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BB10200: The life of Earth 1

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: EX 50%, MC 50%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Examination (EX 50%)
  • MCQ 1 (MC 25%)
  • MCQ 2 (MC 25%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To introduce prokaryote life forms. Explore fungal growth forms, life styles and reproductive strategies. To review the diversity among the Protista and define their relationship to other living things. To demonstrate the diversity of invertebrate animals and explore key aspects of structure and function in representative groups at each level of organization.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this course the student should be able to:
* debate the principles behind the domain theory of the "tree of life"
* discuss bacterial growth in terms of nutritional requirement and the influence of physicochemical factors on growth and survival
* demonstrate an appreciation of how and why Protists may be classified in more than one "Kingdom" and an understanding of the major themes in this diverse grouping
* explain the importance of fungi to the productivity and biodiversity of ecosystems and how and why fungi form mutualistic and parasitic relationships with other organisms
* explain why viruses are difficult to treat compared to diseases caused by bacteria and answer the question "is a virus alive?"

Skills:
Learning and studying T/F/A, Written communication T/F/A, Numeracy & computation T/F/A, Laboratory skills T/F, Information technology T/F, Problem solving T/F, Information handling & retrieval T/F/A, Working independently T/F.

Content:
Introduction: Classification of life - how many kingdoms?
Protists: the evolution of multicellularity and beyond
Viruses: properties and life cycles
Fungi: an outline of form and function
Bacteria: relationship to the other domains of cell-based life; bacterial cell shapes and size, ubiquity and adaptability; methods for their visualisation; anatomy, from chromosome to capsule, via ribosomes, cytoplasmic inclusions, cell membrane, cell wall, pili, flagella and endospores; growth/cultivation; nutritional requirements, modes of energy-yielding metabolism, influence of physical factors.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

BB10200 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.