Welcome

to Biological Sciences 120L

General Biology: Organimal Biology and Evolution

Introductions

Staff

Faculty:

Suzanne Edmands Cornelius Sullivan Karla Heidelberg

Lab Director: Gorjana Bezmalinovic

Teaching Assistants (TAs)

Administrative TA: Yukai Zhao

Supplementary Instruction (SI) Leaders:

Shelby Bachman, Joshua Kling, Grace Lee & Karen Lu

Overview of the
course

The Age of Biology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdr42eqJoL0

BISC 120L (Fall): Organismal Biology & Evolution

BISC 220L (Spring): Cell Biology & Physiology

Themes in BISC 120

Evolution
Why do many antibiotics no longer work?
Is modern human behavior a product of past

evolutionary history?

Diversity
Are bacteria dependent on us or are we dependent on

them?
When and how did multicellular life evolve?

Ecology
Fundamentals of ecology
How are humans affecting our own life support

systems?

Nothing in biology
makes sense except
in the light of
evolution
-Theodosius Dobzhansky,
1973

An advantage of
being at a research
university is that
you learn whats not
(yet) in the
textbook.

Whats new in Evolution?

1. Medicine

Whats new in Evolution?

1. Medicine
Recent discovery of tiny lizard
species sheds light on how body
size evolves.
(Glaw et al. 2012. PLoS One 7:e31314)

Whats new in Evolution?

1. Medicine

Climate change caused loss in genetic diversity

(Rubidge et al. 2012, Nature Climate Change 2: 285-288)

Alpine chipmunk

Whats new in Evolution?

1. Medicine
Fossils suggest two new pre-human species
(Leakey et al. Nature 488:201-204, Aug 9 2012)

Why should we care about Evolution?

1. Medicine

Why should we care about Evolution?

1. Medicine

Trends in Genetics,
28(4):155-163,
2012.

Why should we care about Evolution?

2. Agriculture
Low genetic variation contributed to the Irish potato famine

Logistics

 Course Website

https://blackboard.usc.edu/

Textbooks

Campbell Biology, 2011, 9th ed. (bundle includes

Mastering BiologyTM- optional)
General Biology Laboratory Manual Fall 2012;
BISC 120 & 121
Van de Graaf & Crawley, 2009, A Photographic Atlas
Pechenic, A Short Guide to Writing about Biology

Labs

Start after Labor Day

Section changes must be done on OASIS by Sept 14

 Clickers

Buy at USC bookstore (1st floor)

Register clicker for this course on Blackboard
(13004R for 9am section, 13005R for 10am section)
Bring your clicker to class every day
You must use your clicker to answer all questions in
a
lecture to get the assigned point for that day
Using someone elses clicker to assist them in gaining points is a
violation of academic integrity that, if caught, will result in a grade of
F for all students involved
To find out if you are receiving clicker points correctly, log into
Blackboard and go to Tools / My Grades

Grading (grades determined by a curve)

Midterm 1 Lecture Exam
150 pts
Midterm 2 Lecture Exam
150 pts
Midterm 3 Lecture Exam
150 pts
Lecture Quizzes (Blackboard)
24 pts
In-lecture participation (clickers)
26 pts
Final Lecture Exam (integrative)
200 pts
Lab Reports and Exams
300 pts

1000 pts

Where to go for help

First, read through lecture syllabus, lab syllabus and FAQs on
Blackboard
For remaining questions about
Course administration (missed labs, exams or quizzes; help with
Blackboard etc.) contact Admin TA Yukai Zhao
Lecture content: contact current instructor (Profs Edmands,
Sullivan or Heidelberg), your TA or SI leaders
Lab content: contact Lab Manager Gorjana Bezmalinovic or your
TA
General concerns about study strategies, college in general,
careers, grievances etc - ask any instructor

Some unsolicited advice

Read the book before or shortly after
class
Manage your time carefully
Get to know your TA and SI leaders
Come to office hours
Check Blackboard regularly
Attend class!