BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate Evolution

Virginia Wesleyan CollegeDr. Gonsalves-Jackson

BIO 354: Marine Invertebrate Evolution•Private, liberal arts undergraduate college•1400 FTE•Upper level course for Biology Majors (B.S./B.A.)•Integrative and Evolutionary Biology concentration•4 credits (lecture/lab)•Prerequisite: 1 semester Introductory Biology•Fall 2010•10 students•Second offering Fall 2011

Course DescriptionCourse Description: This course is an introduction to the study of evolutionary processes. We examine the basic mechanisms for evolution with particular attention paid to marine invertebrates, especially marine bivalves, as they have a rich evolutionary history and a well-documented fossil record. Evolution will be examined at a variety of scales from molecular to ecological.

Course Goals: Upon completion of the course students should be able to describe:1. What evolution is and the evidence from marine invertebrates that support it2. The major mechanisms of evolution3. How scientists study evolution4. How evolution is relevant to our lives

Intellectual Demands on StudentsLecture Component3 examsPrimary research article review

paperOral presentation67% of grade

Laboratory Component• Practical exam• Laboratory Notebook• 33% of grade

Lecture and Laboratory Schedule Fall 2010

Week Dates Lecture Topic Laboratory Exercise  1 Aug 30-Sept 3 Review syllabus Introduction to evolution, Classification

and phylogeny Ch. 1-2Getting started; review lab syllabus

 

2 Sept 6Sept 8-10

No Class- Labor DayPatterns of evolution Ch. 3

Bivalve diversity- Species identification  

3 Sept 13-17 Evolution in the Fossil Record Ch. 4 Bivalve fossil record  4 Sept 20-24 History of life on Earth Ch. 5 Bivalve anatomy- Dissection of representative species

 

5 Sept 27-29Oct 1

Geography of evolution Ch. 6Exam 1 Chapts. 1-5

Oyster life history and reef restoration, VIMS Gloucester field trip (leave 7:30am)

6 Oct 4-8 Evolution of biodiversity Ch. 7 Field Trip on The Ocean Explorer- Chesapeake Bay/Atlantic Ocean  

7 Oct 11-13Oct 14-15

No Class- Fall BreakEvolution of biodiversity Ch. 7

Fall Break- No Lab 

8 Oct 18-22 Genetic variation Ch. 8 Midterm Lab Practical  9 Oct 25-29 Genetic variation Ch. 8, 9 First Landing State Park  10 Nov 1-5 Ch. 9 con’t First Landing State Park, con’t  11 Nov 8 Exam 2 Chapts. 6-9 No lab  12 Nov 15 Genetic Drift: evolution at random Ch. 10 Cladistics lab- shells, foot, siphons  13 Nov 22

Nov 24-26Ch. 10 con’tNo Class meetings- Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Break- No Lab (Nov 25) 

14 Nov 29-Dec 3 Natural selection and adaptation Ch. 11-12; Species and speciation Ch. 17-18

Physiology/adaptation 

15 Dec 6-10 Class presentations Class presentations  16 Dec 13-16 Final Exam Chapts. 10-18

Wed., Dec. 15; 11:30 am- 2:00 pmExam Week- No Lab (Dec 13-16)

 

 

BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate EvolutionLaboratory

Bivalve Evolution: Diversity of Form and Function• Student shell collection of 13 species LAB OBJECTIVES:• To examine shell anatomy and be able to identify key morphological features• To examine bivalve diversity as it relates to form• To be able to relate shell morphology/diversity with function and habitat

Representative species:Tridacna croceaMercenaria mercenariaTellina sp.Spondylus spp.Chama sp.Arca zebraCrassostrea virginicaPecten spp.*Arctica*Margaritifera sp.*Driessenia polymorpha *Corbicula sp. *Teredo or Martesia sp. *Gemma/ Parastarte*Nucula

BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate EvolutionLaboratory

Bivalve Species Richness, Diversity and Size class distribution

• First Landing State Park• beach habitat LAB OBJECTIVES:• To survey bivalve species within the beach habitat of First Landing State Park• To identify species collected and calculate species richness and abundance• To create a size class distribution for collected species• To calculate species diversity (evenness)

BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate EvolutionLaboratory

Bivalve Anatomy- Dissection of Representative Species• Mercenaria mercenaria• Mytilus edulis LAB OBJECTIVES:• To examine shell anatomy and be able to identify key morphological features• To examine internal anatomy and be able to identify key morphological features

BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate EvolutionLaboratory

Life History and Oyster Reef Restoration• Chesapeake Bay Foundation and VIMS• Crassostrea virginica LAB OBJECTIVES:• To understand the life history of Crassostrea virginica• To understand the state of oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay and Lafayette River • To participate in oyster reef restoration efforts

BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate EvolutionLaboratory

Physiology and Feeding• Mytilus edulis• Mercenaria mercenaria• Crassostrea virginica LAB OBJECTIVES:• To examine the effect of water temperature on the heart rate of Mytilus edulis• To observe ciliary feeding in M. edulis and M. mercenaria• To isolate and grow coliform bacteria from M. edulis, M. mercenaria and C. virginica

BIO 354 Marine Invertebrate EvolutionLaboratory

Cladistics• Bivalve shell collection LAB OBJECTIVES:• To code multiple characters of bivalve species• To create a data matrix of character and character states of bivalve species• To create a cladogram of bivalve species

https://mail.google.com/a/vwc.edu/?ui=2&ik=c5108d76c4&view=att&th=12b8ce0f1233777b&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=1349053522805522432-1&zw