finches on the Galapagos Islands. Search
for Golden Moon Bear provides a thrilling story of
biological and conservation studies of bears in Southeast Asia; it does
a great job of demonstrating how science, conservation, religion,
politics, sociology, etc. are all tightly interconnected. Water is a wonderful discussion of
how America has changed since European colonization by focusing on
transformation of water in the natural world. Sand
County Almanac
is one of the most famous books in conservation. Written
over 60 years ago, it eloquently creates a philosophy of the proper
role of humans in nature. Finally, The
North Woods is
a clearly written, brief description of the forests of northern New
England, a topic we will explore in some detail at the end of the
course.
Why are reading these books
instead of a textbook? Because my goal is
to encourage you to continue reading about and thinking about biology
and science in general after you take this course. And,
there is no better way to do that than to read popular science books. Given that goal, what better way to encourage
you to become a Òlifelong science learnerÓ than to read
such books now with my guidance. Why is it
important to continue to learn about science? For
better or worse, we live in a rapidly changing world propelled by
science discovery. There is no more potent
science today than biology. To truly
understand our times and to exercise control over our own lives as
global citizens requires continuous learning about biology.
Again,
welcome to Introductory Biology. I hope
you enjoy the course!
ON-LINE
BIO 110 -- BLACKBOARD:
We
will use a web-based course management system called Blackboard. I
think that youÕll like Blackboard. You
will be able to download course handouts and outlines, slides, and
animation from my lectures. YouÕll
also be able to submit papers, check out syllabus updates, and connect
with web links that can help with the course material. Since
it is web-based, you can get into and use Blackboard with any computer
with internet access. You should check
Blackboard every couple days in case I have sent an important message. Access the course website on Blackboard at http://www.courses.maine.edu. You will be guided on what account ID and
password to enter to gain access to the BIO 110 site.
Blackboard is fairly
straightforward to navigate and use. When
you log in, you will always be greeted by the Announcements page, which will provide you
with any important messages for the course. Click
on Syllabus
to see the course syllabus, which you are now reading. TheLecture folder contains outlines for
each lecture and exam study guides, and the Lab folder provides handouts and
assignments for each lab. Unless you have
a laptop that you will bring to all classes, it is very important for
you to print out these items well before you need them. To
do that, simply click on the item, which will open it up in MS Word or
an MS Word reader in Internet Explorer on your computer; then print. The Student Tools section has the following very
useful tools for the course: Digital Dropbox for submitting papers and
getting back my comments; Tasks for you to keep a list of
tasks for yourself for the course; and Groups for communicating with a group
of students in the course.
EXAMS,
ASSIGNMENTS, AND THE GRADING SYSTEM:
Your
grade in this course will be based on your total percentage for the
course -- out of a total of 500 points. Scores
on a wide range of tests and assignments will contribute to your final
grade; lecture exams make up 50% of these points. Although
the distribution changes some year to year, it is typically within the
following range: A: 10-15%, B: 25-35%, C: 30-50%, D: 10-15%, F: 5-10%.
Lecture
Exams (two
100-pt exams and one 50-pt exam)will be a combination of multiple
choice, quantitative problems, and essay. They
will focus on the lecture material, but also will cover basic questions
from the assigned reading. Quizzes (5) will encourage you to keep
up with and review course material as we move along rather than just
before each exam. In lab, you will
take a Tree Identification Exam, testing your skills at
identifying trees (in winter!); you (as part of a group) will prepare a
two in-lab Worksheets; you (as part of a group)
will submit a Research Report on a lab experiment on plants;
and you will give two oral presentations (one alone; one as part of a
group), one a summary of an article of your choosing (alone) and one on
a Maine ecological and environmental issue of your choosing (as part of
a group).
The list below shows all the
graded assignments, their point value, and their due dates. Keep close track of due dates.
ASSIGNMENT
|
Points
|
Due
Date
|
|
Lecture
Exam I |
100 |
3/4 |
|
Lecture
Exam III |
50 |
5/6 |
|
Quizzes
(5 @ 5 pts each) |
25 |
1/29,
2/12, 3/18, 4/1, 4/29 |
|
Evolution
Simulation Worksheet (group project) |
25 |
In
lab: 2/12 |
|
Fast
Plant Experimental Report (group project) |
50 |
3/9 |
|
Tree
Coring Worksheet (group project) |
30 |
In
lab: 3/18 |
|
Oral
Presentation: Article of your choice |
30 |
3/25 |
|
Tree
Identification Exam |
40 |
4/15 |
|
Oral
Presentation: Maine Issues (group project) |
50 |
4/29 |
|
TOTAL |
500 |
|
The
scale for your final grade will be as follows:
|
A: 92%
or above |
B-: 80-81% |
D+: 68-69% |
|
A-: 90-91% |
C+: 78-79% |
D: 62-67% |
|
B+: 88-89% |
C: 72-77% |
D-: 60-61% |
|
B: 82-87% |
C-: 70-71% |
F: 59%
or lower |
LECTURE GUIDELINES:
Lectures will vary greatly. In some, I will lecture the entire time,
soliciting little input from the class. Other
lectures will emphasize group work and class participation. Come prepared for answering questions, being
called on, and actively participating in lectures. I
sometimes randomly call on you to answer simple content questions about
the assigned books. So, please keep up
with the reading and donÕt miss lectures. In
all lectures, I welcome your questions and comments.
Note
that detailed outlines of all lectures will be
available on Blackboard. I
will usually stay several lectures ahead on Blackboard. These
outlines will be of great help to you since they will be the primary
source material for exams. I will also
post on Blackboard any electronic slides and animations that I use in
lecture.
If
you have a laptop that you will use in lecture, simply download the
lecture outlines to your computer and bring it to lecture. Otherwise,
you should print out the lecture outline and bring it to class. Good performance on exams will require that
you add your own notes to these outlines in order to
clarify and elaborate on the outline. You
will notice that some of the outlines are quite comprehensive, including
almost all of what I cover in lecture, whereas others are more
skeletal, requiring extensive note-taking on your part. Reading over
the lecture outline before the lecture will help you immensely, as
would skimming back through it after lecture.
Lecture
outlines will provide a reminder of the reading for the current and the
next lectures and sometimes other reminders. Two
other very important points. First,
in the lecture outline, terms that are underlined are especially
important; learn them well. Second, you
should be able to answer questions in the outline that are in italics. Read over the lecture notes before lecture and
be prepared to answer these questions during my lecture because I might
call on you.
LABORATORY GUIDELINES:
Come
to lab with
a copy of the appropriate handout, which will be available on
Blackboard. It is imperative that you read
the lab handout or assigned reading before lab. Dress
appropriately for field trips!!! Be
prepared for cold, wet, windy. Layers,
boots, and waterproof gear. We will go out
in just about any conditions. In addition
to the lab handout, also bring a notebook, pen or pencil, and the
reading assignment (if appropriate).
ATTENDANCE,
PUNCTUALITY, ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Attendance
in the course is mandatory. An unexcused missed laboratory will result
in an automatic 20-point decrease in course points. DonÕt
miss a lab! An unexcused missed exam will result in a zero
grade. Permission for missing an exam or a
lab (or moving to another lab for the week) is possible Ð but only
if you contact me before your lab or exam. If
you have an emergency, contact me as soon as possible. Reasonable
excuses for a missed lab or exam are the following: death in the
family, serious illness (a cold is not a serious illness), and a
serious personal problem. Do not schedule
other appointments of any kind during the meeting times for the course;
such conflicts will usually not be considered a reasonable excuse.
The assignment schedule is
provided on this syllabus and on Blackboard, so extensions on due dates
should not be necessary. Reasonable
excuses for extensions are the same as for missed labs and exams. For assignments handed in late with no excuse,
10% of the possible grade will be deducted from your grade for that
assignment for each day beyond the due date.
It should go
without saying that I expect academic honesty. Academic
honesty means doing your own work. Students
who cheat on exams, turn in work of other students, or plagiarize from
other sources, including the internet, will be reported to the UMF
Conduct Officer, who may elect to dismiss the student.
Let me emphasize this: contact
me as soon as possible if problems arise, and we can deal with it; if
you don't contact me, I will have to count it as an unexcused absence
or late assignment.
SUCCESS
AND PROBLEMS:
What
does it take to perform well in the course? Some
suggestions:
á attend every lecture and lab,
á during lecture, take notes in
addition to the outline provided,
á review your notes periodically
to assess your understanding (and clear up any problems),
á stay "on top" of the
assignments and required reading,
á work with other students on
clarifying the problem areas,
á begin studying at least five
days prior to an exam,
á if youÕre having
problems, get help.
Remember: I am here to
help you and
will be available in office hours, by phone, and by email. If
youÕre having problems, we will discuss the possibility of your
getting help from a free tutor (at the Learning Assistance
Center in Merrill Hall). Let me reiterate:
if major problems arise (lost in the course material, illness, personal
problems, etc.), don't put off talking to me about it. I
can help much more one week before an exam or assignment than one week
after a due date.
Equal educational opportunity is offered to students with special needs due to disability. Please notify the instructor if a reasonable accommodation is needed to meet course requirements.
TENTATIVE
LECTURE SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Lecture Topic |
Reading Assignment (complete by that day) |
|
T 1/20 |
Introduction to Course |
|
|
Th 1/22 |
Science as a Way of Knowing |
BOF: Chapters 1-2; E&R:
Ch 1 |
|
T 1/27 |
Evolution & Natural
Selection |
BOF: Chapters 3-6; E&R:
Ch 12.4, 12.6, 13.4 |
|
Th 1/29 |
Evolution Quiz |
BOF: Chapters 7-8; E&R:
Ch 12.4, 12.6, 11.5 |
|
T 2/3 |
DNA & Heredity |
BOF: Chapters 9-12; E&R:
Ch 7.1-7.3, p 138 |
|
Th 2/5 |
Genetics & Heredity |
BOF: Chapters 13-14; E&R:
Ch 10.1-10.5 |
|
T 2/10 |
Genes & Evolution How are New Species Produced |
BOF: Chapters 15-18; E&R:
Ch 12.5, 13.1, 13.2 |
|
Th 2/12 |
Evolutionary Trees &
Classification Evolutionary History: The
Big Picture Quiz |
BOF: Chapters 19, 20,
Epilog E&R: Ch 13.5,
13.6, 22.5, 22.6, 23.1 |
|
T 2/17 |
WINTER BREAK |
|
|
Th 2/19 |
WINTER BREAK |
|
|
T 2/24 |
Evolutionary History:
Movement of Plants & Animals onto Land |
SMB: Part I & II; E&R:
Ch 25.1, 25.4, 26.1, 26.10 |
|
Th 2/26 |
Evolutionary History,
Biological Diversity, & the Extinction Crisis |
SMB: Part III |
|
T 3/2 |
Catch-up & Review |
SMB: Part IV |
|
Th 3/4 |
EXAM I |
|
|
T 3/9 |
Intro to Ecology Biosphere Earth: Climate & Biomes |
W: Chapters 1-3; E&R:
14.1 |
|
Th 3/11 |
Ecology of Species |
W: Chapters 4-5; E&R: Ch 14.1,
14.6, 15.1, 15.2 |
|
T 3/16 |
Population Ecology |
W: Chapters 6-8; E&R:
Ch 14.6 |
|
Th 3/18 |
Movie: Private Lives of
Plants Quiz |
W: Chapters 9-10 |
|
T 3/23 |
Communities & Ecosystems |
W: Chapter 11; SCA: start Part I E&R: Ch 14.5 |
|
Th 3/25 |
Dr. BartonÕs
Research: Arizona Fire Ecology |
SCA: complete Part I E&R: Ch 6.6,
14.2, 14.3, 14.7 |
|
T 3/30 |
Ecosystems & The
Biosphere |
SCA: start Part II; E&R:
Ch 14.6, 15.3 |
|
Th 4/1 |
Ecosystem Changes: Acid Rain Quiz |
SCA: Part II; E&R:
Ch 15.3; 2 fact sheets: http://esa.sdsc.edu/acidrainfactsheet.htm |
|
T 4/6 |
Biosphere Changes: Global
Warming |
1-page essay
in Blackboard Lecture Folder; 2 fact sheets. Go
to: http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/global_warming/index.cfm Read ÒGlobal Warming FAQÓ and
then ÒWhat you can doÉÓ E&R: p 271, Ch
15.3; SCA: start Part III |
|
Th 4/8 |
Catch-up & Review |
SCA: complete Part III |
|
T 4/13 |
EXAM II |
|
|
Th 4/15 |
Maine Forest Ecology &
Biological Diversity |
NW: Start Part I |
|
T 4/20 |
SPRING BREAK |
|
|
Th 4/22 |
SPRING BREAK |
|
|
T 4/27 |
Case Study: Tumbledown-Mt.
Blue Region |
NW: Parts I & II |
|
Th 4/29 |
TBA Quiz |
NW: Part III |
|
T 5/4 |
TBA |
NW: Part IV |
|
Th 5/6 |
EXAM III |
|
BOF Ð Beak of the
Finch, SMB Ð Search for the
Golden Moon Bear, W Ð Water, SCA Ð Sand County
Almanac, NW Ð North Woods, E&R Ð Enger and
Ross (optional reference material)
Please regard the dates for
lecture topics as tentative. The
instructor reserves the right to make reasonable changes in the lecture
schedule listed above.
TENTATIVE
LABORATORY SCHEDULE
|
Lab |
Date |
Topic (Assignments & Due
Date) |
Handout to Bring to Lab |
|
Lab 1 |
1/22 |
Introduction to Lab Lab Experiment: Planting |
Handout: Fast Plant
Experiment |
|
Lab 2 |
1/29 |
Research: Measurement,
Analysis, Graphing |
Handout: Research Skills |
|
Lab 3 |
2/5 |
Movie: PBS Evolution Series |
none |
|
Lab 4 |
2/12 |
Evolution Simulation
Experiments Hand in: Evolution Simulation
Worksheet |
Handout: Evolution Simulation |