Principles of Biology II

A continuation of BIO120, this course also covers the processes of scientific inquiry while specifically focusing on examples of evolution, biodiversity, and ecology. The lecture content concentrates on the evolutionary process, the basic description of organisms ranging from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, and their interactions. In lab, evolution will be simulated, molecular data will be used to build a phylogeny, and students will view a variety of organisms, using compound and dissecting microscopes and their naked eye. Emphasis will be placed on comparing structural and functional relationships between representatives of all major phyla, most blatantly in the dissection of both invertebrates and vertebrates. Students will synthesize this information into an understanding of the students' place on the phylogenetic tree of life, in the ecosystems of our planet. Recommended Prereq, BIO120