MODULE: Animal and Plant Biology MODULE NUMBER: BIO00012C JACS CODE: C100 STAGE / YEAR: 1 CREDITS: ​
30 ORGANISER: Richard Waites PROGRAMME COMMITTEE: ​
BIO VERSION: ​
Feb 2015 TERMS TAUGHT: Au/Sp/Su 2015/16 PREREQUISITES​
: Students should have met the admissions standards required by the Department of Biology for enrolment on the Biology or specialist degree programme. SUMMARY: This module concerns the fundamental biology of plants and animals. Core topics are water relations, gas exchange, nutrition and energy budgeting. In addition, the signalling systems such as the nervous system and hormone networks that regulate and integrate these systems will be considered. The focus on these central themes allows comparison of the strategies for overcoming common problems both within and between the plants and animals. These topics are also explored through the processes within and the interactions among all levels of the ecological hierarchy, from individuals and populations to ecosystems and biomes The module has highlighted lectures than bring together several of the key themes and learning outcomes. There are two types of lectures that do this. ‘Signpost’ lectures pull together important topics discussed in recent lectures and provide examples that many topics in Biology are interconnected. ‘Grand Challenge’ lectures highlight the significant problems that Biologists need to solve in the future and that are at the forefront of modern Biology. LEARNING OUTCOMES: 1. A knowledge of the major events in the evolutionary history of plants and animals and an appreciation of the characteristics of major animal and plant phyla 2. An understanding of the adaptive significance, organisation and function of the principal organ systems of animals, including the digestive, circulatory, excretory, thermoregulatory and skeletal systems, and how these organ systems may vary with animal body plan, size and environmental circumstance. 3.
An understanding of the adaptive significance, organisation and function of the principal organ systems of plants, including roots, stems, leaves, and flowers and how these organ systems vary with plant body plan and environmental circumstance. 4.
An appreciation of the diverse physiological strategies that allow plant and animal life in different environments. 5.
An understanding of the major regulatory systems that integrate physiological responses in plants and animals 6. An awareness of how animal behaviour can be studied. 7. An understanding of the principles of element cycles. 8. How an understanding of historical events is needed to explain modern ecosystems. 9. An understanding of the population dynamics of single and multi­species communities. 10. An understanding of simple emergent patterns in community structure and their causes. 11. An understanding of the global distribution of biodiversity, and current threats to biodiversity. 12.
An understanding of the ecological factors which make a good invader, and the consequences of invasions. 13. An understanding of the theory of Island Biogeography and why small isolated islands support fewer species. 14.
The ability to perform simple experiments in Biology and to collect, analyse and present the results in an appropriate format. SYNOPSIS OF TEACHING: Event Dur
atio
n (Hrs
) Topic L1 1 L2 Staff Roo
m type Timin
g Notes for teaching committee Introduction to Animal and Plant Hartley Biology – Why Biology is important LT 1 Introduction to Animal and Plant Biology – Molecules to ecosystems Hartley LT L3 1 Tree of life: An overview of diversity, phylogeny and classification ­ How solutions to similar problems evolved Waites LT L4 1 Tree of life: An overview of the diversity of Eukaryotic life (animal, Waites LT plant and fungal) ­ How solutions to similar problems evolved L5 Leaves and water: key adaptation in plant leaves for conserving water. Acclimation and adaptation to stress. Major evolutionary adaptations, distribution within plants phylogeny. L6 1 L7 Helgaso
n VLE Leaves and CO2: How plants Helgaso
trade off water and CO2 n acquisition; C3 photosynthesis and photorespiration. Ecophysiology and morphology of C4 and CAM photosynthesis LT 1 Roots, stems, structure and transport: Xylem, phloem, evapotranspiration. Structural tissue is a cost to the plant. Growth rates, Grimes’ ordination and how strategy reflects environment. Helgaso
n LT L8 Mineral nutrition in plants: N P K and micronutrients. Transporters and ion uptake. Root growth strategies for maximising acquisition. Nodulation and Mycorrhization. Helgaso
n LT P1 Part 1 3 Plant growth and development. Cell and organs functional specialisation and plant morphology, and plant growth and temperature: An experiment of plants grown in different temperatures will be harvested. Redeke
r/Helga
son/Wai
tes Biol
abs P1 Part 2 3 Part 2 Data Collected will include root and shoot weight, R:S ratio, leaf area, stomatal density. (two groups) Redeke
r/Helga
son/Wai
tes Biol
abs L9 1 The Power of flowers. How to get yourself pollinated. Waites LT L10 1 Life histories: Alternation of generations (plants, brown/green algae, animals and fungi). Double fertilisation in seed plants. Reproduction in flowering plants. Seed structure, function and evolution. Seed dormancy: physiology; breaking dormancy Waites LT L11 1 Plant Diversity: Plant sex and the sessile growth habit: Pteropsida, megaspore and evolution of seeds – Gymnosperms, Angiosperms: double fertilisation, pollen dispersal and SI, outbreeding, coevolution of insects and flowering plants, and mechanisms of pollination success. Waites LT L12 1 How plants protect themselves; how humans protect crops Waites LT L13 1 Grand Challenge Lecture ­ Agriculture: feeding a growing population (genetic modification, plant breeding, conserving wild ancestors) Waites LT Grand Challenge Lecture L14 1 How animals sense and respond to the environment, coordinate movement and regulate internal body functions Kuhrs LT P2 3 Cell functional specialisation in Hydra: The students will investigate the different cell types in a hydra at a structural and functional level. Isaacs/
Kuhrs/S
mithK Biol
abs L15 1 The neuron as the basic functional component of the nervous system, and have dendrites to receive information and axons to transmit information Kuhrs LT L16 1 Animal nervous systems can be organised into central and peripheral components Kuhrs LT L17 1 L18 1 L19 Signpost Lecture – Why chilli peppers are hot? Waites LT Signpost lecture explains a link between plants and neuroscience Muscles and skeletons: Rigid skeletons (both exoskeletons and endoskeletons) and hydrostatic skeletons; the function of skeletons in support, protection and muscle­based movement; variation in characteristics of the skeleton with animal body size. SmithK LT 1 Exchange of respiratory gases: Gas exchange in aquatic and terrestrial animals; the relationship between respiratory surfaces and circulatory systems; the organs of gas exchange – lungs of vertebrates, gills of fish and tracheae of insects. SmithK LT L20 1 Circulation and Body fluids: The SmithK composition and function of extracellular fluids; diffusion and bulk flow of body fluids; comparative physiology of animal circulatory systems, as exemplified by the closed system of vertebrates and open system of insects. LT L21 1 Animal nutrition and digestion: The contribution of intracellular and extracellular digestion to degradation of ingested food; digestive enzymes and types of guts; absorption of nutrients. SmithK LT L22 1 Energy budgets and metabolism: The use of oxygen consumption as an index of metabolic rate; variation in energy expenditure between species and with activity in both laboratory and field. SmithK LT Winter vacation L23 1 Body temperature and thermoregulation: The metabolic rate of endotherms and ectotherms; factors contributing to the stable body temperature of mammals; temporary endotherms, especially insects. SmithK LT L24 1 Osmotic relations of animals: The distinction between osmoconforming and osmoregulating animals; osmoregulation in fish and osmoregulation in terrestrial animals, both mammals and insects; filtration and secretion excretory systems, as exemplified by vertebrate kidneys and insect Malpighian tubules. SmithK LT L25 1 Control of Energy balance: Appetite, satiation, reward, addiction, role of CNS and of neuro­and gastric peptides. SmithK LT P3 3 Organ functional specialisation: The students will dissect locusts, squid, to investigate organs systems at a structural and functional level. Sweene
y/Kuhrs/
SmithK Biol
abs L26 1 Evolution of animal reproduction: Kuhrs asexual v sexual, move from water to land, diversity in reproductive strategy LT L27 1 Human development and reproduction; ethics and experiments Kuhrs LT L28 1 Grand Challenge: How can humans stay healthier for longer as lifespans increase and society ages? Kuhrs LT Grand Challenge lecture (Health and Disease (with respect to ecosystem services / symbiosis & parasitism / ageing / epidemiology)) L29 1 Why does an animal exhibit a particular behaviour? Genes and behaviour; learning Mayhe
w LT L30 1 Orientation, navigation and biological clocks Mayhe
w LT L31 1 Animal behaviour and communication Mayhe
w LT L32 1 Social behaviour and sexual selection Mayhe
w LT L33 1 Predator­Prey: A game of life and death Waites Signpost lecture (animal physiology and behaviour and some links to ecology) P4 Part 1 3 Feeding and habitat selection in ducks: The practical involves fieldwork and subsequent analysis of collected data. (three groups) Mayhe
w/Holla
nd outsi
de 3 sessio
ns P4 Part 2 3 Feeding and habitat selection in ducks: The practical involves fieldwork and subsequent analysis of collected data.(three groups) Mayhe
w/Holla
nd Biol
abs/
A00
4 3 sessio
ns L34 1 Population Ecology: population properties Hill LT L35 1 Population dynamics: age­structured population growth Hill LT L36 1 Population dynamics: Inter­specific Hill competition, predation and predator­prey interactions. LT L37 1 Island Biogeography: Species­area relationships. Importance of area and isolation on species richness of islands. Hill LT L38 1 Grand Challenge: Conservation and Biodiversity Hill LT Grand Challenge Lecture L39 1 Niches, antagonistic and mutualistic interactions Holland LT L40 1 Communities (Invasion and Migration) and succession (Changes in community structure & diversity, climax communities & cyclic succession, conservation.) Holland LT L41 1 Ecosystems, biomes and diversity Holland LT L42 1 The carbon cycle is a key material cycle and the controls on rates within the C cycle Holland LT L43 1 Mineral cycles and ecosystem structure: Human impacts on the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous cycles Holland LT L44 1 The anthropocene: the human impact on evolution Chris LT Thomas L45 1 Grand Challenge: Understanding and dealing with climate change Chris LT Thomas Grand Challenge Lecture KEY TEXTS: ​
Biology: How life works Morris et al., Freeman. Other texts are available in EARL which is accessible through the VLE module site. ASSESSMENT: Formative: All lecturers will have formative assessments on the VLE. These assessments will provide feedback on performance. Practical 1 (plant growth) written up with an online guided practical write up sheet. Summative: (i) 1.5 hour closed Part A examination in January common assessment period (on autumn term work) weighted 30% of the module mark (ii) 1 x practical write­up (plant growth practical) in spring term weighted 10% of module mark (iii) Classification (taxonomy) workshop with a multiple choice assessment on the VLE – weighted 5% of module mark (iii) Design an organism exercise will be assessed via short film or animation and peer marking – weighted 10% of module mark (iv) 2 hour closed Part B examination in summer common assessment period (on spring term work, plus synoptic questions) weighted 45% of the module mark Re­assessment: 1.5 hour closed Part A examination 2 hour closed Part B examination Practical components are not re­assessable DEMONSTRATING REQUIREMENTS:
MAXIMUM NUMBERS: ​
The capacity of lecture theatres and Biolabs STUDENT WORKLOAD:​
students’ ​
workload totalling 100 hours per 10 credit module Lectures: ​
45 hours Workshops: ​
4 hours Supported learning sessions Practicals: ​
18 hours Tutorials Total Contact hours: ​
67 hours Assessments (summative): ​
4 hours of exams + VLE taxonomy assessment (1 hour) + Design an organism seminar Private study and formative assessments: ​
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