Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Completion of intermediate algebra or higher with grade of "C" or better or appropriate placement
Advisory: Eligibility for ENGL 1A
Hours: 144 (54 lecture, 90 laboratory)
Description: Part of the BIOL 1/BIOL 140 course series for life science majors. Introduction to the principles of ecological and evolutionary processes that shape biodiversity with an emphasis on evolutionary relationships among major groups of organisms, their distinguishing structural and functional traits, the function and evolution of major organ systems, and ecological interactions among organisms. Through lecture and lab activities the diversity of life on Earth is covered, including animals, plants, fungi, and unicellular organisms. Field trips may be required; transportation will be provided. Recommended for biology majors and students in related programs. Non-life science majors see BIOL 14. Not recommended for students taking BIOL 2 and BIOL 3. (CSU)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Explain the essential properties of life, major hypotheses for life’s history, and mechanisms for the diversification of life.
  • CSLO #2: Compare and contrast the development, life cycles, anatomical and physiological characteristics of major taxa of organisms.
  • CSLO #3: Evaluate the evolutionary and ecological relationships of organisms to each other and their environments.
  • CSLO #4: For major taxa of protists (unicellular eukaryotes), fungi, plants and animals: (a) identify major groups and arrange them within currently recognized taxa, (b) compare and evaluate different phylogenies in terms of relationships amongst taxa, (c) describe structural organization/morphology, (d) identify and describe structures and relate them to their functions, and (e) classify individual representative specimens to phylum .

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

144

Outside of Class Hours

99

Total Student Learning Hours

243

Course Objectives

Course objectives are linked to items from the Course Content Outline (in parentheses).

Lecture Objectives:
1. Describe the major events in the evolution and diversification of life, including processes of speciation and extinction. (#1)

2. Identify the general properties of living organisms, such as reproduction (comparing and contrasting the adaptive value of asexual and sexual forms of reproduction) and evolution (distinguishing between the various mechanisms of microevolution). (#1, 2)

3. Evaluate the selective pressures that led to major evolutionary innovations in plants and animals. (#1, 2)

4. Explain the Linnaean system of classification and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the common species concepts. (#1)

5. Differentiate between taxonomy and phylogenetic systematics, identifying the challenges associated with determining phylogenies. (#1)

6. Identify and describe the key characteristics of major protist (unicellular eukaryote), fungi, plant, and animal taxa and evaluate the selective pressures that led to the evolution of those features. (#2, 3)

7. Identify the major structural components (organelles) of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. (#2, 3)

8. Compare and contrast the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and typical animal and plant cells. (#2, 3)

9. Describe evolutionary history of plants, emphasizing key milestones in the transition from algae to land plants (#2, 3, 5)

10. Describe the fundamental characteristics of fungi and members of the plant kingdom (bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, and angiosperms)(#2, 3)

11. Analyze the adaptations that facilitated the colonization of land by plants. (#3)

12. Evaluate the significance of evolutionary innovations in animals, such as bilateral symmetry, the presence of a coelom, metamerism, the diagnostic chordate features, the presence of jaws, flight, intellect, etc. (#2, 3)

13. Assess the adaptive significance of sensory systems found in organisms, such as ocelli, ampullae of Lorenzini, Jacobson's organs, echolocation, etc. (#3)

14. Diagram the major features of life cycles in fungi, bryophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. (#3)

15. Compare and contrast the major developmental patterns of animals, such as protostomes and deuterostomes, diploblasty and triploblasty, and acoelomate, pseudocoelomate and coelomate body plans. (#3)

16. Describe the biotic and abiotic factors that control the growth and interactions of populations. (#4)

17. Identify the major biomes by their climatic, latitudinal and biological indicators. (#4)

18. Apply ecological principles such as food chains and food webs, primary productivity, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem succession to any major world ecosystem or community. (#4)
19. Develop and describe a timeline for ecosystem succession. (#4)

20. Describe current impact of human activities and population growth on natural ecosystems and the future of Earth. (#4)

21. Outline general steps of scientific discovery; distinguish between hypothesis, prediction, and theory and describe the role of experimental controls. (#5)

22. Explain the relationship between the scientific process and the primary literature, and the process of assessing and distinguishing among qualitative levels of scientific literature. (#5)

23. Identify and/or research a narrow topic of interest in the field of biology using both primary and secondary sources of information. (#5)

24. Communicate scientific information in an oral, written, or visual form, using CSE (or similar) format for citations. (#5)

Laboratory Objectives:

1. Analyze main agents of microevolution (mutation, nonrandom mating, migration, genetic drift, selection). (#1)

2. Read and interpret evolutionary relationships based on phylogenetic trees. (#2)

3. Use basic lab techniques, including dissection, to investigate fungus, plant, and animal structures (using both fresh and prepared specimens), and their responses to various environmental conditions. (#3, 4)

4. Outline, illustrate, or diagram the major structures, reproductive life cycles, and developmental patterns of fungi, plants, and animals. (#3, 4)

5. Compare and contrast the general features of the major protist (unicellular eukaryote), fungi, plant, and animal taxonomic groups, identifying specimens based on the presence or absence of diagnostic characteristics. (#3, 4, 5)

6. Use the scientific method to collect, record, and analyze experimental data regarding organismal physiology, hormones, nutrient requirements, behavior, growth, etc. (#3, 4, 5, 6)

7. Evaluate the impacts of biotic and abiotic factors on population growth and community assembly. (#6)

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • AA/AS - Life Sciences
    • AS - Life Science Lab
  • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
    • CSUGE - B2 Life Science
    • CSUGE - B3 Lab Activity
  • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
    • Cal-GETC 5B - Biological Science
    • Cal-GETC 5C - Laboratory Science
  • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)

    Articulation Information

    • CSU Transferable
    • UC Transferable

    Methods of Evaluation

    • Classroom Discussions
      • Example: To assess lecture course objective #5, students might take part in a classroom discussion about the different methods and outcomes associated with the fields of taxonomy and phylogenetic systematics. Students could be evaluated based on participation, accuracy of information, and completeness of information.
    • Objective Examinations
      • Example: To assess lecture course objective #5, students might answer an objective quiz or exam question about phylogenies such as: "The ability to use biochemical data to form phylogenetic trees is based on the assumption that (a) all life uses the same sequences of DNA, (b) there are no mutations in DNA, (c ) natural selection works on genotype and not phenotype, (d) amino acids are unrelated to evolution, or (e) protein and DNA sequences undergo similar rates of divergence through time."
    • Problem Solving Examinations
      • Example: To assess lab course objective #5, students might be given an unknown specimen and asked to identify the correct taxon of that specimen and to describe (either verbally or in writing) the diagnostic features that warrant that taxonomic designation. Students could be evaluated based on their accuracy and completeness in identifying the diagnostic characteristics and their accuracy in using those characteristics to correctly identify the taxon.
    • Projects
      • Example: To assess lab course objective #6, students might develop and carry out an experiment that compares organism responses under different environmental conditions. Students could be evaluated based on the completeness of the project, including the presence of a clear experimental plan, the identification of hypothesis and predictions, description of appropriate data collection methodology, evidence of participation in experimental set up and data collection, and documentation of experimental results.
    • Reports
      • Example: To assess lab course objective #3, students might develop and carry out an experiment that compares organismal responses under different environmental conditions and document the experiment in a written lab report. Students could be evaluated based on completeness of the report, quality of the information included in the report, and scientific accuracy of conclusions drawn.
    • Skill Demonstrations
      • Example: To assess lab course objective #3, students might develop and carry out an experiment that compares animal responses under different environmental conditions. Students could be evaluated based on their skill in using appropriate pieces of lab equipment to collect experimental data and on their accuracy in carrying out the steps of the experimental method.

    Repeatable

    No

    Methods of Instruction

    • Laboratory
    • Lecture/Discussion
    • Distance Learning

    Lab:

    1. To address lab course objective #5, the instructor might use the Socratic method to guide students through the process of identifying and describing the diagnostic morphological characteristics of a selected group, such as angiosperms.
    2. To address lab course objective #6, the instructor might guide students to develop, either individually or in groups, a zoology experiment based in the hypothetico-deductive scientific method.

    Lecture:

    1. To address lecture course objective #11, the instructor might prepare a lecture that explains the similarities and differences between these metabolic processes. The lecture could include examples of organisms that exhibit these processes, supplemented by images and/or videos where appropriate. Students will then be able to participate in a class discussion concerning the advantages and disadvantages of each type of photosynthesis.
    2. To address lecture course objective #16, the instructor might lead an in-class discussion of how various factors affect population dynamics, asking students to categorize factors as biotic or abiotic. Students will then be able to correctly answer homework or exam questions about factors impacting the dynamics of population growth.

    Distance Learning

    1. To address lecture course objective #2, the instructor might prepare a lecture to post online that explains the basic properties of living organisms, providing examples of each. This online lecture might include text, audio (with transcript), and/or captioned video presentation of information. The students will be listening and/or watching this lecture, taking notes, asking clarifying questions (via chat, Zoom, email, etc.), making connections to previous lecture topics and/or material learned in previous classes, and applying this information to questions on homework assignments or exams.
    2. To address lecture course objective #4, "Explain the Linnaean system of classification and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the common species concepts", the instructor might guide students in an online discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the species concept, asking students to consider specific examples of species that illustrate those strengths and weaknesses.

    Typical Out of Class Assignments

    Reading Assignments

    1. Read the chapter in the textbook about plant diversity and be prepared to discuss in class. 2. Read a published scientific paper about a topic, such as the evolution of multicellular animals, and be prepared to discuss the topic in class.

    Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

    1. Design and conduct an experiment on population dynamics in an ecosystem, collect the data, and complete a formal lab report describing the experiment that includes an introduction, purpose, procedure, materials, and results. 2. Answer an essay question on an exam about a topic covered in class, such as a comparison of the different protist phylogenies in terms of relationships among the taxa.

    Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

    Required Materials

    • Campbell Biology
      • Author: Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, and Rebecca Orr
      • Publisher: Pearson
      • Publication Date: 2021
      • Text Edition: 12
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER: No
    • Biology
      • Author: Peter Raven and George Johnson and Kenneth Mason and Jonathan Losos and Tod Duncan
      • Publisher: McGraw-Hill
      • Publication Date: 2023
      • Text Edition: 13
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER: No
    • Life: The Science of Biology
      • Author: David M Hillis, Craig H Heller, Sally D Hacker, David W Hall, Marta J Laskowski, & David E Sadava
      • Publisher: Macmillan
      • Publication Date: 2020
      • Text Edition: 12
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER: No

    Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.

    Laboratory manual.