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MARINE INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY - BIOLOGY 515

Fall 2000

Mon. and Wed. 1-5 pm

Deborah M. Dexter
ddexter@sunstroke.sdsu.edu

Course description:

Structure and function, ecology, behavior, physiology, and phyletic relationships of marine invertebrate animals.

Marine Invertebrate Biology is an upper division elective course with two lectures and two three hour laboratory periods weekly. Students will examine the invertebrate phyla which live in the marine environment, study their functional morphology and adaptations, their ecology, their evolutionary relationships, and their diversity

Specific course goals:

• To present a comprehensive course on marine invertebrate diversity
  
• To involve students in an atmosphere where they take the responsibility for independent learning, so that they develop lifelong learning skills
  
• To provide appropriate laboratory and field skills (dissection techniques, observation skills, taxonomic identification, etc.) so students develop technical competence in marine invertebrate biology
  
• To improve active reading skills
  
• To improve writing skills
  
• To support group interaction and teamwork skills and to create a cooperative rather than competitive environment

Overview:

Approximately 95% of all living animals are invertebrates, which belong to approximately 40 phyla. Given the diversity of marine invertebrates, it is not feasible to discuss all subjects for all taxa. Key topics within specific phyla will be emphasized to develop a broad overview and understanding of invertebrate biology. A phyletic approach will be used. because it provides the necessary framework for an understanding and appreciation of this diversity. The course will focus on structure and function, ecology, behavior, and physiology. These aspects will presented in an evolutionary context with a comparative emphasis.

The emphasis will concentrate on the following subjects:

• General morphology: structure and function, the basic body plan
  In all groups basic functional anatomy forms the initial focus. This includes such aspects as cellularity (unicellular versus multicellular); integration among cellular components (from independent cell level through tissue level to organ system level); body symmetry (evolution from asymmetrical to radial to bilateral symmetry and its modifications); contributions of germ layers (diploplastic versus triploblastic); and the role of body cavities (acoelomate versus pseudocoelomate versus coelomate).
  
• Nutrient acquisition and feeding behavior
  (morphology of structures, types of feeding mechanisms, processing food material)
  
• Reproduction and life history strategies
  Advantages and disadvantages of asexual versus sexual reproduction, dioecious versus monecious strategies, frequency and seasonality in reproduction, embryology, determinant versus indeterminant cleavage patterns, presence or absence of larval stages.
  
• Physiology or functional responses (systems)
  Within each major taxonomic group locomotory systems (from amoeboid, ciliary, and flagellar locomotion to the use of body wall musculature), skeletons (endoskeletons, exoskeletons, hydroskeletons) and appendages are considered. Other discussion topics include gas exchange and circulatory transport of metabolic products, methods of excretion, integration of nervous system and sense organs). Other aspects of organismal biology will be stressed in those groups where it is uniquely important or where it is the first appearance of a particular structure or system.
  
• Ecology
  Topics will include environmental adaptations, habitat, general life history strategy, trophic roles, interspecific interactions. Adaptations to specific habitats (i.e. pelagic versus benthic, soft sediments versus hard substrate, sessile versus active, accomodating versus physiologically stressful, intertidal versus subtidal, etc.).
  
• Evolutionary relationships
  Relationships between and within groups, with evidence from developmental patterns and larval forms, from comparative morphology, and/or from fossil records.

Textbook

The text for this course is Living Invertebrates by V. Pearse, J. Pearse, T. Buchsbaum, and M. Buchsbaum, 1987. Blackwell Scientific Pub. It will also serve as a reference in laboratory and must be brought to class daily.

Laboratory

The lab experience teaches the student to focus on significant characteristics of different invertebrate phyla. It allows students to develop their dissection skills to discover for themselves the important structures. Through microscopic examination students learn to recognize histological characteristics of major cell types and organs. Behavioral observations on feeding, locomotion, and reproduction (in almost all organisms examined), and other aspects develop observational skills and knowledge. Associated field trips to local marine habitats present proper methods for field collecting, provide the opportunity to see the organisms in their natural habitat, and to introduce ecological aspects such as zonation and distribution, which are more easily assimilated with visual acquisition from the field experience, rather than from lecture material.

Laboratory manual

A detailed laboratory guide is provided. Laboratory exercises will include examining the diversity of marine organisms, recognition of major features, development of dissection skills with frequent dissections of important representative taxa, histological identification of structures and behavioral observations.

Laboratory exams

There will be four lab exams (50-75 points) on the structure, function, identification of taxa, and other pertinent questions. Most of the questions will ask you to identify the taxa (Phylum, Class, or whatever level your are responsible for), identify the structure under the pointer or pin, state the function of the structure, or other direct questions with short answers (2-4 words). These exams will be closed book. At the end of the exam, you will be able to refer to your lab notebook for 10 minutes. There will be 2-4 short answer questions at each station. Stations will include slides, entire organisms (either live or preserved), dissections, and occasionally video footage. Usually there will be 2 minutes at each station. You will not be able to return to any stations.

Laboratory notebook

Each student will compile their own laboratory notebook which includes line drawings of slides, live and preserved animals, dissections, behavioral observations, etc. The lab notebook should normally be done with a lead pencil. Pages must be numbered, and the date the organisms were examined should be placed underneath the page number. Diagrams should be labeled (classification, type, structures, etc.) clearly. All material in the lab manual will be done by the author. A table of contents should be included for each major taxa (Phylum or Class). Aztec Shops sells a green Lab Book (10 1/8 x 7 7/8 inches # 53-108) which is the required notebook.

The lab notebook may be used at the end of each lab exam to check spelling, add information, identification, etc. It will be turned in immediately after each lab exam for evaluation. The lab notebook will be worth a total of 100 points.

Disclaimer

This course requires students to participate in field trips, research, or studies that include course work that will be performed off-campus. Participation in such activities may result in accidents or personal injury. Students participating in the event are aware of these risks, and agree to hold harmless San Diego State University, the State of California, the Trustees of the California State University and Colleges and its officers, employees, and agents against all claims, demands, suits, judgements, expenses and costs of any kind on account of their participation in the activities.

Other safety issues

Students are responsible for their own health and safety during classroom, laboratory, and field exercises. The student health insurance policy at SDSU does not cover injuries received on or off campus, unless the injury is minor and can be treated at the SDSU Student Health Services.

Students may neither snorkel nor scuba dive in relation to SDSU course activities without certification and approval of the SDSU Diving Safety Officer.

Grading policy

The grades will be determined by scores in two major performance areas: individual performance and group performance (as modified by peer evaluations). Individual performance (67%) will be based on quizzes, short assignments (from text, dissections, field work, etc.), 4 laboratory exams, and the laboratory notebook.

Group performance (33%) will be based on group quizzes, reports, etc. On all group work, each group will turn in only one paper and all group members will receive the same score. The grading structure is deliberately designed to reward students for providing assistance to other members of their group. Peer evaluation is a factor that will modify the group grade for each individual.

Although 1/3 of the grade will be group based, peer evaluations will be used to modify individual group grades. Each individual (anonymously, except to the instructor) will rate all of the other members of their group at the end of the course {see peer evaluation form}. Individual peer evaluation scores will be the average of the points they receive from the members of their group. The instructor reserves the right to overrule the peer evaluation score if it appears that there will be a miscarriage of justice.

An example of how peer modification works

Assume that the final group grade was 90%, and that there were 4 members of the group.

• Student 1 was rated highest by the individual team members because she/he was always present, almost always knew the correct answer to the quizzes, discussed the dissections and histology with team members, helped with other problems which arose during lab work, and was always ready to answer questions. The average peer evaluation was 10.8, which translates into 108 % of the group grade (90), and therefore this student received a peer evaluated final group grade of 97.2%.
  
• Student 2 was consistently prepared, interacted well with teammates, worked hard, had great attendance, and basically did an excellent job. The average peer evaluation was 10 , with 100% of the group grade or a peer evaluated final group grade of 90.
  
• Student 3 tried hard, but was not prepared each day for the quizzes or lab work, had good attendance but did not work as hard as other members of the team. The average peer evaluation was 9.5, which translates into 95 % of the group grade (90), and therefore this student received a peer evaluated final group grade of 85.5%.
  
• Student 4 was absent from lecture and lab on several occasions, and therefore did not contribute as much to group quizzes, routinely left lab early and did not interact very much with team members, did not communicate by email with team, and basically seemed disinterested in teamwork. The average peer evaluation was 8.0, 80% of 90 resulted in a per evaluated final group grade of 72&.

The S.D.S.U. Senate grading policy will be followed which defines an A as available for only the highest accomplishment and for outstanding achievement; B as praiseworthy performance, definitely above average; and C as the average undergraduate grade. Any student earning 90% or more of the total points will earn an A, 80% a B, etc. The best student in the class will earn an A, and the curve is flexible in a downward direction accordingly. Any student receiving less than 50% of the total points earned by the top student in the class earns a grade of F. The final grade will be based on the cumulative points earned. Plus and minus grading will be used on the final class grades. {For example, a B+ grade would be assigned for grades between 87-89%, a B between 83-86%, and a B- between 80-82%).

Any student who will be absent from an lab exam due to illness or other major emergency, must notify the instructor prior to the exam. Telephone Dr. Dexter at 594-6379 and leave a message, or email her at ddexter@sunstroke.sdsu.edu. Because of the use of living material, and the time needed to set up laboratory exams, no makeups will be available for missed lab examinations, but an excused absence will allow averaging of lab exam grades in lieu of a makeup. There will be no makeup on quizzes or other short assignments.

Cheating: CHEATING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

Cheating includes (but is not limited to):

• The receiving of any specific information about a specific quiz, exam, or assignment prior to taking it. This precludes using someone else's lab notebook from a previous semester.
  
• The giving of any specific information about a specific quiz, exam, or assignment prior to someone else taking it or during the quiz.
  
• Using any unauthorized information during an exam. Do n'Ot look at a neighbor's lab exam or quiz. Keep your lab answer sheet folded in half when not writing on it.
  
• Plagiarism.Submitting, as your own, work that was written by another person.

If you are caught cheating, or I even suspect it, I will report you to the Academic Judiciary Committee and the minimum result will be a grade of 0 on the specific quiz, exam, or assignment.

Responsibilities of the professor

I will provide clear, organized, and scientifically accurate information and laboratory experiences. I will keep my posted office hours. I appreciate questions and suggestions, I will treat all students equitably and with respect, and will evaluate student performance as objectively as possible.

Responsibilities of the students

The students are expected to attend and be attentive during class, ask questions when material is not clear, be prepared by completing the required reading from the text and lab manual before the class, and cooperate effectively with their teammates. Notes from reading, discussions, and laboratory should be integrated to obtain a synthesis of the information. The average study time for this course (outside the classroom) should be at least 6 hours weekly.

Why team learning, problem solving, and student centered learning rather than a traditional lecture course?

Educational advantages

In student centered learning students work in small groups, tutor one another, learn to depend on one another rather than depending exclusively on the authority of the teacher. They learn to construct knowledge as it is constructed in the academic disciplines, and they learn the craft of interdependence.

At present there is too much passive learning experience (lectures) and few opportunities for active learning. In teacher centered learning the teacher is solely responsible for what the student is expected to learn. The teacher's usual role is to dispense information in lectures, assign readings, and provide demonstrations. The student is a passive recipient.

Active learning is not something that is done for students; it is something that learners do for themselves. This is student centered learning where the student 'learns to learn. In active learning students take responsibility for their own learning. It fosters a cooperative rather than competitive learning environment. It should foster intellectual curiosity in students. Faculty should be viewed as facilitators of learning rather than disseminators of knowledge.

This process helps meets the stated goals of CSU system (Spring 1997) which listed the following specific abilities expected of CSU graduates:

a. Communicate effectively, through a variety of means

b. Read analytically and think critically at a high level

c. Write clearly

d. Acquire substantive in-depth command over one or more fields of study

e. Locate, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information

f. Integrate knowledge across discipline boundaries

g. Make both qualitative and quantitative assessments

h. Participate effectively in a democratic society

i. Work effectively in group settings with people different from oneself

The CSU statement also included the following remarks:

"We will assure that our graduates possess a certain breadth and depth of knowledge together with a certain level of skills. CSU will facilitate other techniques of active learning such as collaborative learning, problem solving, and use of interactive technology. We will require that each student be responsible for creating an academic plan, one which will encourage students to take a more active role in their own learning, including self-paced and self-directed study".

These skills also meet the goals of SDSU College of Sciences (Spring 1997) which identified the main attributes that any Bachelor's Degree holder should possess:

a. Mental maturity and critical thinking

b. Solid background in the fundamental principles of the discipline

c. Sense of self, community, and the environment

d. Ability to communicate

e. Ability to work on a team

"As students progress into their junior year they should learn to accept more responsibility for their own education. Students must have basic technological skills (word processessing, spreadsheets, web browsing, library searches, and e-mail). Almost without exception, corporations approach a problem with a team of people bringing different and appropriate skills to the solution. University graduates must have the skills necessary to work successfully on such project teams. Individual competence must be complemented by strong cooperative skills".

Name ____________________________________ Group _____________________

Please assign scores that reflect how you really feel about the extent to which the other members of your group contributed to your learning and/or your group's performance. This will be your only opportunity to reward the members of your group who actually worked hard on your behalf. If you give everyone pretty much the same score, you will be hurting those who did the most and helping those who did the least.

Instructions: In the space below, please rate each of the other members in your group. To complete the evaluation you should:

1. List the name of each of the members of your group in alphabetical order of their last names.
   
2. Assign an average of 10 points to the other members of your group. (If your group has 4 people, you will assign no more than 30 points).
   
3. You must differentiate some in your ratings (at least by 0.5). You may not assign more than 13 points to a person. You do not have to award all of your points.

Group member	Score
1. _________________________________	________
2. _________________________________	________
3. ________________________________	________

Additional Feedback:

In the space below, would you also briefly describe your reasons for your highest and lowest ratings. These comments, but not information about who provided them, will be used to provide feedback to students who would like to receive it.

1. Reasons for your highest rating:

2. Reasons for your lowest rating:

3. If you were to assign points to yourself based on this scale, what do you feel you would deserve? Why?

Final Dec. 11 1-3 pm

It is likely that there will not be a final examination. However, class will meet Dec. 11th from 1 to 3 or 2 to 4 pm. One possibility is an intertidal field trip to the rocky shore. The tide is &endash;1,5 feet at 3:32 pm, the best tide of the semester! Students absent for part or all of this period will have 25 points subtracted from their total individual grade.

Bird Rock Field Trip

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