Vertebrate Design and Evolution – Biology 403
Lecture Syllabus
Biology 403
Dr. Bret Tobalske, bret.tobalske@mso.umt.edu
Dr. Ken Dial, kdial@mso.umt.edu
Fall 2008, MW 1:10-2:20, HS 207
Office Hours: MW 10-12, & by appointment
Date
Aug. 25, 27
Topic
Natural selection and vertebrate design, phylogenetics
(Lecture assignment #1: Exploring the web in vertebrate biology)
Reading
Ch 1, 2
Sep. 1, 3
Labor Day Holiday, Monday 1st
Evolutionary history of vertebrate form
(Lecture assignment #2: Are birds dinosaurs? Determining vertebrate
genealogies)
Ch 3
Sep. 8, 10
Survey of the vertebrates
Ch 3
Sep. 15, 17
Developmental anatomy & ontogeny, Scaling
Ch 4, 5
Sep. 22, 24
Skeletal anatomy; comparative form and function
(Field Trip, Saturday 27th, Bison Range)
Ch 7, 8, 9
Sep. 29, Oct. 1
Muscular anatomy; comparative form and function
Ch 10
Oct. 6, 8
Muscle form and function cont.; Exam #1 (50 points)
Ch 11
Oct. 13, 15
Vertebrate nervous system: Coordination and integration
Ch 13, 14
Oct. 20, 22
Comparative locomotion, Biomechanics and Vertebrate design
Ch 11, 5
Oct. 27, 29
Respiration and Circulation
Ch 18, 19
Nov. 3, 5
Feeding, Digestion
Ch 16, 17
Nov. 10, 12
Exam #2 (50 points), Osmoregulation
Ch 20
Nov. 17, 19
Urogenital system
Ch 21
Nov. 24, 26
Reproduction, Thanksgiving Vacation
Ch 21
Dec. 1, 3
Ecomorphology
Handouts
Dec. 11
Final Exam (100 points, comprehensive; 1:10-3:10 PM)
Textbook: Liem, Bemis, Walker, & Grange.
Functional Anatomy of the Vertebrates: An Evolutionary Perspective, 3rd Edition
Course Policy:
Biology 403 is a 5 credit hour course and requires substantial amount of time and effort. Through the
course, you will come to view the biological world through a new pair of eyes, and you will be better
prepared for entrance into the work force and/or graduate school. Biology 403 integrates much of your
undergraduate education, drawing from: evolutionary biology, physics, math, general biology, animal
behavior, developmental biology, and introduces aspects of geologic history. If you maintain a positive
attitude and a professional demeanor throughout the semester, you will do very well.
Grading: Your final course grade is determined from your balanced performance in both lab and
lecture. In other words, lab and lecture grades are combined and equally weighted to determine your
final grade.
Student project: Each student will be involved in a group (3-5 students) experiment executed on a
Friday with the instructors. A separate handout will outline expectations or oral and written
presentations.
Writing: Biology 403 is considered a “W” (writing) course. As such, you will hand in several
assignments that will be edited, corrected, and commented on by both instructors. You will be
expected to submit a revision of your work to receive a grade on each assignment.
Reading: Students are expected to read and re-read assigned material at least 8-10 hours per week.
Postponing your daily reading will simply result in needless pre-test anxiety.
Students are expected to faithfully attend and come prepared to both lecture and lab.
In conclusion, attending class with a “can-do-attitude” will account for the vast majority (perhaps
80%) of your success in this course. Stick with us and we promise you’ll learn a wealth of
information that will be useful to you throughout your career.
Grading: Your final course grade is determined from your balanced performance in both lab and
lecture. In other words, lab and lecture grades are combined and equally weighted to determine your
final grade.
Lecture Exam #1
Lecture Exam #2
Final Exam
50 pts
50 pts (comprehensive)
100 pts (comprehensive)
Total Lecture Points
Total Lab Points
Writing Points
Total Points
200
200 (see lab syllabus)
100 (lecture assignments, lab assignments, manuscript from group project)
500
All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic
penalty by the course instructor and /or a disciplinary sanction by the University
All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review
online at http://www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/page/1321
Biology 403: Functional Vertebrate Morphology
Fall 2007 Lab Syllabus
Monday 2:30-5:30 pm, HS 102
Brandon Jackson,
243-6834, brandon.jackson@mso.umt.edu
Office Hours will be during open lab and by appointment.
Text: Homberger & Walker, 2004, Vertebrate Dissection Ninth Edition.
There are also numerous websites, alternate dissection guides, and study guides that may help in
the study of comparative anatomy.
Lab handouts are available on the web at http://dbs.umt.edu/courses/biol403, or via the
department’s course pages. It is your responsibility to print out each handout and finish all of the
reading and pre-lab work prior to coming to the lab.
Open Lab/office hours will be Wednesday evenings, 7:00-10:00.
The open lab sessions are provided as extra time to study the dissection materials from previous
labs, not as substitute time for Monday’s labs. Access to the open labs is by the discretion of the
instructor, and will not be allowed to students that do not participate for all of the scheduled lab
time on Mondays.
Friday sessions will be held at the Flight Lab at Fort Missoula. These sessions provide time in an active
biomechanics and functional anatomy lab for group research projects on novel scientific questions. Thus
the exact time and dates that you will be required to attend will depend on your project. Project assignments
will be made in the first two weeks. At the end of the semester, you will write your own scientific
manuscript, and perform a professional group presentation of the results of your research. Times of
meetings and due dates are on the attached handout.
We suggest that you also use Friday afternoon, when not at the lab, to meet as a project group
and discuss readings, study as a group for exams, etc. No one in the class should have other
classes from 1-2:30 on Fridays…USE IT!
Quizzes will be random, potentially frequent, and during the first 5 minutes of lab. They will
provide examples of the types of questions on the practical exams.
Exams are cumulative, and will consist of questions about structures, functions, and
comparisons of anatomy, as well as questions on readings in the text and scientific papers. There
will be no makeup quizzes or exams, period. Please mark your calendar, particularly for the
second exam, which is on the Monday before Thanksgiving.
Pre-lab assignments are just that, short assignments to be downloaded from the website or
handed out in class, and MUST be completed prior to coming to lab, or you will not be allowed
to participate.
Scientific papers will be assigned for reading. These papers serve to prepare you for your
projects, and allow you to see what you are learning in action.
Lab Points:
Quizzes and participation
1st lab practical
2nd lab practical
Group project (preparation, participation, presentation)
50
50
50
50
200 points
All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic
penalty by the course instructor and /or a disciplinary sanction by the University
All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review
online at http://www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/page/1321
Month
August
September
Date
25
29
1
5
8
12
15
19
22
26
27
29
October
3
6
10
13
17
20
24
27
31
November
3
December
7
10
14
17
21
24
28
1
Day
Mon.
Lab and assignments
Lab 1: Introduction to anatomy and chordates; post-cranial
skeleton
Fri. no meeting (suggest working on lecture assignment)
Mon. Labor Day Holiday
Fri.
No meeting
Mon. Lab 2: Cranial skeleton anatomy; evolution/migration of inner ear
ossicles
Fri.
Initial meetings: Projects 1 and 2
Mon. Lab 3: Muscle function; and Biomechanical techniques I:
sonomicrometry and strain gauges
Fri.
No meeting
Mon. Lab 4: Muscle dissection: Proximal-appendicular, and major axial
muscles – or – how animals locomote
Fri.
Initial meetings Projects 3 and 4
Project 1 and 2 proposals due
Sat.
Field Trip: National Bison Range
Mon. Lab 5: Muscle dissection: Distal forelimb and cranial musculature
– or – how animals manipulate and eat.
Fri.
Project 1 experiment
Mon. Lab 6: Nervous system, brain and eye
Fri.
Project 2 experiment
Project 3 and 4 proposals due
Mon. First lab practical.
Fri.
Project 3 experiment
Mon. Lab 7: Circulatory system dissection: the heart, arteries, and veins.
Fri.
Project 4 experiment
Mon. Continue Lab 7 and Distribution of project data
Fri.
All projects meet on campus (HS 114?): How to perform analyses
on your data
Mon. Lab 8: Cardiovascular dissection: arteries and veins, lungs,
airways, and tissue
Fri.
Analysis time
Mon. Lab 9: Digestion
Fri.
Analysis time
Mon. Second lab practical
Fri.
Work on Projects
Mon. Work on Projects
Fri.
Day After Thanksgiving
Mon. Project presentations
BIOL403 2007 Research Projects
Initial meetings: Each group will meet at the designated times to discuss the rationale behind
the project. Literature will be distributed at this time to aid in a more detailed literature search in
preparation for writing the proposals.
Proposals: Must be submitted by 5:00 pm on the date specified. They may be submitted
electronically (as a MS Word attachment) via email to brandon.jackson "at" mso.umt.edu up to
24 hours prior to the deadline. Receipt will be confirmed by email. If it is not confirmed, a paper
copy must be submitted under the door at HS 208, or in person at the Flight Lab at Fort
Missoula. Editing suggestions will be made, and the rewrites (if required/desired) will be due
before starting the experiment. No late proposals will be accepted. Each person must write their
own proposal.
Experiments: All group members are required to attend all parts of the experiment. Some may
have both morning and afternoon times. The total amount of time for the experiment will be at
least five hours.
Manuscripts: Must be submitted by 5:00 pm on 30 November, 2007. They may be submitted
electronically (as a MS Word attachment) via email to brandon.jackson "at" mso.umt.edu up to
24 hours prior to the deadline. Receipt will be confirmed by email. If it is not confirmed, a paper
copy must be submitted under the door at HS 208, or in person at the Flight Lab at Fort
Missoula. Format should follow the Journal of Experimental Biology. No late manuscripts will
be accepted. Each person must write their own manuscript.
Presentations: There is a 30 minute slot for each presentation. Please allow 5 – 10 minutes for a
question-and-answer session within that slot. Presentations must be made using MS Powerpoint
(version 2003 or 2007), and brought to the session location via CD or USB key to upload to the
presentation computer at least 15 minutes before the start of the session. All group members
should play equal parts in the presentation.
Details on format for proposals, manuscripts, and presentations will follow.