Successful students in all versions of Biology 1114xx will be able to:
Evolution
- Describe the evidence for micro and macroevolution.
- Describe the way that DNA sequence variation arises and enters the population.
- Trace the link between genotypic variation and phenotypic variation.
- Explain how evolutionary mechanisms can lead to population divergence and patterns of biological diversity.
- Describe how natural selection leads to adaptation.
- Explain how phenotypic traits and molecular sequence data infer phylogenetic relationships.
- Build and interpret phylogenetic trees to compare hypotheses about evolutionary relationships of animals.
- Recognize and correct scientific inaccuracies in statements misrepresenting evolutionary mechanisms and processes using appropriate scientific language (e.g., intentionality, teleology, and personification).
- Use evolutionary concepts to explain the development/expression of various types of animal behavior including social behavior
Diversity of life
- Describe the key morphological features of and evolutionary relationships among major lineages
- Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya including Protists, Fungi, Plants, and Animals.
- Land plant lineages.
- Animal lineages.
Organismal form and function
- Explain the structure of nutrient procurement and processing systems in plants and animals.
- Describe the structure and function of the nervous system, the musculo-skeletal system, the respiratory system, and the mechanisms of internal transport and regulation across various organisms.
- Explain how regulatory mechanisms at the level of the whole organism, including the endocrine system, ensure balance in living systems that interact continuously with their environments.
- Compare regulatory mechanisms within and across species.
Population, community, and ecosystem ecology
- Explain how populations grow and how this can be described mathematically.
- Explain energy flow through ecosystems.
- Assess the effects of anthropogenic alterations of biogeochemical cycles on ecosystem and global functioning, e.g., climate change.
- Describe the different types of relationships that exist between living organisms.
- Provide examples of how ecological principles are used in conservation biology.
Nature of biological science and society
- Understand how scientific knowledge is generated, its limitations, and the fundamentals of scientific publication.
- Analyze the interdependence of scientific and technological developments.
- Evaluate social and ethical implications of scientific discoveries.
- Describe historical development of theories, perspectives, and technologies in biology, including contributions made by people from underrepresented groups.
- Apply biological concepts and current biological research in the assessment of contemporary issues.
- Critically evaluate scientific literature and information presented in popular media.
Competencies
- Illustrate the scientific process through analysis of major biological discoveries and key events in the development of science.
- Document the solution to scientific problems through collection and analysis of experimental data and the preparation of scientific reports.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific process by:
- Developing a research question, a hypothesis, a prediction, and an experimental design.
- Collecting, organizing, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting quantitative and qualitative data to address a research question.
- Demonstrate the ability to make precise measurements.
- Demonstrate safe and proper use of experimental techniques and tools/instruments.
- Create graphs and tables.
- Use biological specimens to explain the relationship between structure and function
- Utilize current primary literature, online information, and information related to biological issues in mass media in written and oral reports.