Difference between revisions of "Biology of the Vertebrates"

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[[Image: Vertbunch60.gif| right]]
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<span style="font-size: x-large">EEB 2214, Fall 2014</span><br><br>
<span style="font-size: x-large">EEB 2214, Fall 2012</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large">''The evolution of form, function, & diversity of the vertebrates''</span><br>
<span style="font-size: large">''The evolution of form, function,<br> & diversity of the vertebrates''</span><br>
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<br><span style="font-size: small">'''Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30-1:45 in BPB130'''<br>
<span style="font-size: small">'''Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30-1:45 in BPB130'''<br>
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'''Textbook: <font color="#FF3300">Vertebrate Life</font>, by Pough F. H., C. M. Janis, and J. B. Heiser. 2012. ''9th Edition.'' Pearson/Benjamin Cummings ''(8th edition also acceptable)''''' <br><br>
 
==Instructors==
 
==Instructors==
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 +
[[Image:Female_with_hatchlings.JPG|right]]
  
 
'''[mailto:elizabeth.jockusch@uconn.edu Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch]'''<br>
 
'''[mailto:elizabeth.jockusch@uconn.edu Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch]'''<br>
Office: Biology/Pharmacy 305B<br>
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Office: Pharmacy/Biology 305B<br>
 
Phone: (860) 486-4452<br>
 
Phone: (860) 486-4452<br>
Office hours: Thursdays 2-3 pm and by appointment<br><br>
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Office hours: Thursdays 2-3 pm and by appointment <br>
 +
[http://jockusch.eeb.uconn.edu/ Jockusch Lab Website] <br><br>
  
'''[mailto:margaret.rubega@uconn.edu Dr. Margaret Rubega]'''<br><span style="font-size: medium"><font color="#FF3300">'''Note: All emails must contain "EEB2214" in the'''</font></span>
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'''[mailto:margaret.rubega@uconn.edu Dr. Margaret Rubega]'''<br>
<span style="font-size: medium"><font color="#FF3300">'''subject line to avoid being filtered out and deleted'''</font></span><br/>
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Office: Pharmacy/Biology 500<br>
Office: Biology/Pharmacy 500<br>
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Phone: (860) 486-4502<br>
 
Phone: (860) 486-4502<br>
Office hours: Thursdays 11:30 am -12:30 pm and by appointment<br><br>
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Office hours: TBA and by appointment <br>
 +
[http://rubegalab.eeb.uconn.edu/ Rubega Lab Website] <br><br>
  
'''[mailto:alejandro.rico@uconn.edu Alejandro Rico-Guevara]''' (Teaching Assistant)<br>
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'''[mailto:kevin.burgio@uconn.edu Kevin Burgio]''' (Teaching Assistant)<br>
Office: <br>
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Office: Pharmacy/Biology 402<br>
Phone:<br>
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Office hours: Tuesdays 2-3 pm and by appointment <br>
Office hours: <br><br>
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[http://monkparakeetresearch.org/ Monk Parakeet Research Website] <br><br>
 +
 
 +
<span style="font-size: medium"><font color="#FF3300">'''Note: All emails must contain "EEB2214" in the subject line to avoid being filtered out and deleted'''</font></span>
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<br><br>
  
 
==Grading==
 
==Grading==
'''Exam 1'''                         = 100 points (29.6%)<br>
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[[Image:MonkParakeet01.jpeg|325 px|right]]
'''Exam 2'''                 = 100 points (29.6%)<br>
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'''Exam 1''' (Thursday, Sept. 25) = 100 points <br>
'''Exam 3'''                           = 100 points (29.6%)<br>
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'''Exam 2''' (Thursday, Oct. 30) = 100 points <br>
'''[[#Research Responses]]'''                           = 30 points (8.6%)<br>
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'''Final Exam''' (Friday, Dec. 12, TENTATIVE) = 125 points <br>
'''[[#Tree Quizzes]]'''                           = 10 points (2.9%)<br>
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'''[[#Research Reviews]]''' (Tuesdays)  = 30 points total<br>
'''[[#Collections Tour]]'''         = 10 points (2.9%)  <br>
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'''[[#Quizzes]]''' = 50 points total<br>
 
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'''[[#Collections Tour]]''' = 5 points<br>
There will be two one-hour, non-cumulative, exams scheduled during the lecture hour.  During the final exam period, a third one-hour exam will be given covering material from the final third of the course.  Details about the collections tour and video project will be provided later in the semester.<br>
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<br>
 
<br>
 
+
There will be two one-hour, non-cumulative, exams scheduled during the lecture hour. The final exam will be cumulative, with an emphasis on material from the final third of the course.<br>
== Research Responses ==
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<br>
As a research field, vertebrate biology is alive and well, with discoveries being made constantly.  Each week, we will select one paper from the primary scientific literature that describes a study relevant to vertebrate biology. On Tuesdays, class will include a short in-class written exercise, in which we ask you to answer three standard questions about the paper:<br>
+
12 research reviews (3 points each) and quizzes (5 points each) will be offered over the course of the semester.  10 of these will count towards the final course grade (the best 5 of 6 from each half of the semester, as determined by the combined quiz + research review grade.)  Because two scores are dropped, '''no make-ups will be given for research reviews or quizzes'''.<br>
* What was the major new result?<br>
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* How does this result alter or add to what was known previously?<br>
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* Why does it matter?<br>
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The written exercise will be followed by a brief discussion of the paper, during which we will call on pre-determined, but randomly selected, students to talk about their answers to these questions.<br>
+
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
In-class assessments are worth 3 points each.  11 will be offered over the course of the semester, and the best 10 counted towards the final course grade.  There will be no paper selected for the first week, or the weeks of the first and second exams.  <br>  <br>
 
 
All papers will be available electronically.  A link to each paper will be posted on the course schedule below, next to the date of the in-class exercise.  While many articles in scientific journals are now made available free to everyone ("open access" articles), access to other articles requires a subscription, which the UConn library buys.  On campus, you should not encounter difficulty accessing the full text of selected articles.  From off-campus, the easiest way to access articles that require a subscription is using the [http://www.lib.uconn.edu/about/ezproxy-blurb.html EZProxy].  If you get a message saying that you may purchase access to the paper, then try again through the proxy.  In some cases, it may also be necessary to quit and restart your browser.  Alternative ways to access the articles via UConn's subscription are to configure the proxy within your web browser and to use the [http://security.uconn.edu/services/vpn/ VPN].  It is your responsibility to test that you have access in a timely fashion.  Course instructors will not respond to requests to provide the article directly to individuals.  <br><br>
 
 
== Tree Quizzes==
 
On several of the research response days, we will incorporate additional questions about the phylogenetic tree of vertebrates into the written exercise.  These will be worth a total of 10 points over the course of the semester.  As with the research responses, you must be present to receive credit and no make-ups will be given.  If you have a valid, documented reason for missing class on the day of a tree quiz, and have followed the policy on missed exams, then your quiz score will be prorated.<br><br>     
 
 
== Collections Tours ==
 
 
Every student is expected to visit the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/department/collections/index.html EEB Biological Collections] for a tour that will introduce you to the resources and opportunities in the collection. We will offer 10 different opportunities, on different days and times. You will need to sign in at the collection; at the end of the semester, everyone who has signed in will have 10 points added to their grade. '''Tours will take about 45 minutes, they meet at the south end of the Biology/Physics building lobby on the hour'''. You are responsible for finding a day and time to attend from the options below; if your class schedule prohibits you from attending any of these, you are responsible for letting us know that you will need an alternative opportunity AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FINAL TOUR. If you have already toured the collections (e.g., in a previous class), provide us with documentation to that effect, and we will just add the 10 points to your grade without you needing to tour the collections again.
 
 
'''Available tour days/times:'''<br>
 
TBA
 
<br><br>
 
  
 
==Course Policies==
 
==Course Policies==
 
'''Missed Exams'''<br>
 
'''Missed Exams'''<br>
Any student who does not attend an exam and fails to receive permission [[in advance]] will receive a 0 for the exam.  Approval of any request to miss an exam requires, [[but is not guaranteed by]], verifiable written documentation of the reason.  A student who receives approval to miss an exam will have his or her grade for the missed exam prorated based on his or her performance on the remainder of the exams.  We will not give make-up exams.  Every student must take the final (exam 3).  Permission to reschedule the final can only be obtained through procedures determined by the [http://www.ossa.uconn.edu/ Office of Student Services and Advocacy].
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Any student who does not attend an exam and fails to receive permission [[in advance]] will receive a 0 for the exam.  Approval of any request to miss an exam requires, [[but is not guaranteed by]], verifiable written documentation of the reason.  A student who receives approval to miss an exam will have his or her grade for the missed exam prorated based on his or her performance on the remainder of the exams.  We will not give make-up exams.  Every student must take the final.  Permission to reschedule the final can only be obtained through procedures determined by the [http://dos.uconn.edu Dean of Students Office].
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
 
+
 
 
'''Other Absences'''<br>
 
'''Other Absences'''<br>
No make-ups will be given for research responses or tree quizzes.  The first research response from which a student is absent will be dropped. If a student misses a second one, then the missed exam policy applies.  For tree quizzes, the missed exam policy applies. 
+
No make-ups will be given for research reviews or quizzes.  Instead, the lowest research review/quiz grade from each half of the semester will be dropped.  
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
 +
 
'''Academic Integrity'''<br>
 
'''Academic Integrity'''<br>
Plagiarism and cheating are violations of the student conduct code, and may be punished by failure in the course or, in severe cases, dismissal from the University.  For more information, see [http://www.dosa.uconn.edu/student_code_partiv.html Section IV of the Student Conduct Code].<br>
+
Plagiarism and cheating are violations of the student conduct code, and may be punished by failure in the course or, in severe cases, dismissal from the University.  For more information, see [http://community.uconn.edu/the-student-code-part-iv Section IV of the Student Conduct Code].<br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
'''Disabilities'''<br>
 
'''Disabilities'''<br>
If you have a disability for which you may be requesting an accommodation, you should contact a course instructor and the [http://www.csd.uconn.edu Center for Students with Disabilities] (Wilbur Cross Building, Room 201) within the first two weeks of the semester.<br>
+
If you have a disability for which you may be requesting an accommodation, you should contact a course instructor and the [http://www.csd.uconn.edu Center for Students with Disabilities] (Wilbur Cross Building, Room 201), within the first two weeks of the semester.<br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
'''Classroom Conduct'''<br>
 
'''Classroom Conduct'''<br>
 +
We expect all students to behave in a way that is respectful of others.  The  {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/EEB2214_F2014_ClassroomConduct.pdf}}''' classroom conduct form''', which describes our expectations in more detail, must be signed and returned to the teaching assistant by the end of the 2nd week of class.<br>
 
*Arrive on time and stay until the end.  If you must come late or leave early, sit by the back door.   
 
*Arrive on time and stay until the end.  If you must come late or leave early, sit by the back door.   
 
*Turn cell phones OFF and store them out of sight.
 
*Turn cell phones OFF and store them out of sight.
*Use laptops only for taking notes.  
+
*Use laptops only for taking notes.
 +
*Recording is prohibited without the written permission of instructors.  
 
*Course materials are the intellectual property of the course instructors.  Students may not make these materials (including handouts, exams and quizzes) available electronically.
 
*Course materials are the intellectual property of the course instructors.  Students may not make these materials (including handouts, exams and quizzes) available electronically.
 
+
<br>
This page lays out our expectations for classroom conduct in more detail.  All students must print a copy, sign it, and submit it to the teaching assistant by the end of the second week of class.<br><br>
+
 
'''Honors Conversion'''<br>
 
'''Honors Conversion'''<br>
 
:'''[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Honors_Conversion Can I convert this course to honors?''']<br><br>
 
:'''[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Honors_Conversion Can I convert this course to honors?''']<br><br>
  
==Help Resources==
+
== Research Reviews ==
The secret of success to this course is to not let yourself fall behind.  Be sure to fill gaps in your notes and navigate blocks in your understanding as soon as possibleShould you run into trouble with the material, below we have listed some steps for obtaining assistance. While we welcome any and all questions on the material, before you contact us, please first check the resources below to see if your question has already been answered.  If/when you do contact us, please understand that we will respond as quickly as we can, but we do have other obligations that might prevent this from happening as urgently as you may need (like 3:00 am the day of an exam...).
+
As a research field, vertebrate biology is alive and well, with discoveries being made constantlyEach week, we will select one paper from the primary scientific literature that describes a study relevant to vertebrate biology. On Tuesdays, class will include a short in-class written exercise, in which we ask you to answer three standard questions about the paper:<br>
 +
* What was the major new result?<br>
 +
* How does this change what we think?<br>
 +
* Why does it matter?<br>
 +
<span style="font-size: medium"><font color="#FF3300">'''The written exercise will be followed by a brief discussion of the paper, during which we will call on pre-determined, but randomly selected, students to talk about the paper.'''</font></span><br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
'''Study Materials:'''<br>
+
In-class research review assessments are worth 3 points each.  12 will be offered over the course of the semester, and 10 (of 12) will count towards the final course grade (the best 5 of 6 from each half of the semester, as determined by the combined quiz + research review grade).  There will be no paper selected for the first or eighth week of class.  You must be present to receive credit and no make-ups will be given.  Also, if you are selected for the discussion, but do not participate, you will receive a 0. <br>  
The textbook for this course is Pough F. H., C. M. Janis, and J. B. Heiser. 2009. Vertebrate Life, 8th Edition. Prentice HallThree copies of the textbook are available at the library iDesk Ask for call numbers XR5, XR6 and XR7.   We strongly encourage you to read the assigned sections before lecture.<br>
+
<br>
 +
All papers will be available electronically.  A link to each paper will be posted on the course schedule below, next to the date of the in-class exercise. While many articles in scientific journals are now made available free to everyone ("open access" articles), access to other articles requires a subscription, which the UConn library buys. On campus, you should not encounter difficulty accessing the full text of selected articles. From off-campus, the easiest way to access articles that require a subscription is using the [http://www.lib.uconn.edu/about/ezproxy-blurb.html EZProxy]If you get a message saying that you may purchase access to the paper, then try again through the proxyIn some cases, it may also be necessary to quit and restart your browser. Alternative ways to access the articles via UConn's subscription are to configure the proxy within your web browser and to use the [http://security.uconn.edu/services/vpn/ VPN].  It is your responsibility to test that you have access in a timely fashion.  Course instructors will not respond to requests to provide the article directly to individuals. <br><br>
  
Study questions will be posted online after every lecture. These are intended to help you think about and synthesize information. They are not intended to provide a comprehensive study guide. <br>
+
{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/EEB2214_ReadingScientificLiterature.pdf}}'''This handout''' offers some helpful suggestions for how to navigate your way through the primary literature.<br>
Most lectures will be accompanied by a handout, which will be available in class.  If you miss a lecture, see the teaching assistant to get a copy of any handouts. <br>
+
<br>
  
 +
==Quizzes==
 +
This course incorporates weekly quizzes which will be completed at the same time as the written portion of the research review, unless another schedule is announced.  The quizzes will use a variety of formats and are designed to help prepare you for exams.  Each quiz will be worth 5 points.  10 (of 12) will count towards the final course grade (the best 5 of 6 from each half of the semester, as determined by the combined quiz + research review grade).  As with the research reviews, you must be present to receive credit and no make-ups will be given.<br><br>
  
'''Review Sessions:'''<br>
+
== Collections Tour ==
A review session will be held before each examDates and times will be posted here once they are set.<br>
+
Every student is expected to visit the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/department/collections/index.html EEB Biological Collections] for a tour that will introduce you to the resources and opportunities in the collection. We will offer 8 different opportunities, on different days and times. You will need to sign in at the collection; at the end of the semester, everyone who has signed in will have 5 points added to their grade. '''Tours will take about 45 minutes; they meet at the south end of the Biology/Physics building lobby on the hour'''. You are responsible for finding a day and time to attend from the options below; if your class schedule prohibits you from attending any of these, you are responsible for letting us know that you will need an alternative opportunity AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FINAL TOUR. If you have already toured the collections (e.g., in a previous class), provide us with documentation to that effect, and we will just add the points to your grade without you needing to tour the collections again. <br><br>
 +
Collections tour times will be posted here and announced in class once the schedule is set.<br><br>
 +
 
 +
==Help Resources==
 +
The secret of success to this course is to not let yourself fall behind.  Be sure to fill gaps in your notes and navigate blocks in your understanding as soon as possible.  Should you run into trouble with the material, below we have listed some steps for obtaining assistance.  While we welcome any and all questions on the material, before you contact us, please first check the resources below to see if your question has already been answeredIf/when you do contact us, please understand that we will respond as quickly as we can, but we do have other obligations that might prevent this from happening as urgently as you may need (like 3:00 am the day of an exam...).
 +
<br><br>
 +
 
 +
'''Study Materials'''<br>
 +
The textbook for this course is Pough F. H., C. M. Janis, and J. B. Heiser. 2012. Vertebrate Life, 9th Edition. Prentice Hall.  (The 8th edition is also acceptable; we have posted readings for both.)  We strongly encourage you to read the assigned sections before lecture.<br>
 +
 
 +
[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2014 Study questions] will be posted online after every lecture.  These are intended to help you think about and synthesize information.  They are not intended to provide a comprehensive study guide. <br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
'''Links to External Resources:'''<br>
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'''Review Sessions'''<br>
:'''[http://digimorph.org/index.phtml DigiMorph]''' - Excellent source of 2 & 3D images of internal & external structures of various organisms
+
A review session will be held before each exam. Dates and times will be posted once they are set.<br>
:'''[http://www.arkive.org/ ARKive]''' - a unique collection of thousands of wildlife videos, images and fact-files, with a special focus on the world's threatened species
+
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
==Vertebrates in the News==
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'''Research Reviews'''<br>
:'''[http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hAZWFUc6F33zcJHk6hP4YcUGRDvgD9HQVM680 Pea-sized frog found in Borneo '''30 August 2010''']'''<br>
+
Use {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/EEB2214_ReadingScientificLiterature.pdf}}''' this handout''' to help navigate your way through the primary literature.<br>
[[Image:Pea-sized Frog.jpg]]<br>
+
<br>
  
==Lecture Schedule & Materials==
+
'''Syllabus'''<br>
 +
{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/EEB2214_F2014_Syllabus.pdf}} Syllabus distributed on the first day of class.  The lecture schedule and readings are subject to change, and will be updated below.<br>
 +
<br>
  
 +
==Lecture Schedule & Materials==
 +
The lecture schedule below will be updated regularly.  A link to each research review paper will be posted next to the date of the in-class exercise.  Generally, these will be posted by the weekend prior to the exercise.  After lectures, study questions and links to supplemental materials will be added.<br>
 +
<br>
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="1"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="1"
 
!style="background:#F0F9E8;" width="75"|Date
 
!style="background:#F0F9E8;" width="75"|Date
!style="background:#BAE4BC;" width="400"|Topic
+
 
 +
!style="background:#BAE4BC;" width="350"|Topic
 
!style="background:#7BCCC4;" width="185"|Textbook Readings
 
!style="background:#7BCCC4;" width="185"|Textbook Readings
!style="background:#43A2CA;" width="300"|Supplemental materials
+
!style="background:#43A2CA;" width="300"|Supplemental Materials
!style="background:#0868AC;" width="300"|Research Response Reading
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!style="background:#0868AC;" width="300"|<font color="#FFFFFF">Research Review Reading</font>
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| || '''Part I: Aug 27 - Oct 10, Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch''' || || ||
+
| || '''Part I: Aug 26 - Oct 9, Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch''' || || ||<br>
|-
+
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| Aug 27 || Vertebrate Diversity || ---------||||
+
| Aug 26 || Vertebrate diversity || || [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2014#Lecture_1_.26_August_2014.29 '''Study Questions'''] <br>[http://www.arkive.org/galapagos-marine-iguana/amblyrhynchus-cristatus/video-06b Marine Iguana Running]<br> [http://www.arkive.org/komodo-dragon/varanus-komodoensis/video-06a Komodo Dragon Walking - Breathing (Buccal pumping)]<br>[http://debanlab.org/movies/ Salamander feeding videos] <br> [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oSseAl_dW0 Ballistic tongue salamander: Cold-proof bow and arrow mechanism]  ||<br>
|-  
+
 
 +
|-
 +
| Aug 28 || Chordates and vertebrate origins|| Chapters 1 & 2 || [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2014#Lecture_2_.28_August_2014.29 '''Study Questions'''] ||<br>
  
| Aug 29 || Chordate and Vertebrate Origins || Ch. 1, 2 ||
 
||
 
 
|-   
 
|-   
  
| Sept 4 || Living Jawless Vertebrates || Ch. 3 ||
+
| Sept 2 || Living jawless vertebrates || Chapter 3 || || Zintzen et al. (2011) Sci. Rep. 1:131 on [http://ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://www.nature.com/srep/2011/111027/srep00131/full/srep00131.html Hagfish behavior] <br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Sept 6 || Early Vertebrate Fossils|| Ch. 3 ||
+
| Sept 4 || Early vertebrate fossils || Chapter 3 || || <br>
||
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Sept 11 || Chondrichthyans || Ch. 5 ||  
+
| Sept 9 || Chondrichthyans || Chapter 5 || ||<br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Sept 13 || Osteichthyan Origin and Diversification|| Ch. 6 ||
+
| Sept 11 || Osteichthyan origin and diversification || Chapter 6 || ||<br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Sept 18 || living Actinopterygians|| Ch. 6||
+
| Sept 16 || Actinopterygians || Chapter 6 || || <br>
||  
+
 
 +
|-
 +
 
 +
| Sept 18 || Sarcopterygii & evolution of tetrapods || pp. 125-128 & 196-211 (8th ed.)/153-156 & 189-201 (9th ed.) || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Sept 20 || Sarcopterygii and Evolution of Tetrapods || Ch. 9 (pp. 196-211) ||
+
| Sept 23 || Amphibian diversity and decline || Chapter 10 || ||<br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Sept 25 ||Tetrapod Origins and Amphibian Diversity || Ch. 10 ||
+
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Sept 25'''</font></span> || <b><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM 1'''</font></span> || || || <br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Sept 27'''</font></span>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM 1'''</font></span> includes material through the origin of tetrapods (but not amphibian diversity)|| --------- ||||  
+
| Oct 2 || Amniote origins || pp. 211-218 (8th ed.)/pp. 201-208 (9th ed.) || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Oct 2 || Amphibian Evolution and Declines || Ch. 10 ||||
+
| Oct 7 || Amniote diversity / desert adaptations || Chapter 13 || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
 +
| Oct 9 || Snakes || pp. 339-349 (8th ed.)/pp. 317-327 (9th ed.) || || <br>
  
| Oct 4 || Amniote Origins|| Ch. 9 (pp. 211-218) ||
 
||
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Oct 9 || Lepidosaurs || Ch. 13 ||
+
| || '''Part 2: Oct 14 - Dec 12, Dr. Margaret Rubega'''  || || ||<br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Oct 11 || Snakes || Ch. 13 (pp. 339-349) ||
+
| Oct 14 || Turtles || Chapter 12 || || no research review<br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| || '''Part II: Oct 19 - Dec 16, Dr. Margaret Rubega'''      || || ||  
+
| Oct 16 || Turtles cont'd & Archosaurs || Chapter 16 || ||<br>
|-
+
  
| Oct 19 || Turtles || Ch. 12 || '''[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/EEB2214_MeetingScheduleUpdated.xls UPDATED Available Video Meeting Times''']<br>[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/PNAS-2009-Ophir-0903620106.pdf '''Ophir et al. 2009 Why you shouldn't text in class''']<br>[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_14_.2819_Oct_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']<br>[http://www.arkive.org/kemps-ridley-turtle/lepidochelys-kempii/video-09a.html Turtles Digging a Nest]<br>[http://www.arkive.org/kemps-ridley-turtle/lepidochelys-kempii/video-09b.html Turtle Laying Eggs]<br>[http://www.arkive.org/kemps-ridley-turtle/lepidochelys-kempii/video-09c.html Turtle Hatchlings Emerging]<br>[http://www.arkive.org/kemps-ridley-turtle/lepidochelys-kempii/video-09d.html Turtle Hatchlings Heading to the Water]
 
||
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Oct 21 || Introduction to Archosaurs & Crocodilians|| Ch. 16 ||{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/AmniotaPhylogenyWorksheet.pdf}}'''Amniota Phylogeny Worksheet'''<br>[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_15_.2821_October_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']<br>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnFBVGUkAC4 Alligator Walking]<br>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwThAki0j7U Croc Galloping]<br>[http://www.arkive.org/american-alligator/alligator-mississippiensis/video-13.html Alligator Courtship]<br>[http://www.arkive.org/saltwater-crocodile/crocodylus-porosus/video-09b.html Female Crocodile Digging Out Hatchlings]<br>
+
| Oct 21 || Crocodilians & friends || Chapter 16 || ||<br>
||
+
|-
+
  
| Oct 26 || Archosaurs: Pterosaurs || Ch. 16 ||{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/EEB2214/Amniote_Synapomorphy_worksheet%202.pdf}}'''Amniota Synapomorphy Worksheet'''<br>[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_16_.2826_October_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']<br>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO5mFGMf05c&feature=channel Pterosaur Locomotion]||
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Oct 28 || Dinosaurs and Other Mesosoic Diapsids || Ch. 16 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_17_.2828_October_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']||  
+
| Oct 23 || Dinosaurs and other Mesozoic diapsids || Chapter 16 || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
|| '''Nov 1'''<br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Nov 2'''</font></span>|| '''Review Session BPB 131 6:00PM'''<br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM 2'''</font></span> includes material beginning with Lissamphibia and ending on Saurichia (includes all of Thursday's lecture material)|| --------- ||||
+
| Oct 28 || Dinosaurs II || Chapter 16 || || <br>
|-
+
  
| Nov 4 || Dinosaurs II - Theropods || Ch. 16 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_18_.284_November_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']
 
||
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
+
 
| Nov 9 || Birds: Avian Origins || Ch. 16 (pp. 439-443)  ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_19_.289_November_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']<br>[http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/03/pr0308.htm Wing-assisted Incline Running]||  
+
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Oct 30'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM 2'''</font></span> || || || <br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Nov 11 || Birds: Feeding, Morphology, and Reproduction || Ch. 17 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_20_.2811_November_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']||  
+
| Nov || Birds: Avian origins || pp. 439-443 (8th ed.)/pp. 407-410 (9th ed.) || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Nov 16 || Birds: Reproduction, and Introduction to Mammals || Ch. 17 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_21_.2816_November_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']||  
+
| Nov 6 || Birds: Feeding || Chapter 17 || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Nov 18'''</font></span>|| Mammals: Origins and Radiation <br><font color="#FF3300">'''Video Project Due'''<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> || Ch. 18 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_22_.28November_18.2C_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']
+
| Nov 11  || Birds:Morphology and Reproduction || Chapter 17 || ||<br>
||
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Nov 30 || Mammals: Primate Evolution and Human Diversity || Ch. 24  ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_23_.28November_30.2C_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']
+
| Nov 13  || Mammals: Origins and radiations || Chapter 18 || ||<br>
||
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Dec 2 || Mammals: Primate Evolution continued and Mammal Diversity<br> || Ch. 20 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_24_.28December_2.2C_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']
+
| Nov 18  || Mammals: Primate evolution and human origins || Chapter 24 || ||<br>
||  
+
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Dec. 7 || Vertebrate Mass Extinctions, Past and Present <br><font color="#FF3300">'''Evaluations of 5 Group Videos Due by 5 pm'''<font color="#FF3300">|| Ch. 21 ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_25_.28December_7.2C_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']||
+
| Nov 20 || Mammals: Diversity || Chapter 20 || || <br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Dec 9 || Vertebrate Mass Extinctions, Past and Present || Ch. 25  ||[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_of_the_Vertebrates_Study_Questions_F2010#Lecture_26_.28December_9.2C_2010.29 '''Study Questions''']<br>[http://www.arkive.org/thylacine/thylacinus-cynocephalus/video-00.html Thylacine Wolf]||
+
| Dec || Mammals: Morphology and Behavior || Chapter 21 || ||<br>
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
| Dec 13<br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Dec 16'''</font></span>|| '''Review Session BPB 131 7:00PM'''<br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM 3 (FINAL) 10:30 am-12:30 pm '''</font></span>|| --------- ||||  
+
| Dec 4  || Vertebrate mass extinctions, past and present || Chapter 25 || || <br>
 +
 
 +
|-
 +
 
 +
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Dec 12'''</font></span> ||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> '''Final Exam 10:30 - 12:30 (Tentative)''' </font></span>|| Chapter 25 || ||<br>
 +
 
 +
|- |-
 
|- |-}
 
|- |-}
 +
 +
[[Category:EEB Courses]]

Revision as of 10:15, 29 August 2014

EEB 2214, Fall 2014

The evolution of form, function, & diversity of the vertebrates

Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30-1:45 in BPB130

Textbook: Vertebrate Life, by Pough F. H., C. M. Janis, and J. B. Heiser. 2012. 9th Edition. Pearson/Benjamin Cummings (8th edition also acceptable)

Instructors

Female with hatchlings.JPG

Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch
Office: Pharmacy/Biology 305B
Phone: (860) 486-4452
Office hours: Thursdays 2-3 pm and by appointment
Jockusch Lab Website

Dr. Margaret Rubega
Office: Pharmacy/Biology 500
Phone: (860) 486-4502
Office hours: TBA and by appointment
Rubega Lab Website

Kevin Burgio (Teaching Assistant)
Office: Pharmacy/Biology 402
Office hours: Tuesdays 2-3 pm and by appointment
Monk Parakeet Research Website

Note: All emails must contain "EEB2214" in the subject line to avoid being filtered out and deleted

Grading

MonkParakeet01.jpeg

Exam 1 (Thursday, Sept. 25) = 100 points
Exam 2 (Thursday, Oct. 30) = 100 points
Final Exam (Friday, Dec. 12, TENTATIVE) = 125 points
#Research Reviews (Tuesdays) = 30 points total
#Quizzes = 50 points total
#Collections Tour = 5 points

There will be two one-hour, non-cumulative, exams scheduled during the lecture hour. The final exam will be cumulative, with an emphasis on material from the final third of the course.

12 research reviews (3 points each) and quizzes (5 points each) will be offered over the course of the semester. 10 of these will count towards the final course grade (the best 5 of 6 from each half of the semester, as determined by the combined quiz + research review grade.) Because two scores are dropped, no make-ups will be given for research reviews or quizzes.

Course Policies

Missed Exams
Any student who does not attend an exam and fails to receive permission in advance will receive a 0 for the exam. Approval of any request to miss an exam requires, but is not guaranteed by, verifiable written documentation of the reason. A student who receives approval to miss an exam will have his or her grade for the missed exam prorated based on his or her performance on the remainder of the exams. We will not give make-up exams. Every student must take the final. Permission to reschedule the final can only be obtained through procedures determined by the Dean of Students Office.

Other Absences
No make-ups will be given for research reviews or quizzes. Instead, the lowest research review/quiz grade from each half of the semester will be dropped.

Academic Integrity
Plagiarism and cheating are violations of the student conduct code, and may be punished by failure in the course or, in severe cases, dismissal from the University. For more information, see Section IV of the Student Conduct Code.

Disabilities
If you have a disability for which you may be requesting an accommodation, you should contact a course instructor and the Center for Students with Disabilities (Wilbur Cross Building, Room 201), within the first two weeks of the semester.

Classroom Conduct
We expect all students to behave in a way that is respectful of others. The Pdficon small.gif classroom conduct form, which describes our expectations in more detail, must be signed and returned to the teaching assistant by the end of the 2nd week of class.

  • Arrive on time and stay until the end. If you must come late or leave early, sit by the back door.
  • Turn cell phones OFF and store them out of sight.
  • Use laptops only for taking notes.
  • Recording is prohibited without the written permission of instructors.
  • Course materials are the intellectual property of the course instructors. Students may not make these materials (including handouts, exams and quizzes) available electronically.


Honors Conversion

Can I convert this course to honors?

Research Reviews

As a research field, vertebrate biology is alive and well, with discoveries being made constantly. Each week, we will select one paper from the primary scientific literature that describes a study relevant to vertebrate biology. On Tuesdays, class will include a short in-class written exercise, in which we ask you to answer three standard questions about the paper:

  • What was the major new result?
  • How does this change what we think?
  • Why does it matter?

The written exercise will be followed by a brief discussion of the paper, during which we will call on pre-determined, but randomly selected, students to talk about the paper.

In-class research review assessments are worth 3 points each. 12 will be offered over the course of the semester, and 10 (of 12) will count towards the final course grade (the best 5 of 6 from each half of the semester, as determined by the combined quiz + research review grade). There will be no paper selected for the first or eighth week of class. You must be present to receive credit and no make-ups will be given. Also, if you are selected for the discussion, but do not participate, you will receive a 0.

All papers will be available electronically. A link to each paper will be posted on the course schedule below, next to the date of the in-class exercise. While many articles in scientific journals are now made available free to everyone ("open access" articles), access to other articles requires a subscription, which the UConn library buys. On campus, you should not encounter difficulty accessing the full text of selected articles. From off-campus, the easiest way to access articles that require a subscription is using the EZProxy. If you get a message saying that you may purchase access to the paper, then try again through the proxy. In some cases, it may also be necessary to quit and restart your browser. Alternative ways to access the articles via UConn's subscription are to configure the proxy within your web browser and to use the VPN. It is your responsibility to test that you have access in a timely fashion. Course instructors will not respond to requests to provide the article directly to individuals.

Pdficon small.gifThis handout offers some helpful suggestions for how to navigate your way through the primary literature.

Quizzes

This course incorporates weekly quizzes which will be completed at the same time as the written portion of the research review, unless another schedule is announced. The quizzes will use a variety of formats and are designed to help prepare you for exams. Each quiz will be worth 5 points. 10 (of 12) will count towards the final course grade (the best 5 of 6 from each half of the semester, as determined by the combined quiz + research review grade). As with the research reviews, you must be present to receive credit and no make-ups will be given.

Collections Tour

Every student is expected to visit the EEB Biological Collections for a tour that will introduce you to the resources and opportunities in the collection. We will offer 8 different opportunities, on different days and times. You will need to sign in at the collection; at the end of the semester, everyone who has signed in will have 5 points added to their grade. Tours will take about 45 minutes; they meet at the south end of the Biology/Physics building lobby on the hour. You are responsible for finding a day and time to attend from the options below; if your class schedule prohibits you from attending any of these, you are responsible for letting us know that you will need an alternative opportunity AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FINAL TOUR. If you have already toured the collections (e.g., in a previous class), provide us with documentation to that effect, and we will just add the points to your grade without you needing to tour the collections again.

Collections tour times will be posted here and announced in class once the schedule is set.

Help Resources

The secret of success to this course is to not let yourself fall behind. Be sure to fill gaps in your notes and navigate blocks in your understanding as soon as possible. Should you run into trouble with the material, below we have listed some steps for obtaining assistance. While we welcome any and all questions on the material, before you contact us, please first check the resources below to see if your question has already been answered. If/when you do contact us, please understand that we will respond as quickly as we can, but we do have other obligations that might prevent this from happening as urgently as you may need (like 3:00 am the day of an exam...).

Study Materials
The textbook for this course is Pough F. H., C. M. Janis, and J. B. Heiser. 2012. Vertebrate Life, 9th Edition. Prentice Hall. (The 8th edition is also acceptable; we have posted readings for both.) We strongly encourage you to read the assigned sections before lecture.

Study questions will be posted online after every lecture. These are intended to help you think about and synthesize information. They are not intended to provide a comprehensive study guide.

Review Sessions
A review session will be held before each exam. Dates and times will be posted once they are set.

Research Reviews
Use Pdficon small.gif this handout to help navigate your way through the primary literature.

Syllabus
Pdficon small.gif Syllabus distributed on the first day of class. The lecture schedule and readings are subject to change, and will be updated below.

Lecture Schedule & Materials

The lecture schedule below will be updated regularly. A link to each research review paper will be posted next to the date of the in-class exercise. Generally, these will be posted by the weekend prior to the exercise. After lectures, study questions and links to supplemental materials will be added.

Date Topic Textbook Readings Supplemental Materials Research Review Reading
Part I: Aug 26 - Oct 9, Dr. Elizabeth Jockusch
Aug 26 Vertebrate diversity Study Questions
Marine Iguana Running
Komodo Dragon Walking - Breathing (Buccal pumping)
Salamander feeding videos
Ballistic tongue salamander: Cold-proof bow and arrow mechanism

Aug 28 Chordates and vertebrate origins Chapters 1 & 2 Study Questions
Sept 2 Living jawless vertebrates Chapter 3 Zintzen et al. (2011) Sci. Rep. 1:131 on Hagfish behavior
Sept 4 Early vertebrate fossils Chapter 3
Sept 9 Chondrichthyans Chapter 5
Sept 11 Osteichthyan origin and diversification Chapter 6
Sept 16 Actinopterygians Chapter 6
Sept 18 Sarcopterygii & evolution of tetrapods pp. 125-128 & 196-211 (8th ed.)/153-156 & 189-201 (9th ed.)
Sept 23 Amphibian diversity and decline Chapter 10
Sept 25 EXAM 1
Oct 2 Amniote origins pp. 211-218 (8th ed.)/pp. 201-208 (9th ed.)
Oct 7 Amniote diversity / desert adaptations Chapter 13
Oct 9 Snakes pp. 339-349 (8th ed.)/pp. 317-327 (9th ed.)
Part 2: Oct 14 - Dec 12, Dr. Margaret Rubega
Oct 14 Turtles Chapter 12 no research review
Oct 16 Turtles cont'd & Archosaurs Chapter 16
Oct 21 Crocodilians & friends Chapter 16
Oct 23 Dinosaurs and other Mesozoic diapsids Chapter 16
Oct 28 Dinosaurs II Chapter 16
Oct 30 EXAM 2
Nov 4 Birds: Avian origins pp. 439-443 (8th ed.)/pp. 407-410 (9th ed.)
Nov 6 Birds: Feeding Chapter 17
Nov 11 Birds:Morphology and Reproduction Chapter 17
Nov 13 Mammals: Origins and radiations Chapter 18
Nov 18 Mammals: Primate evolution and human origins Chapter 24
Nov 20 Mammals: Diversity Chapter 20
Dec 2 Mammals: Morphology and Behavior Chapter 21
Dec 4 Vertebrate mass extinctions, past and present Chapter 25
Dec 12 Final Exam 10:30 - 12:30 (Tentative) Chapter 25