BIOSYSTEMATICS 425/525
Fall 2010
Dr. Strait, Office S274, Phone 696-2425, email straitho@marshall.edu
M, W, F 9:00-9:50, S376
Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 10:45-1:45
Readings:
Describing Species (J. Winston)
The Complete Cladist (E.O. Wiley, D. Siegel-Causey, D.R. Brooks, and V.A. Funk)
Supplemental readings to be assigned in class throughout the semester
All readings will be available in pdf file format on MUOnline
Course Description: Biosystematics is a unifying discipline that combines taxonomy (the
science of collecting, describing, and naming organisms), phylogenetics (the study of
evolutionary relationships among species), and classification (the organization of taxa into
groups which ultimately reflect evolutionary relationship). A working knowledge of systematics
is essential for any professional biologist no matter what his/her specialization may be.
Biodiversity, the study of organism distribution in time and space is a central concern in many
areas of specialization. For the environmentally oriented biologist systematics knowledge
provides critical information for the conservation and management of biodiversity; for the
cellular/molecular biologist systematics knowledge provides a context for relating data to the
living organisms from which they are derived.
Prerequisites: BSC 121 with a C or better.
Style: The course will be conducted in the form of lectures, paper discussions, demonstrations,
and supporting individual and group activities and exercises. Reading, home and activity
assignments will be made each week for the next class session, either by handout or on
WebCT. You are urged to bring to me your ideas, suggestions, criticisms, and questions.
Course Objectives:
1. To understand how all biological studies relate to, are guided by, and are meaningful only in
the context of systematics and classification.
2. To gain a working understanding and use of biological classification and nomenclature
3. To understand the background and approaches to taxonomy
4. To be able to use cladistic methods for studying systematic relationships among taxa.
5. To be able to navigate, evaluate, and use the scientific literature and databases pertaining to
systematics.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is expected. If you have, or expect to have, an unavoidable
absence please email me, preferably in advance. University policy governs excused absences
(refer to MU Undergraduate Catalog) for illness, death in the family or institutional activities and
will be strictly enforced with regard to missed exams.
Academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Unless assigned
as a group activity all written assignments and exams are to be independent efforts of each
student.
Electronic Devices: All electronic devices that make noise must be silenced during class.
Grading:
Course grades for will be based on exams (50%), homework assignments and in class
exercises and discussions (50%).
The scale is: 90 -100 %, A; 80 - 90%, B; 70 - 80%, C; 60 - 70%, D.
Homework assignments:
All homework must be typed, double spaced, 10-12 point font, and be 2-3 pages in length
(unless otherwise announced). All homework assignments due within one week of their
announcement (late papers will incur point deductions).
In-class assignments:
Although this class has no formal lab time, it is necessary to do lab-related activities to properly
learn the material. Therefore, some class periods will be devoted to hands-on exercises.
Although most of the assignments should be completed in-class further work on them may be
required. All in-class assignments must be completed (and typed) and turned in prior to the
following class meeting.
Exams:
(1) Two unit exams over class material (lectures, reading, homework, etc...) will be
given. These exams will include a combination short answer questions, definitions, and/or
problems.
(2) Final Exam: Written questions and multiple choice.
Date:
8/23
Topic:
Class Introduction
Reading:
8/25
Lecture #1: West Virginia Mammal overview for projects
Homework assignment #1
8/27
Lecture #2: Biodiversity and taxonomy
Homework assignment #2
Winston Ch. 1
8/30
Lecture #3: Biological nomenclature
Homework assignment #3
Winston Ch. 2
9/1
In-class exercise on biological nomenclature
Taxonomy and nomenclature of office supplies
9/3
Lecture #4: Species and their discovery
Winston Ch. 3
9/6
No Class Labor Day
9/8
Scorpion Taxonomy (Dr. Victor Fet)
Homework assignment #4 on scorpion taxonomy
9/10
Museum/herbaria tour and in class exercise
9/13
Lecture #5: Taxonomic literature and museum collections Winston Ch. 4-5
Homework assignment #5
9/15
Museum in class exercise
9/17
Museum in class exercise
9/20
Lecture #6: Species Descriptions
Winston Ch. 6-9
9/22
Lecture #7: Species Descriptions
Winston Ch. 10-15
9/24
No class – Go to Dr. Lynn Margulis’s talk
Joan C. Edwards Playhouse at 7:00 pm.
9/27
In-class exercise (Species descriptions)
9/29
In-class exercise (Species descriptions)
10/1
Exam I
10/4
Lecture #8: Taxonomic keys (with in-class exercise)
Winston Ch. 19
Sub-species
Winston Ch. 17
Futuyma, 1998 Ch. 9 (253-263)
10/6
Taxonomic keys in-class exercise
10/8
Dr. Dan Evans, Plant taxonomy
10/11
TBA
10/13
Taxonomic keys in-class exercise
10/15
Taxonomic keys in-class exercise
Fet, 2002
Turnill, Evans and Gilliam, 1993
10/18
Lecture #9: History of Systematics
10/20
Lecture #10: Cladistics Intro Part 1
Wiley et al. Ch. 1
10/22
Lecture #11:Cladistics Intro Part 2
Wiley et al. Ch. 2
10/25
Lecture #12: Cladistics
Wiley et al. Ch. 3
10/27
In-class exercise
10/29
Exam II
11/1
In-class exercise
11/3
In-class exercise
11/5
In-class exercise
11/8
In-class exercise
11/10
Lecture #13: Cladistics (Basic Techniques)
11/12
In-class exercise, general
11/15
Lecture #14: Cladistics (Character Polarity)
11/17
In-class exercise, general
11/19
Lecture #15 Cladistics (Resolving Conflict)
11/22-11/26
No Class Thanksgiving Break
11/29
Lecture #16 Cladistics (Coding Characters)
12/1
In-class exercise
12/3
Lecture #17: Cladistics (Reversals)
12/6
In-class exercise
Final: Friday December 10, 8:00-12:00
Futuyma, 1998 Ch. 5 (87-108)
Wiley et al. Ch. 4
Wiley et al., Ch. 5