Lectures - Mon & Wed 2:40 PM - 3:55 PM, 1015 Schermerhorn Extension
Lab - Wed 4:10 PM - 7:00 PM, 558 Schermerhorn Extension
| Week | Begins | Monday | Wednesday | Wednesday Lab | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/15 | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Intro to Course; What is Life?;& the Scientific Method. | Survey of Student Background & Organization |
Olsen, Palmer, Griffin. |
| 2 | 1/22 | What are the units of life? Species,
and how we study them. Reading: Chapters 1, 23, 25. |
How is life organized and why? The hierarchy of life
and how life adapts to the planet. Reading: Haldane's essay "On Being the Right Size"; Hutchinson, 1957 (pdf). |
Taxonomy and Systematics |
Olsen. |
| 3 | 1/29 | Early Life. Reading: Chapters 4, 5, 27, 28. |
Innovations and the Major Divisions of Life. Reading: Chapters 30, 31. |
Diversity of Life, Part 1. |
Olsen. |
| 4 | 2/5 | Cambrian Revolution and Animal Organization. Reading: review Chapter 31, esp. page 630; Hoffman et al (pdf). |
The Paleozoic and the Rise of Plants. Reading: Chapter 29, Ch. 34 from 683-702. |
Diversity of Life, Part 2. |
Olsen. |
| 5 | 2/12 | The Age of Dinosaurs and Major Crises in the History
of Life. Reading: pages 702-713, other TBA. |
The Cenozoic, Origin of Humans, and
Present Mass Extinction. Reading: pages 714-727, other TBA. |
History of Life AMNH. |
Olsen. |
| 6 | 2/19 | In-class exam. Sample in-class exam. |
Mechanisms of Evolution I. Reading: Chapters 21 and 22 (p. 433-470). |
Palmer. | |
| 7 | 2/26 | Mechanisms of Evolution II. Reading: Chapters 23 and 24 (p. 471-508). |
Behavioral Ecology. Reading: Chapter 52 (p. 1105-1136). |
TBD |
Palmer. |
| 8 | 3/5 | Population Biology I. Reading: Chapter 52 continued. |
Population Biology II. Reading: Chapter 53 (p. 1137-1160). |
Palmer. | |
| 9 | 3/12 | Spring Break | |||
| 10 | 3/19 | Community Ecology I. Reading: Chapter 54 (1161-1182). |
Community Ecology II. Reading: Chapter 54 continued. |
Palmer. | |
| 11 | 3/26 | Conservation Biology. Reading: Chapter 57 (p. 1227-1250). |
Exam 2. | TBD |
Palmer. |
| 12 | 4/2 | Thermodynamics. Reading: Chapter 8, pp 143-156. |
C3 Photosynthesis. Reading: Chapter 10, pp 185-202. |
Griffin. | |
| 13 | 4/9 | C4 and CAM Photosynthesis. Reading: Chapter 10, pp 202-205. |
Respiration. Reading: Chapter 9, pp 159-183. |
Griffin. | |
| 14 | 4/16 | Nutrients. Reading: Chapter 38 & 43, pp 767-778, 781-793, 887-904. |
Ecosystems. Reading: Chapter 55, pp 1183-1201. |
Ecosystem Studies. |
Griffin. |
| 15 | 4/23 | The Biosphere. Reading: Chapter 56, pp 1203-1217. |
The Future of the Biosphere. Reading: Chapter 57, pp 1218-1248. |
TBD |
Griffin. |
| 16 | 4/30 | Exam 3. | Griffin. | ||
| 17 | 5/7 | Take Home Final Exam Due May 9th. | |||
| Basis of Grade | Description | Percent of Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in-class exams | One mutiple choice and short-answer exam at the end of each of the 3 parts of the course | 33 % |
| 1 take-home exam | An essay and/or problem-type exam at the end of the course | 33 % |
| Labs | Once a week labs, self guided field trips, or group field trips and associated homework | 33 % |
The textbook for the course is: Raven, P. H. et al., 2005, Biology (7th ed.), McGraw-Hill, Boston, 1238 p., available at Labyrinth Books
Updated December 27, 2006
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