BIOL1101 General Topic Information PDF

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biological diversity general topic information 2018...

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Student Name and No.: Demonstrator Name: Practical Day and Time: Practical Session:

SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

BIOL1101: Evolution of Biological Diversity

36 native Australian bee species observed on a single snow in summer tree (Melaleuca linariifolia) over a few days in early October. Photo by James Dorey

GENERAL TOPIC INFORMATION

2018

BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

ACADEMIC TIMETABLE Second Semester classes start

23 July

Mid Semester Break

17 - 28 September

Classes end

26 October

Exams

3 – 17 November

You are advised to refer to the Semester 2 Critical Dates for Enrolment 2018 at http://www.flinders.edu.au/current-students/dates/critical-enrolment-dates.cfm ____________________________________________________________________________

TEACHING TEAM IN EVOLUTION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY Topic Coordinators

Room

Building

034

Biol Sci

034

Biol Sc

Prof Karen Burke da Silva [email protected]

038

Biol. Sc.

Prof John Long [email protected]

326

Biol Sc

Prof Jim Mitchell [email protected]

110

Biol Sc

A/Prof Gavin Prideaux [email protected]

128a

Biol Sc

Prof Michael Shwarz [email protected]

161

Biol. Sc.

Practical coordinator/Lecturer Dr Jeanne Young Kirby [email protected]

Supervised study coordinator/Lecturer Narelle Hunter [email protected]

BIOL1101 Lecturers:

Room 115 Student Learning Centre:

Level 1 Student Centre

BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

What I will need to be successful in BIOL1101 •

This laboratory manual

•

Weekly Instructions and protocols (ON FLO)

•

Black pens, pencils, a ruler and a glue stick

•

A lab coat or gown

•

Covered shoes during labs

•

Access to the internet and FLO so to stay up-to-date with what’s happening, lecture notes, etc.

•

Access to a general biology text book

•

A willingness to participate and ask questions in lectures, supervised study and labs

TOPIC ENQUIRIES General questions about the topic:

[email protected]

Lecture content:

Contact the relevant lecturer

Laboratories, medical certificates for labs

[email protected]

Supervised study, absences, medical certificates:

[email protected]

Study skills, learning styles, & remedial support:

Student Learning Centre Level 1, Student Centre building http://www.flinders.edu.au/SLC/

STUDENT COUNSELLORS FOR 2018 Student Counsellor

Dr K. Schuller

Rm.321 Biol. Sci.

8201 2031

THE FULL COPY OF THE COURSE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON FLO ____________________________________________________________________________ The reference for this topic manual is:

Flinders University (2018) BIOL1101 Evolution of Biological Diversity: General Information and Laboratory Manual. School of Biological Sciences. The in-text citation for this topic manual is:

Flinders University (2018) ____________________________________________________________________________

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BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

CONTENTS CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 3 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................... 4 GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION .................................................................................................... 5 COURSE OBJECTIVES...................................................................................................................... 5 COMPONENTS OF BIOL 1101 .......................................................................................................... 6 ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................................... 9 MEDICAL CERTIFICATES ............................................................................................................... 12 LECTURE TIMETABLE..................................................................................................................... 13 TIMETABLE FOR LABORATORY SESSIONS................................................................................. 15 WHERE TO GET ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IF YOU NEED IT.................................................... 16 GROUP RESEARCH PROJECT ASSIGNMENT ................................................................................. 17 RESEARCH PROJECT DEVEVELOPMENT AND COMPLETION .................................................. 17 RESEARCH PROJECT FIELDWORK .................................................................................................. 30 GUIDELINES FOR MINOR OFF-SITE DATA COLLECTION FOR CLASS ASSIGNMENTS.......... 30 LABORATORY EXERCISES ................................................................................................................ 35 GENERAL INFORMATION & SAFETY GUIDELINES ..................................................................... 35 PREPARATION FOR PRACTICAL SESSIONS ............................................................................... 37 APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................................... 42 1.

LABORATORY SAFETY........................................................................................................... 42

2.

USE OF SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT...................................................................................... 46

3.

CALCULATIONS....................................................................................................................... 53

4.

RECORDING SCIENTIFIC DATA............................................................................................. 55

5.

ISU PREFIXES.......................................................................................................................... 56

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BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

INTRODUCTION Welcome to BIOL1101 Evolution of Biological Diversity! Biology is the study of life. It is a dynamic field where the results of experiments constantly lead us to change our perceptions of the world around us. It is a diverse field where studies in later years can lead into the more specialised areas of: •

Evolution – how organisms change over time

•

Ecology - the complex interactions between species that make up the environment

•

Genetics - how characteristics are passed on through generations

•

Microbiology - the study of micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites

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Plant biology - the study of plants

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Zoology - the study of animals

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Marine Biology - the study of marine species

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Biochemistry - the study of biologically-based chemical reactions

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Bioinformatics - the science of modelling bio-processes and structures and getting information from biological databases

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Molecular Biology- the study and use of genetic systems at the molecular level

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Behavioural Biology - understanding why and how creatures respond to different stimuli

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Aquaculture - the commercial exploitation of water-based species

•

Biotechnology - the commercial exploitation of plant, animal and microbial products and processes

All of these areas are represented within the School of Biological Sciences at Flinders University, thus you have a wide variety of choices available for future study and research. Evolution of Biological Diversity is the 2nd semester first year topic and follows on from the 1st semester topic BIOL1102 Molecular Basis of Life. Passing the topic well is only one objective that you should set yourself. To get the most out of this topic we hope to stimulate your interest and understanding of the major concepts which are relevant to evolution and to show you how these concepts relate to the “real world”.

Required Textbook: Campbell Biology: Australian and New Zealand edition (11e) By Lisa A. Urry, Noel Meyers, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, Jane B. Reece

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BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION COURSE OBJECTIVES General •

To introduce students to the study of evolution and ecology

•

To assist students in the development of critical thinking skills

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To help students develop their written communication skills

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To teach students how to make and record experimental observations

•

To teach students the basic technical skills used in a biology laboratory

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To introduce students to the concept of experimental design

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To develop students skills in working collaboratively

Specific Syllabus Objectives •

To introduce students to the five kingdoms of life

•

To outline the structure and function of micro-organisms, plants and animals

•

To illustrate how structure and function enable organisms to survive in their environment on a day-to-day basis

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To explain the process of evolution in terms of how populations or organisms adapt to changes in their environment over generations

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To provide students with an introduction to animal behaviour

THE ROLE OF THIS MANUAL This manual contains information that you will need to complete the topic BIOL1102, including: •

Lecture and Practical Content Outlines

•

Assignment details

•

Information regarding practicals, Work Health Safety Information and appendices relevant to practical work

•

Assessment details and University regulations WEEKLY PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS AND PROTOCOLS SHOULD BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE RELEVANT WEEK ON FLO.

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENTS Relevant announcements will be made in lecture times, as well as being accessible through the BIOL1101 Evolution of Biological Diversity Flinders Learning Online (FLO).

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BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

COMPONENTS OF BIOL 1101 While curriculum content is an important component of science education, it is equally important that in an experimentally based field like biology, you are taught about the methodology that underpins scientific investigation. This can be summarised as the process whereby a scientist: •

Observes a phenomenon.

•

Devises a hypothesis (or theory) based on the observations.

•

Makes a prediction based on the hypothesis.

•

Devises experiments to test the hypothesis.

•

Evaluates experimental results and, if necessary, modifies the hypothesis accordingly.

•

Devises new experiments to test the modified hypothesis. The emphasis in this process is on being precise, objective and reliable.

Within the topic Evolution of Biological Diversity you will be exposed to such fundament principals during lectures and practical classes, where you will be assisted in developing both theoretical and technical laboratory skills. As graduates, you will also be expected to critically evaluate the data of other researchers. Consequently, we have included assessable assignments, which will provide you with experience in technical writing and the use of field-specific scientific terminology. Lectures (3 - 4 hours/week) Lectures are a vital component of the topic and attendance is necessary to gain an adequate understanding of the course material. Each lecture runs for approximately 50min and is given twice. Please note that the lecture theatre will be close to capacity on each occasion, so you should aim to arrive in plenty of time. Students are not permitted to sit in the aisles due to fire safety regulations. If for some reason you do miss a lecture, lecture recordings and lecture notes are available on the Evolution of Biological Diversity FLO website, which can be accessed either remotely or through the Faculty Computer Mediated Learning (CML) suite. Pre-lecture (for students without basic understanding of the following weeks lecture material) Monday

2.00 – 2.50

IST Lecture Theatre South 3

**The first pre-lecture for Semester 2 is on Monday the 31 July 2018 (week 2).** Three lectures a week are presented as follows Tuesday

11.00 - 11.50 or 2.00 - 2.50

IST Lecture Theatre South 3*

Wednesday

11.00 - 11.50 or 2.00 - 2.50

IST Lecture Theatre South 3*

Thursday

11.00 - 11.50 or 2.00 - 2.50

IST Lecture Theatre South 3*

You only need to attend one lecture on each day, as they are duplicates presented by the same lecturer and covering the same material. The first lecture for Semester 2 is on Tuesday 24 July, 2018.

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BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

Supervised Study (50 minutes/week) Weekly Supervised Study Sessions are available to all students. Session time allocation must be made when you enrol online. Supervised study sessions are facilitated by higher year students, and are aimed at helping you in the following areas: •

Understanding lecture material.

•

Preparing for exams.

•

Completing assessment tasks.

•

Meeting peers and forming study groups.

Numerous studies have shown that one of the best ways of attaining high grades in the sciences is for students to study together. Sitting all alone at home or in the library, trying to come to grips with a problem can be effective, but more often it leads to frustration and a loss of confidence. Supervised study is here to help you meet people and form study groups which will ultimately aid in your success! Practical sessions (2 hours/week) The laboratory-based practical sessions of BIOL 1101 require you to have: •

A laboratory coat. These can be purchased new from Co-op Bookstore located on the Central Campus.

•

Laboratory manual. The manual includes basic topic information, instructions and rubrics for laboratory notebooks and appendices with basic instructions on how to use different laboratory equipment. A PDF version of the manual should be downloaded from FLO

•

Weekly Instructions and Protocols. The instructions and protocols for each practical week can be downloaded from the relevant week. A copy of the weekly instructions and any relevant sections of the topic manual are required for practical classes. A hard copy or an electronic copy on a tablet is acceptable.

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Laboratory notebook. A Flinders University Laboratory Notebook can be purchased from Retail One. An A4 bound exercise book is also equally acceptable.

•

Closed shoes. The top of your foot should be covered. No ballet flats.

•

Pen and Pencil

The experiments within Evolution of Biological Diversity are designed to give you experience in making observations, collecting, analysing and interpreting scientific data. Practicals commence in week 1 of semester 2. Practical sessions are held from Tuesday to Thursday in Laboratory 3 on level 0 of the Biology Discovery Centre. Students must enrol in one of these 2hr sessions and are required to attend at their enrolled time every week of the semester. For session enrolment please check the Student Information System. If you miss a practical due to illness or other unplanned circumstances, a small number of additional vacancies will be made available in each session where possible. If you are able to attend an alternate session you should use the Practical Reschedule link available on FLO to reschedule into 7

BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

another practical session. If the reschedule places are full or you are unable to attend an alternate session please email [email protected] to notify of your circumstances. In the case of medical reasons, you will be required to submit a Medical Certificate. Students are unable to receive an exemption of the practical component of this topic as they form a crucial part of the topic. Flinders Learning Online (FLO) The BIOL1101 Evolution of Biological Diversity FLO website is an important source of helpful information and will aid you in attaining the most out of this topic. Full details on how to access the site and what has been developed for 2018 will be given in the first lecture. The site will include the following useful features: •

Information enabling you to form groups with which to complete your research project and to evaluate your peers.

•

A bulletin board for posting important information and asking questions on topical issues, which can be answered for the benefit of all students. This facility is reserved for topic-specific discussions. Students abusing the bulletin board by introducing other matters are liable to be barred from using the FLO website for this topic.

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Weekly quizzes. (please note these are relevant to the lecture material and are distinct from all other online quizzes)

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Pre laboratory quizzes (please note these are relevant to the practical materials and are distinct from all other online quizzes)

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Practical and Supervised Study rescheduling. This resource will allow you to reschedule your practical or supervised study due to unforeseen circumstances.

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Electronic assignment drop boxes. This is where the scientific writing assignments are submitted and where feedback will be available once the marks have been released.

•

Assessment rubrics. For assessment of your written assessment tasks and research poster.

•

Reference notes for lecture material and in some cases, additional lecture-related material.

•

Lecture recordings. Lectures are recorded and are available on FLO for viewing.

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BIOL 1101

Evolution of Biological Diversity

ASSESSMENT University policy on assessment The University has a policy regarding assessment and assessment procedures and these requirements are followed in this topic. The University policy is set out in full in the University Calendar and in summary form in the "Enrolment Guide and Student Handbook". Two clauses cover the important area of the ...