Fall 2009

(updated: 8/22/09)

ENST 2101: Environmental Biology

Instructor:       Dr. Peter H. Wyckoff                                                 Phone:             x6347

Office:             Science 1375                                                               E-Mail:            wyckoffp

Web Page:       http://cda.mrs.umn.edu/~wyckoffp

Class:               MW 10:30-11:35, Sci 3650, Labs: W 1:00-4:00, Th 9:00-noon, F noon-3:00, Sci 2150

 

Opportunities for outside help and discussion

Pete’s office hours: M 1:00-2:00, W9:30-10:30, Th 1:30-3:00

Optional Weekly Review Session with Pete: Friday’s during class time

Biology drop-in tutoring: M, W, Th evenings, 8:00-10:00 in Brigg’s Library Rm 350B

 

Description

General Education Requirements: This course fulfills the “science with a lab” SCI-L requirement.  For students majoring in Environmental Studies, this course provides a one course alternative to the Biol 1101-2101 sequence, allowing access to upper-level environmentally themed biology courses.

 

Environmental Studies is a major designed to give students an understanding of environmental problems and their possible solutions.  At their heart, most environmental “problems” arise from concerns over how humans and other biological species interact with their environment.  Why do we care about “toxic” pollutants?  Because such pollutants interact with biological organisms in ways that make it difficult for those organisms to continue living and optimally functioning.  To understand toxins, you must understand biology.  Why do we care about climate change?  Because most biological organisms have evolved to become adapted to a particular set of environmental conditions.  Rapid changes in temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide, moisture availability (and acidity for water-dwelling organisms) can strain an organism’s ability to respond.  To understand these issues, you must understand the underlying biology.

 

Learning objectives

By the end of this course, you will be familiar with many of the foundational concepts of modern biology:

1. You will understand the basic chemical building blocks of life.  How are organisms different from their surrounding environments?

2.  You will understand the origins of life, and how a common ancestor gave rise to the myriad of species on earth today.  This will require you to understand the basic tenets of Darwinian evolution and how populations change through time.

3.  You will gain an appreciation for the unity of life, and have a working understanding of the central dogma of molecular biology.

4. You will understand bioenergetics—how organisms capture and use energy.  You will also understand the links between energy and carbon in biology.

5. You will have a greater understanding of the current threats to biodiversity.

 

Readings

Required Texts:

Audesirk, Audesirk, and Byers.  2008.  Biology: Life on Earth.  Pearson (Upper Saddle River, NJ), 928 p.

 

Carpenter, K.E., Abrar, M., Aeby, G. et al. 2008.  One-third of reef-building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts. Science, 321, 560-563.

Wade, N.  2007.  Humans have spread globally, evolved locally.  www.nytimes.com

Yoon, C. K.  2007.  From a few genes, life’s myriad shapes. www.nytimes.com

Zimmer, C.  2007.  Fast-reproducing microbes provide a window on natural selection.  www.nytimes.com

 

Detailed schedule (Tentative)

 

Date

 

Lecture Topic

Readings/ DUE DATES

1

Aug. 26

W

Introduction

Chpt 1

2

Aug. 31

M

I’m gonna build me a living creature!

1. Annoying concepts from chemistry

2. I need lots of water!

Chpt 2

3

Sept. 2

W

Sorry Dr. Atkins, we are all basically carbohydrates

1. Life is carbon based

2. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins

3. Nucleic acids are gonna be important

Chpt 3

SHORT PAPER DUE

 

Sept. 7

 

LABOR DAY- NO CLASS

 

4

Sept. 9

W

More Annoying Chemistry

 

5

Sept. 14

M

Cells in a day or 2….

1. Kickin it old school: prokaryotic cells

2. Eukaryotes: life is complex (and sometimes multicelluar)

Chpt 4

6

Sept. 16

W

Membranes: how to separate “you” from “not you”

1. Membrane structure

2. Getting stuff in and out of the cell

3. Links between cells

Chpt 5

7

Sept. 21

M

Energy

1. More annoying concepts from chemistry

2. ATP—convertible energy cash

3. How to burn fuel without being on fire: enzymatic control

Chpt 6

8

Sept. 23

W

EXAM 1

 

9

Sept. 28

M

Building Biomass: Photosynthesis

1. Solar energyà chemical (carbon) energy

2. The light reactions

3. The dark reactions

4. Getting carbon = good; losing water = bad

Chpt 7

10

Sept. 30

W

Eating Biomass: Respiration

1. C-H bondsà the energy we crave

2. Glycolysis: how to destroy a sugar

3. Respiration

Chpt. 8

11

Oct. 5

M

CASE STUDY: How do climate change and greenhouse gases impact photosynthesis and respiration?

FORMAL LAB REPORT DRAFT

12

Oct. 7

W

The Central Dogma: DNA carries the script

1. Structure of DNA

2. DNA replication

3. Mistakes are made!

Chpt 9

13

Oct. 12

M

More Fun With DNA

 

14

Oct. 14

W

The Central Dogma: Transcription and Translation

1. RNA and gene expression

2. Translation into proteins

3. Impact of mutations on genes

4. How are genes regulated

Chpt 10

 

Oct. 19

 

FALL BREAK- NO CLASS

 

15

Oct. 21

W

Evo-Devo and other hip new stuff

Yoon 2007

16

Oct. 26

M

EXAM 2

 

17

Oct. 28

W

Biology Class Clichés #743 and #744: Mitosis and Meiosis

1. What do cells want to do? Make more cells

2. Let’s talk about sex

Chpt 11

 

18

Nov. 2

M

Famous Dead White Dude #1: Mendel the Monk

1. Single trait inheritance

2. Multiple trait inheritance

3. It then gets complicated….

Chpt 12

LAB REPORT REVISIONS DUE

19

Nov. 4

W

Case study: GM crops—hideous threat or the only hope for mankind?

Chpt. 13

(Lab Quiz 1)

20

Nov. 9

M

Famous Dead White Dude #2: Chuck D!

1. Evolution before Darwin

2. Tenets of Darwinian Evolution

Chpt. 14

21

Nov. 11

W

Lines of Evidence Supporting Evolution

Zimmer 2007

22

Nov. 16

M

Evolution of populations

1. Population genetics and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

2. Causes of evolution

3. How does natural selection work

Chpt. 15

MENDELIAN PROBLEM SET DUE

 

23

Nov. 18

W

More evolution

(Lab Quiz 2)

24

Nov. 23

M

EXAM 3

 

25

Nov. 25

W

Case Study: How do we know how many species there are?

 

 

26

Nov. 30

M

The Origin of Species

1. The species concept is messy

2. Methods of speciation

3. Doh! Extinction

Chpt 16

 

27

Dec. 2

W

More speciation

POP. BIOLOGY PROBLEM SET DUE

28

Dec. 7

M

Case Study: Evolutionary lineages of whales and people

 

29

Dec. 9

W

Final thoughts on the Importance of Biodiversity

Carpenter 2008

(Lab Quiz 3)

 

Dec. 17

Th

11:00-1:00—FINAL EXAM

 

 

Lab Schedule (very tentative)

Week

 

Outdoors?

 

1 (Aug 26-28)

Prairie lab

X

 

2 (Sept 2-4)

Photosynthesis (if sunny)

X

 

3 (Sept 9-11)

Forest Lab 1

X

 

4 (Sept 16-18)

Forest Lab 2

X

 

5 (Sept 23-25)

Biomass + Energy

X

 

6 (Sept 30-Oct 2)

Biodiversity Lab

 

 

7 (Oct 7-9)

NO LAB—Pete at a Conference

 

 

8 (Oct 14-16)

Phylogeny and Introduction to the tree of life

 

 

9 (Oct 21-23)

Archaea and Bacteria / DNA Demo

 

Chpt 19

10 (Oct 28-30)

Protists!!!  And the Eukaryotic Cell Cycle)

 

Chpts 20-21

11 (Nov 4-6)

Plants and Fungi

Lab Quiz

 

Chpt 22

12 (Nov 11-13)

Animals: Invertebrates 1- Lophotrochozoans

(Squid and earthworm dissections)

 

Chpt 23

13 (Nov 18-20)

Animals: Invertebrates 2-

Ecdysozoans

(Crayfish dissection)

And… Practice Genetics Problems Lab Quiz

 

 

14 (Nov 25-27)

NO LAB- THANKSGIVING

 

 

15 (Dec 2-4)

Animals: Vertebrates 1

(Shark dissection)

 

Chpt 24

16 (Dec 9-11)

Animals: Vertebrates 2

(Mud-puppy and rat dissections)

Lab Quiz

 

 

 

Grades

Attendance and participation                                                               60

Assignments:

Short Paper Assignment 1                                                        60

            Phylogeny Problem Set                                                             60

            Mendelian Genetics Problem Set                                              60

            Population Biology Problem Set                                               40

            Formal Lab Report                                                                  120

            Other Lab Assignments                                                            50

            Assignments Subtotal                                                             390

Exams

Lab Quizzed 1-3 @ 25 pts each                                               75

Hourly Exam 1                                                                        100

Hourly Exam 2                                                                        100

Hourly Exam 3                                                                        100

Hourly Exam 4 (During Final)                                                100

Cumulative Portion of Final                                                     75

            Exam Subtotal                                                                                    550

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total                                                              1000 pts

 

At worst: A = 90-100%; B = 80-90%; C = 70-80%; D = 60-70%; F < 60%.

I may curve up, but I will not curve down.

 

Grade expectations

Satisfactory work demonstrating a simple, but largely complete, grasp of the course material will receive a “C.”  An “A” or a “B” requires you to demonstrate more thought and sensitivity to nuance.

 

Partial credit on problems and calculations will only be given if you show your work.  If I explicitly ask you to show your work on a homework or exam problem, then a mere answer is not enough (even a correct answer)—you must show me how you reached your answer.

 

On average, this course should require 12 hours a week of work (4 credits* 3 hours a week per credit).  That means that you should expect to work an average of 8 hours a week outside of class.  If the work associated with this class appears to be either too light or excessive, please let me know.

 

Policy on incomplete grades

In accordance with University policy, incomplete grades will only be awarded under extraordinary circumstances.  Normally, I will only consider awarding an incomplete in cases where illness or family emergency prevent a student from completing the last assignments in a course (end of the semester projects, final exams, etc.).  You can only be eligible for an incomplete if your average on all graded, completed work is greater than an F.

 

Attendance policy

Lecture attendance is not mandatory, but I will take attendance and deduct 5 participation points for each unexcused absence.  Tests will be based primarily on material covered in class.  Fifteen points will be deducted for each unexcused lab absence. 

 

If you are unable to take an exam at the regularly scheduled time, you must inform me in advance.  I normally return exams at within one or two class periods, and make-up exams must be completed before I do so.

 

Excused absences will be granted for family emergencies, illness, varsity athletic events, and other official university functions.  Written documentation for excused absences must be submitted and can be obtained from health services or chancellor’s office.

 

Late work policy

Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be turned in at the beginning of class on the day they are due (though they will not be counted as late if in by 5:00).  Late assignments lose 20% of their value for each day or portion of a day they are late (not counting weekends).  For example, if an assignment is due on a Friday, and you turn it in Tuesday, the assignment is 2 days late and thus only worth 60% of its original value. 

 

Policy on Academic Honesty

I have no tolerance for cheating or plagiarism.  Any paper, assignment or examination showing signs of academic dishonesty will be investigated.  If I suspect dishonesty, I will notify the student that we must meet to discuss the matter.  Failure to respond to a request for such a meeting will be taken as an admission of guilt.  The standard penalty for dishonesty will be a grade of “0” on the assignment in question.  In egregious cases, I will give an “F” for the course grade.  In accordance with University policy, I will report any penalties levied to the vice chancellor for student affairs.  Penalized students then have the right to appeal.

 

Any work submitted by a student must be written in his or her own words (i.e. you cannot simply copy or paraphrase textbooks, other written sources, or work submitted by other students).  In the case of group work submitted with multiple names, I will assume that all have contributed equally.  For homework and problem sets, I encourage students to work together, but that cannot mean that one student simply copies from another. 

 

Recycled paper and two-sided printing

I encourage you to save paper by printing typed assignments on the back of previously used paper.  If you do this, I ask that you draw an “X” through the side I don’t need to read.  Alternatively, print your assignments on both sides of fresh paper.  Spreadsheets and graphs can be sent to me via e-mail, and if possible, I will refrain from printing them at all.

 

Extra credit policy

I may periodically offer extra credit as an incentive to participate in activities that are related to class, but not otherwise required—public lectures, service projects, etc.  Extra credit cannot be used to raise your final course grade more than one step—i.e. a C- to a C or a B+ to an A-.  Thus, any extra credit earned beyond 40-50 points will enrich your soul, but cannot enrich your grade.

 

Use of Personal Electronic Devices in the Classroom

Please turn off and put away cell phones prior to the start of class.  If I catch you texting in class, I will ask you either to leave or to surrender your cell phone to me.  Chances are that your phone is much nicer than mine, and I would love to upgrade.  I am particularly interested in acquiring an iphone.

 

Laptops may be used to take notes, but if I spot you using it for anything other than notetaking after class has begun, I will ask you to leave or to give me your laptop.  I am particularly interested in a current generation Macbook, though anything fast with good wi-fi is OK.

 

Calculators are allowed on test, but really probably won’t help much.  For non-native speakers, translation devices are allowed at exams, though I will ask to see the device to confirm that it is only a translator.

 

You are welcome to capture my lectures on audiotape, if you think that will be helpful.  Videotapes are not allowed.  I’m really not an attractive person.

 

The official U of M rules on “appropriate use of class notes and course materials” (who knew such a thing existed?)

·  Students may not distribute, via the Internet or other means, instructor-provided lecture notes or other instructor-provided materials, except to other members of the same class or with the express consent of the instructor.

·  While students hold the copyright to their own notes from a course, students may not engage in the widespread distribution or sale of transcript-like notes or notes that are close to verbatim records of a lecture or class presentation. Students may share such notes with other students in the same class.

·  The provisions of this policy are enforceable as University rules under Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code.

 

Disability Accommodations

I will make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities or special needs upon request.   The official, approved University of Minnesota, syllabus statements on disability and counseling follow:

The University of Minnesota is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities.  Disability Services is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations.  Students registered with Disability Services who have a letter requesting accommodations, are encouraged to contact the instructor early in the semester.  Students who have, or think they may have, a disability (e.g. psychiatric, attentional, learning, vision, hearing, physical, or systemic), are invited to contact Disability Services for a confidential discussion at 320-589-6163 or freyc@morris.umn.edu.  Additional information is available at the DS web site at www.morris.umn.edu/services/dsoaac/dso.

And…

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation.  These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities.  University of Minnesota services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing.  You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus via www.mentalhealth.umn.edu.