In this general biology course, students will study organisms
from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. Emphasis is on
structure and function, pathways and transformation of energy and
matter, and the importance of biodiversity. Students will apply
core biological concepts to contemporary challenges, emphasizing
interactions between humans and their environment.
Athena Title
Organismal Biology
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in BIOL 2104H
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will identify relationships between core biological concepts and predict outcomes of situations based on those relationships.
Students will effectively communicate, verbally and in-writing, to a general audience about core biological concepts and relationships between them.
Students will identify and apply knowledge about biology in various scenarios to improve human and environmental health.
Students will be able to think critically about scientific information, and the relevance of scientific information to your career path.
Students will have confidence in your ability to understand and make decisions about biology in your daily life.
Topical Outline
1. Ecosystem functions, stability, and services.
2. Levels of biodiversity
3. Ways to measure biodiversity
4. Relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and ecosystem services.
5. Evolution and natural selection
6. Threats to biodiversity
7. Transformations of energy and matter
8. Photosynthesis
9. Cellular respiration
10. Movement of energy and matter through ecosystems
11. The carbon cycle
12: Climate change: history on Earth
13. Climate change: biological responses
14: Climate change: mitigation strategies
15. Hormones and the endocrine system
16. Hormonal regulation of the male reproductive system
17. Hormonal regulation of the female reproductive system
18. Biology of contraceptives and planning fertilization
19. Pregnancy, labor, and post-partum
General Education Core
CORE II: Life Sciences
Institutional Competencies
Communication
The ability to effectively develop, express, and exchange ideas in written, oral, or visual form.
