Introduction to Zoology: Explore the World of Animal Life

1. Introduction to Zoology Welcome to the new semester! Greg burchetT Riverside City college

2. Why are you taking this course? • Interested in animals? • Interested in becoming a science major? • Was this the only class that fit into your schedule? • Since you are in this course, make it a priority.

3. What do you need for this course? • For lecture: • The textbook. • Notebook, pencils, erasers. • Scantron forms. • For lab: • The lab manual. • Comfortable clothing. • Composition notebook (for lab journal). • Rubber gloves, colored pencils, erasers.

4. What is Zoology? • Biology is the scientific study of life. • Zoology is a subset of biology. • The scientific study of animal life. • Zoologists have many career opportunities.

5. What is Life? • This is a tough question! • Characteristics: • Structured and organized. • Life regulates itself. • Growth and development. • Energy utilization. • Response to external environmental conditions. • Reproduction

6. Organisms live in a non-living environment. • Struggle for existence. • Acquisition of nutrients. • Water regulation. • Adaptations to specific enviornments.

7. Life’s “Unity in Diversity” • How many species are there? • Common features: • Cell structure. • Genetic information. • Evolutionary patterns or themes.

8. Organization in Biology • Atoms to molecules. • Cells, tissues, organs, organ systems. • Organisms. • Populations and communities. • Ecosystems. • The biosphere. • Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus/species.

9. What is your classification?Homo sapiens sapiens • Kingdom Animalia • Phylum Chordata • Class Mammalia • Order Primates • Family Homonidae >> Genus Homo >>> Species sapiens

10. Cells are the basic unit of life. • Considered alive. • Molecules are not alive, but when working together, form a living cell. • Prokaryotic versus eukaryotic cells. • Animal versus plant cells.

11. Life undergoes evolution. • Evolution is the unifying theme of biology. • Natural selection. • Microevolution. • Adaptations to specific environments. • We will discuss this controversial topic in a fun and interesting way.

12. What is science? • The scientific method. • Observation, hypothesis, experiment, results/conclusions. • Hypothesis versus a theory. • A control group. • What isn’t considered science? • Art, astrology, philosophy. • Politics, religion, creationism, reincarnation. • ESP, fortune telling, healing crystals, psychic phenomenon. • Telekinesis, telapathy.

13. How does zoology relate to your life? • Historically. • Present day. • Possible careers in zoology: • Zookeeper, educator, rehabilitator, animal caretaker. • Researcher, wildlife bioloigist, biological consultant. • Insect and disease identification and prevention. • Museum collections manager, lab technician, computer analyst. • Veterinarian

14. Animal Diversity Based on Characteristics