LEBANESE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

BIOL 125: Basic Biology (3 credits)

Course Syllabus
Fall Term 2011-2012

INSTRUCTOR: Sara Saad

LECTURE HOURS: T,Th: 11:00-12:15

OFFICE HOURS:

GRADE DISTRIBUTION
Exam I 30%
Exam II 30%
Final Exam 40%

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to introduce freshman students to key biological concepts that are fundamental
to plant and animal biology. Students will be acquainted with the classification of other organisms and
familiarized with the interrelationships among living things and their non-living environment.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Biology, Life on earth by Teresa Audesirk, Gerald Audesirk and Bruce Byers. 7th edition
Prentice hall Inc. 2006. (www.prenhall.com)

COURSE OUTLINE BY TOPIC

Topics Title / Chapter Assignment # Hours

(50 minutes)
An introduction to life on earth (Chapter 1; pp2-19)
1 3
 What are the characteristics of living things?
 How do scientists categorize the diversity of life?
 What is the science of biology?
 Evolution: The unifying theory of biology

Systematics: Seeking order amidst diversity (Chapter 18; pp344-357)

2 3
 How are organisms named and classified?
 What are the kingdoms of life?
 Why do taxonomies change?
 Exploring biodiversity: How many species exist?

3 The Diversity of viruses, Prokaryotes, and Protists (Chapter 19; pp. 358-385) 4

 What are viruses, viroids, and prions?

 Which organisms make up the prokaryotic domains- bacteria and archaea?
 What are protists
- Chromists(water molds, diatoms, brown algae)
 - Plasmodium (Alveolates)
- Paramecium (Ciliates)
- Red algae
- Trypanosoma (Zooflagellates)
- Green algae

4 The Diversity of fungi (Chapter 20; pp. 386- 403) 4

 What are the main adaptations of fungi?

 How are fungi classified?
 How do fungi affect human?

Exam I

5 The Diversity of plants (Chapter 21, pp 404-421) 4

 What are the key features of plant?

 Evolutionary origins of plants
 Invasion and flourishing of plants on land

6 Plant Anatomy and Nutrient transport (Chapter 24; pp. 464-493) 4

 Organization of plant body

 Tissues and cell types of plant
 Roots, stem, leave
 How plants acquire nutrients?
 Water and sugar transport in plants

7 Animal Diversity I and II (Chapters 22 & 23 pp. 422-463) 4

 Characteristics of animals
 Anatomical features of animals
 Animal phyla
- Sponges
- Cnidarians
- Flat worms
- Segmented worms
- Mollusqs (snail)
- Arthropods (insects)
- Round worms
 Key features of Chordates
 Major groups of invertebrates
Exam II

8 Population growth and regulation (Chapter 39 pp. 796-817) 4

 Population growth and regulation

 Spatial distribution of populations
 Changing of human population

9 Community interactions (Chapter 40 pp. 818-839) 5

 Importance of community interactions

 Competition among species
  Interactions between predators and prey
 Symbiosis
 Succession

10 How do ecosystems work? (Chapter 41 pp. 840-861) 5

 Pathways of energy and nutrients

 Energy flow through communities
 Nutrient cycles
 Acid rain and global warming

Final Exam