BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani

Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

SECOND SEMESTER 2021-22

COURSE HANDOUT
Date: 17.01.2022

In addition to part I (General Handout for all courses appended to the Time table) this portion gives further specific
details regarding the course.
Course No : BIO F214
Course Title : INTEGRATED BIOLOGY (BL)
Instructor-in-Charge : PANKAJ KUMAR SHARMA
Instructor(s) :-

1. Course Description: The course intends to bridge the gap and open new vistas to students taking up biology. The
course covers two tracks, essentially. The first track introduces the student to the ordering that helps biologists to
actually study the vast diversity of the living world. This track would encompass questions related to the origin and
evolutionary pathways followed in nature, as well as the methods followed by biologists to systematically categorize and
document them. The second track highlights the uses and applications of biology in everyday life – whether in the
economic or in the social realms. Together, the course projects the subject in a way from which the student can choose
and implement his biological knowledge vis-à-vis his/her interests.

2. Scope and Objective of the Course: Being the second course on General Biology, the course exposes the students
to the foundational aspects as described above. At the end of the course, the student will have developed a basic
understanding of the evolutionary processes, rationale for taxonomic arrangements and familiarity of selected,
representative members of the major kingdoms of living organisms. Further, the student will also become aware of how
knowledge of biology (both botany and zoology) is applied for benefit of mankind and other organisms.

3. Text Books: Raven, P.H. and George B. Johnson. Systematics and Evolutionary Biology (BITS-Pilani Custom
Edition 2012). New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd., 2012.

4. Reference Books:

RB1: Campbell, N.A., et. al. Essential Biology with Physiology (5th edition). New Delhi: Pearson Education Inc., 2016.

RB2: Starr, Cecie. Biology: Concepts and Applications (6th edition). India: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2007.

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

5. Course Plan:
Module No. Lecture Session* Reference Learning outcomes
Chapter No. The student would:
from
Textbook
1. Introduction L1. Introduction - Get introduced to the course
L2. Genetic variation and evolution, Hardy- Identify the forces leading to
Weinberg principle; evolution
L3-L4. Agents of evolutionary change;
fitness; interaction among evolutionary
2. Genes within forces; maintenance of variation; 20
populations
L5-L6. Selection acting on traits;
experimental studies on natural selection;
limits of selection

L7-L8. Evidence of natural selection; Interpret the pros and cons

L9. Artificial selection; of Darwin’s theory of
3. Evidence for L10. Fossil and anatomical evidence for 21 evolution in light of other
evolution
evolution; theories
L11. Convergent evolution; Darwin's critics
L12. The nature of species; the biological Analyze the processes leading
species concept; to speciation and extinction
L13-L14. Reproductive isolation; genetic
4. Origin of species drift and natural selection in speciation; 22
L15-L16. Geography of speciation;
adaptive radiation; pace of evolution;
speciation and extinction
L17. Systematics; cladistics; Comprehend and design
5. Systematics and L18. Systematics and classification; evolutionary trees
the phylogenetic L19-L20. Phylogenetics and comparative 23
revolution biology; phylogenetics and disease
evolution
L21-L22. Comparative genomics; Compare genomes of
L23. Evolution of whole genomes; organisms at structural and
L24. Regulatory function of DNA functional levels
6. Genome evolution 24
L25-L26. Disease prevention and
treatment; crop improvement through
genome analysis
L27-L28. Overview of evolutionary Correlate the evolution of
7. Evolution of
developmental biology 25 development to life cycle of
Development
L29. New functions for a gene organisms

L30. Brief overview on classification of Classify organisms in

8. The Tree of Life organisms (Lecture cum Self-study) 26 informative categories based
on evolutionary
understanding

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
AUGS/ AGSR Division

L31. Introduction to protists; origin and Examine similarities and

endosymbiosis; differences among protists in
9. Protists 29
L32. Protist groups and their light of evolution
economic/medicinal importance
L33. Introduction to green algae, Examine similarities and
bryophytes, tracheophytes; Lycophytes, differences among plants in
pteridophytes; light of evolution
10. Green plants and
L34. Evolution of seed plants; 30
economic botany
Gymnosperms and angiosperms
L35. Application of botanical knowledge
for benefit of mankind
L36-L37. General features of animals; Examine similarities and
11. Animal Diversity Evolution of the animal body plan; The differences among animals in
and economic classification of animals; specific examples 32 light of evolution
zoology L38. Application of zoological knowledge
for benefit of mankind
Connect the different topics
12. Epilogue L39. Concluding the course - learnt in the course to form a
coherent summary
* Relevant articles/reading material may be shared from time to time.

6. Evaluation Scheme:
Evaluation Weightage % Duration Date of Nature of
Component (Marks) (Minutes) Evaluation component
Mid-sem Test 30% (60) 90 <TEST_1> CB
Comprehensive 45% (90) 180 <TEST_C> CB/OB
Examination
Assignment(s) 25% (50) Variable TBA CB/OB

7. Chamber Consultation Hour: Will be announced in the class

8. Notices: Will be notified through email or put up on shared Google drive folder created for the course.

9. Make-up Policy: Make up for any component will be considered only under extreme circumstances such as
hospitalization; with prior permission of the IC. Copy of relevant documents needs to be sent to the IC to avail makeup.
Makeup for quiz(zes)/assignments is not allowed.
10. Note: Ethical standards must be maintained in all evaluation components.

Instructor-in-charge
Course No. BIO F214