2010-11 Academic Year

Zoology (20335)

Qualification/course: Bachelor's Degree in Human Biology

Year: 1

Term: 2

Number of ECTS credits: 4

Number of study hours:  100

Course Language(s): Catalan

Teaching staff: Òscar Ramírez, Urko Martínez, Elena Bosch and Elena Carnero

1. Presentation of the course

Zoology is an obligatory subject in the Human Biology syllabus of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and is taught in the second term of the first year. It has a value of 4 ECTS credits, distributed between face-to-face activities, practical sessions and other activities. The subject form part of the Evolutionary Biology branch and is coordinated by Òscar Ramírez. The lecturers for the subject are Òscar Ramírez, Elena Bosch, Urko Martínez and Elena Carnero.

2. Competences to be achieved

Students should achieve a basic knowledge of zoology. The aim is to give the students an evolutionary view of the subject. The theory part includes the fundamentals of animal organisation and development, compared and systematic anatomy, such as diversity, phylogenetics, the ecology of large animal groups and applied zoology. During the practical session, the student will develop the correct handling and observation of specimens, structure recognition, classification through dichotomic terms, visual identification of singular species of fauna and phylogenetic inference.

3. Content

The syllabus has the following aims:

0. to understand the diversity of animal life from an evolutionary and adaptive process.
0. to understand the levels of animal organisation and how they be observed from the points of view of taxonomy, systematics and phylogenetics.
0. to become familiarized with animal diversity, whether invertebrate or not.
0. to understand the biological function of the different groups and the common solutions for diverse adaptive objectives.
0. to take an interest in groups of particular interest in biomedical science (pathogen agents and animal testing) or of economic interest (plagues, cattle, fishing or industrial)
0. Introduce the basic concepts of behavioural study and how they explain the evolutionary bases, influencing different behaviours as evolutionary strategies.

4. Assessment

There will be a formative evaluation midway through the term which, if passed, will count as 0.5 points towards the final mark.

The theory evaluation of the course consists of a multiple choice exam (PEM) and an essay question exam which represent 60% and 40% respectively. There will also be a practical exam which represents 27% of the total for the subject, whilst participation in the sessions and projects contribute a maximum of 1 point towards the final mark. To pass the course, a minimum mark of 3.5 out of 10 must be achieved in each of the exams. the multiple choice question exam (PEM), essay exams and practicals Regardless of the marks awarded in the other exams, failure to obtain a mark of 3.5 in any of the three exams will result in the subject being suspended.

Students must attend a minimum of 80% of the practical hours to pass the subject.

Any form of copying in any of the sections of the assessment process will result in the student failing this subject.

5. Bibliography and teaching resources

5.1. Basic bibliography

BARNES, R. S. K.; CALOW, P.; OLIVE, P. J. W. The Invertebrates. A new synthesis. 2a ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 1993.

HICKMAN, C. P.; ROBERTS, L. S.; LARSON, A. Zoología. Principios integrales. 13a. ed. Madrid: McGraw-Hill-Interamericana, 2006.

KARDONG, K .V. Vertebrates. 2a. ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1998.

5.2. Complementary bibliography

ALCOCK, J. Animal Behavior. 6a. ed. W. H. Freeman & Co. Ltd, 1998.

ALLABY, M. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Zoology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.

BEGON, M.; HARPER, J. L.; TOWNSEND, C. R. Ecology. Individuals, populations and communities. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, 1996.

BOHMONT, B. L. The Standard Pesticide User's Guide. 4a. ed. Prentice Hall, 1997.

CHINERY, M. Guía de campo de los insectos de España y de Europa. 5a. ed. Barcelona: Omega, 1997.

DÍAZ J. A.; SANTOS, T. Zoología. Aproximación evolutiva a la diversidad y organización de los animales. Ciencias biológicas. 2a. ed. Madrid: Serie Zoología. Editorial Síntesis, 2003.

DORIT, J. D.; WALKER, W. F.; BARNES, R. D. Zoology. Saunders, 1991.

FERRARIS, J. D.; PALUMBI, S. R. Molecular Zoology. Advances, strategies and protocols. Nova York: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.,1996.

GOSÁLVEZ, M.; FERNÁNDEZ, F.; MARTÍN, F. J. Guía de la fauna submarina del litoral mediterráneo. Madrid: Pirámide, 1992.

HICKMAN, F. M.; HICKMAN, C. P. Zoología. Manual de laboratorio. Nova York: Interamericana, 1991.

KARDONG, K. V. Vertebrados: Anatomía comparada, función y evolución. 4a. ed. Madrid: McGraw-Hill-Interamericana, 2007.

KARP, A.; INGRAM, D. S.; ISAAC, P. Molecular tools for screening biodiversity. Plants and animals. Thomson Science and Professional, 1997.

KREBS, J. R. Behavioural ecology. An evolutionary approach. 4a. ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1997.

LITTLE, C.; KITCHING, J. A. Biology of Rocky Shores. Oxford University Press, 1996.

MADER, S. S. Biología. 9a. ed. Mèxic, D.F.: McGraw-Hill-Interamericana, 2008.

MOORE, J. An introduction to the Invertebrates. Cambridge University Press, 2001.

NOWAK, R. M. Walker's Mammals of the World. 5a. ed. o posterior. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991.

PETERSON, R. T.; MOUNTFORT, G.; HOLLOM, P. A. D. Guia dels ocells dels Països Catalans i d'Europa. Barcelona: Omega, 1995.

SMITH, J. D. An Introduction to Parasitology. 3a. ed. Hodder & Stoughton, 1996.

5.3. Teaching resources

Teaching resources will be provided for each chapter and each class will be of an hour's duration. There are specific objectives and contents for each chapter; An explanation of the contents; a direct reference to a book to be considered as a textbook; other recommended books for further reading and parallel activities (videos, websites, museums, etc.). The information will be accessible to students via the Network or dossiers kept in the Faculty library.

6. Methodology

Zoology has a value of 4 ECTS credits, distributed between face-to-face classes (20 hours), practical sessions (16 hours and other activities (12 hours).

7. Activities schedule

The schedule for the subject is the following:

Lectures 20 one hour sessions with all the students

Practical sessions: 8 two hour sessions (16 hours, four groups of fifteen students).

- Practical 1. Dissection of a squid

- Practical 2. Taxonomic classification of insects in level order

- Practical 3. Visit to the Barcelona Zoological Museum (I)

- Practical 4. Dissection of fish: the mackerel

- Practical 5. Dissection of birds: the pigeon

- Practical 6. Visit to the Barcelona Zoological Museum (II)

- Practical 7. Dissection of mammals: the mouse

- Practical 8. Identification of parasites.

Other activities:  12 hours)

- Field trip and visit to the Catalan Reptile and Amphibian Rehabilitation Centre

- Visit to the Zoo

- Seminars (student presentations)