BB501: Biology from molecule to ecosystem (10 ECTS)

STADS: 4000101

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.
Fall semester

Teacher responsible
Email: steffen@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
dec@biology.sdu.dk
ebk@biology.sdu.dk
sand@bmb.sdu.dkkak@bmb.sdu.dk
steffen@biology.sdu.dk
lee@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
None.

Course introduction
The course aims at giving a general introduction to biological systems ranging from molecules and cells to organs, the intact organism and ecosystems. The course covers general aspects of regulatory mechanisms in cellular biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, evolution, physiology and ecology, and thus lays a general biological foundation to all science students and those who chose biology, cellular and molecular biology or any other related area as their major.

Qualifications:
The students will gain a broad insight into biological topics and are expected to be able to apply this to:
- understand major biological topics and master biological terminology
- analyse and describe biological systems at different levels and communicate with technical precision
- collect, analyse and interpret data from biological experiments
- understand and evaluate the public debate and written documentation on biological topics.

Expected learning outcome


Subject overview
The following topics are presented:
1. The anatomy of cells;
2. Structure and function of biological macromolecules;
3. Metabolism;
4. Biomembranes;
5. The cell cycle, meiosis and mitosis;
6. The flow of information from gene to protein;
7. DNA technology;
8. Evolution – history and mechanisms;
9. Speciation and phylogeny;
10. The origin and evolution of life;
11. Mechanisms of physiological adaptation: homeostasis, cardiovascular and respiratory physiology, thermal physiology, osmoregulation and excretion;
12. Hormones;
13. The nervous system;
14. Sensory and motor mechanisms;
15. Populations and ecosystems;
16. Food chains and cycling of chemical elements

Recent, hot research areas will be presented by selected guest lecturers. Evolution, respiration and sensory physiology will be the topics for three laboratory practicals.

Literature

• Campbell, N.A. et al: Biology, 7th ed. (2005) .

Syllabus
See syllabus.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
Approved pracical reports. A two-hour written exam after each quarter. No aids are allowed except calculator. The total score in the two part-exams will form the basis for the final grade.

Date of exam
The ordinary exam takes place on January 10, 2006

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

Lectures (60 h), discussions (28 timer) and laboratory practicals (12 h). E-learn is used in this course.
Educational activities

Language
No recorded information about the language used in the course.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.