BIOLOGY

Module GENERAL ZOOLOGY

Knowledge and understanding

•        The position of animals among living organisms and the main groups of living organisms.

•        The functional characteristics of animals: metabolism, respiration, digestion and absorption, transport, excretion, homeostasis (temperature regulation and osmoregulation), sensory and motor systems, reproduction.

•        The fundamentals of evolutionary biology: natural selection, evolution at the population level, species concepts and speciation (allopatric and sympatric), neutral and selective processes, macroevolution (fossil record, evolutionary rates, adaptive radiations).

•        Evidence supporting evolution and the role of evolution as a unifying concept in biology.

Applying knowledge and understanding

•        Read and interpret phylogenetic trees.

•        Apply "tree thinking" to the variation observed among organisms.

•        Connect form-and-function concepts across animal groups.

The course is worth 7 ECTS credits. Teaching activities include frontal lectures (Didattica Erogativa – DE) and practical sessions (Didattica Interattiva – DI).

Frontal lectures are dedicated to covering theoretical content with practical examples, and contribute to the acquisition of knowledge outlined in the expected learning outcomes.

Practical sessions are designed to develop students' ability to apply the knowledge acquired — for example through the reading and interpretation of phylogenetic trees — and foster the development of applied skills.

If the course is delivered in blended or remote mode, appropriate adjustments may be made to the above, in order to ensure consistency with the syllabus.

Basic knowledge of biology, as acquired in pre-university education.

Attendance is compulsory.

1. The main groups of living organisms and their relationships (including reading and interpreting phylogenetic trees).
2. Metabolism.
3. Form and function: general concepts and homeostasis, digestion and absorption, functioning and evolution of nervous system, sensory and motor mechanisms, respiration, circulation and transport, excretion and osmoregulation
4. Reproduction.
5. Evolutionary biology: general concepts and historical notes; natural selection; evolution at the population level; species concepts and speciation (allopatric, sympatric, parapatric); neutral and selective processes; macroevolution (fossil record, evolutionary rates, adaptive radiations).

Attending lectures is essential as the instructor does not strictly follow the material presented in a single book.

The following books should not be intended as "adopted" books but, rather, as mere suggestions.

D. Sadava, et al. – Life: The Science of Biology. Freeman

Lisa A. Urry - Michael L. Cain - Steven A. Wasserman - Peter V. Minorsky - Rebecca B. Orr. Campbell. Biology 12th Edition. Pearson

Openstax – Biology 2e – Rice University https://openstax.org/details/books/biology-2e

There will be a mid-term written test (not mandatory and in any case reserved to students above the attendance threshold) on part of the programme. Students who pass the mid-term test are exempted from the corresponding part of the oral exam. The final assessment is an oral examination and takes into account the performance in the mid-term written test. There is a unique exam (and mark) for the whole Biologia unit.

In the oral exam, the following will be assessed: the relevance and quality of answers, the ability to connect different topics covered in the course, the ability to provide examples, mastery of discipline-specific vocabulary, and overall expressive skills.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on-line, should the conditions require it.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l'integrazione Attiva e Partecipata — Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA) referring teacher within their department (https://www.cinap.unict.it/content/referenti).

• Describe the potential problems and related general solutions when organisms are in hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic solutions.
• Given a set of traits scored on three organisms, find out which are the most likely evolutionary relationships among them.
• Allopatric and sympatric speciation: describe and contrast them.