Welcome to General Biology
BI101–Spring 2006
Course Introduction
Instructor:Lonnie Guralnick
Office: 104b Natural SciencesE-Mail: [email protected]: 838 - 8136 (x8-8136)
Office Hours: M 1 pmT 9 amTh 9-11 amF 2 pm
Course Introduction
• MWF 11:00 - 11:50 am 103 NSLectures:
Required Text:• Biology - Life on Earth (Audesirk2 & Byers - 7th Ed.)
• Laboratory Manual (BI 101)
Course Introduction
Testing Format:Multiple ChoiceTrue/FalseMatching (w/ Diagrams)Fill-in-the-blank / Short Answer
Exam 1 100Exam 2 100Exam 3 100Final 150Laboratory 150
500
Grading:
Grading Scale (approximate): 100 - 90% = A 64 - 55% = D89 - 80% = B < 55% = F79 - 65% = C
Course Introduction
Web Site:
http://www.wou.edu/~guralnl•• Course Button: BI101
What is the content of BI 101?Unit 6: Ecology Chapters 39-42• Population Ecology• Communities and Ecosystems• BiomesUnit 3: Diversity of Life Chapters 17-23• History of life• Systematics• Diversity of life: Bacteria, fungi, plants and animalsUnit 3: Evolution Chapters 14-16• Microevolution• Origin of species• Macroevolution
Course Introduction
How to get the most out of BI 101:1) Come to class2) Read the book before lecture3) Review study questions.4) Do your best in lab (It’s 25% of your grade!)5) Seek understanding of concepts. Ask questions!
• talk to your professor• visit the tutoring center• start a study group
6) Stay Healthy!
Chapter 1: Introduction to Life on Earth
What is Life?What are the Characteristics of Living Things?
1) Living things are complex and organized
(Figure 1.2)
Chapter 1: Introduction to Life on Earth
What is Life?What are the Characteristics of Living Things?
1) Living things are complex and organized2) Living things need nutrients and energy
7) Living things evolve (Natural Selection)
6) Living things reproduce (DNA = blueprints)
• Nutrients = Environment (e.g. soil)
• Energy = Sun (Direct or Indirect)
3) Living things maintain homeostasis4) Living things grow5) Living things respond to stimuli (e.g. pain)
Chapter 1: Introduction to Life on Earth
How Do Scientists Categorize the Diversity of Life?Current System of Classification (largest to smallest):
Domain EukaryaAnimalia
ChordataReptilia
SquamataColubridaeThamnophisSirtalis
Prokaryotes(no nucleus) Eukaryotes
(true nucleus)
• Bacteria• Archaea • Eukarya
KingdomPhylum
ClassOrderFamilyGenusSpecies
Scientific Name:Genus species
Chapter 1: Introduction to Life on Earth
What Does the Science of Biology Encompass?
Scientific principles underlie all scientific inquiry:1) All events can be traced to natural causes that
can be comprehended
2) Laws of nature (physics) hold in all time and space
3) People perceive natural events in similar ways
Scientific method is the basis of scientific inquiry:
Maggots appear on meatFlies produce maggotsLeave meat uncovered / cover meatFlies source of maggots
1) Observation2) Hypothesis3) Experiment4) Conclusion
What Does the Science of Biology Encompass?
Science is a human endeavor:
• Chance events • Errors• “Gut” instinctsScientific Reasoning:• Inductive• Deductive
Chapter 1: Introduction to Life on Earth
What Does the Science of Biology Encompass?
Scientific Theories have been thoroughly tested:
• Not educated guesses• May be modified• More general and reliable• General explanation of important natural phenomena• ie: atomic theory, cell theory, •Can be modified with evidence
Chapter 1: Introduction to Life on Earth
Evolution: The Unifying Theory of BiologyThree natural processes underlie evolution:
1) Genetic variation exists among members of a population2) Such variation is inherited to the next generation3) Natural Selection: The survival and enhanced
reproduction of members with favorable variations.
1 2 3
Birds likered frogs
Dr. Guralnick