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Investigating Biology: An Introduction to the Tools and Techniques of a Biologist: Volume II

Investigating Biology: An Introduction to the Tools and Techniques of a Biologist: Volume II

Author(s): Paul Luyster

Edition: 2

Copyright: 2022

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$97.65

ISBN 9798765782750

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This is the lab manual for Biology II, the second semester of a two-semester General Biology course for science majors.

There is much more to biology than memorizing facts in a textbook. The fun part of biology is actually doing it! This laboratory course is designed to help you develop the hands-on skills of biologist using the tools found in a typical, modern biology lab.

Each of the exercises in this manual begins with background to help you understand a core concept of biology. You will then be presented with a question of problem related to that concept. The lab exercise will guide you as you use the scientific method, laboratory tools, and standard protocols to answer that question or solve that problem. Throughout the course you will also evaluate scientific information, dig into primary research, use a lab notebook, collect and interpret quantitative data, and practice writing scientific reports.

As you work through this manual you will learn skills that you may use again in future classes, graduate school, or in a professional setting. Your manual will become a portfolio of the skills you learn as well as a record of the protocols you master. You may find it a valuable reference as you take advanced biology lab courses in the future.  

Introduction

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Lab 14 Histology: The Biology of Tissues

Lab Skill 14.1 Effectively Sketching Microscopic Images

Lab Skill 14.2 Visually Identifying Animal Tissues 

Pre-Lab Quiz 14

Problem to Solve 14.1 Can I Identify Embryonic Germ Layers?

Problem to Solve 14.2 Can I Identify Microscopic Images of Cells and Tissues of Animals?

Post-Lab Quiz 14

Lab 15 Biological Classification: Cladograms, Phylograms, and Dichotomous Keys 

Lab Skill 15.1 Creating a Dichotomous Key

Lab Skill 15.2 Creating a Cladogram

Lab Skill 15.3 Using a Nanodrop Spectrophotometer to Measure Protein Concentration

Pre-Lab Quiz 15

Problem to Solve 15.1 Can I Isolate and Determine the Concentration of Proteins from a Tissue Sample?

Problem to Solve 15.2 Can I Create a Dichotomous Key?

HOMEWORK Problem 15.2 Dichotomous Key

Problem to Solve 15.3 Can I Create a Cladogram?

Post-Lab Quiz 15

Lab 16 Zoology I: Evolution of Sponges, Jellies, and Worms
Lab Skill 16.1 Identifying Common Invertebrates (Part 1)

Lab Skill 16.2 Proteomic Analysis

Lab Skill 16.3 SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis

Pre-Lab Quiz 16

Problem to Solve 16.1 Can I Create a Protein Profile of Tissue Samples Using SDS-PAGE?

Problem to Solve 16.2 Can I Identify Unlabeled Invertebrates by Phylum and Class? 

Post-Lab Quiz 16

Lab 17 Zoology II: Evolution of Mollusks, Arthropods, and Echinoderms

Lab Skill 17.1 Identifying Common Invertebrates (Part 2)

Lab Skill 17.2 Making a Standard Curve from a Standard Electrophoresis Ladder

Pre-Lab Quiz 17

Problem to Solve 17.1 Can I Create a Standard Curve from Protein Standard Bands in my SDS-PAGE Gel?

Problem to Solve 17.2 Can I Create a Cladogram from SDS-PAGE Data?

Problem to Solve 17.3 Can I Identify Unlabeled Invertebrates by Phylum and Class?

Post-Lab Quiz 17

Lab 18 Zoology III: Evolution of Chordates

Lab Skill 18.1 Identifying Chordates

Pre-Lab Quiz 18

Problem to Solve 18.1 Can I Create a Cladogram Based on Taxonomic Information?

Problem to Solve 18.2 Can I Identify the Major Systems and Structures of a Complex Animal?

Problem to Solve 18.3 Can I Identify Unlabeled Chordates by Class?

Post-Lab Quiz 18

Lab 19 Astrobiology: Design an Animalien

Lab Skill 19.1 Creating an Effective Presentation

Pre-Lab Quiz 19

Problem to Solve 19.1 Can I Design an Organism that Is Perfectly Adapted to a Specific Environment?

Problem to Solve 19.2 Can I Create and Give a Good Digital Presentation?

Post-Lab Quiz 19

Lab 20 Animal Physiology I: Life Support Systems

Lab Skill 20.1 Using a Sphygmomanometer, Stethoscope, and ECG

Lab Skill 20.2 Using a Spirometer to Measure Lung Capacities

Lab Skill 20.3 Conducting Urinalysis

Lab Skill 20.4 Creating Effective Concept Maps

Pre-Lab Quiz 20

Problem to Solve 20.1 Can I Identify the Parts of a Mammal Heart and Trace the Path of Blood Through it?

Problem to Solve 20.2 Can I Measure Blood Flow in a Human Body?

Problem to Solve 20.3 Can I Measure Lung Volumes?

Problem to Solve 20.4 Can I Assemble the Digestive System Puzzle?

Problem to Solve 20.5 Can I Interpret Urinalysis Results?

Problem to Solve 20.6 Can I Create a Concept Map of the Human Body Systems?

Post-Lab Quiz 20

Lab 21 Animal Physiology II: Support and Movement

Lab Skill 21.1 Performing Surgery on the Dead – the Art of Dissection

Pre-Lab Quiz 21

Problem to Solve 21.1 Can I Demonstrate the Effects of Exercise and Oxygen Deprivation on Muscle Physiology?

Problem to Solve 21.2 Can I Identify Human Bones?

Problem to Solve 21.3 Can I Identify the Major Organs of a Mammal?

Problem to Solve 21.4 Can I Create a Concept Map of Muscle Fiber Physiology?

Post-Lab Quiz 21

Lab 22 Animal Physiology III: The Biology of Sex

Lab Skill 22.1 Identifying Structures of the Human Male Reproductive System and Describing Their Functions

Lab Skill 22.2 Identifying Structures of the Human Female Reproductive System and Describing their Functions

Pre-Lab Quiz 22

Problem to Solve 22.1 Can I Trace the Path of Sperm through the Male Reproductive System?

Problem to Solve 22.2 Can I Trace the Path of an Egg through the Female Reproductive System?

Problem to Solve 22.3 Can I Describe Some of the Unusual Strategies of Animal Sex?

Problem to Solve 22.4 Can I Observe the Sexual Behavior of the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach?

Post-Lab Quiz 22

Lab 23 Animal Physiology IV: Brains and Senses

Lab Skill 23.1 Understanding Neuron Physiology

Lab Skill 23.2 Identifying the Structures of a Nerve and the Spinal Cord

Lab Skill 23.3 Identifying the Anatomical and Functional Parts of a Human Brain

Lab Skill 23.4 Observing the Brain in Action

Lab Skill 23.5 Identifying the Structures of Human Sensory Organs and Describing their Functions

Pre-Lab Quiz 23

Problem to Solve 23.1 Can I Recognize the Structures of the Nervous System from Slides, Models, and Specimens?

Problem to Solve 23.2 Can I Correlate the Location of Brain Damage to Neurologic Deficits?

Problem to Solve 23.3 Do I Look, Taste, Feel, and Smell Like You?

Post-Lab Quiz 23

Lab 24 Botany I: Evolution and Characteristics of Simple Plants

Lab Skill 24.1 Understanding the Life Cycles and Characteristics of the Major Plant Phyla

Lab Skill 24.2 How to Set Up a Hydroponic Garden

Pre-Lab Quiz 24

Problem to Solve 24.1 Can I Classify Plants by Phylum and Identify Their Key Features?

Problem to Solve 24.2 Can I Observe the Activity of Guard Cells?

Problem to Solve 23.3 Can I Determine How Environmental Factors Affect Plant Transpiration?

Post-Lab Quiz 24

Lab 25 Botany II: The Evolution and Characteristics of Complex Plants

Lab Skill 25.1 Identifying Structures and Tissues of Angiosperms

Lab Skill 25.2 Using a Microtome to Make Slides of Tissues

Lab Skill 23.3 Using Fluorescent Stains and a Fluorescent Microscope to Identify Plant Tissues

Lab Skill 25.4 Using a Clinometer to Estimate the Height of a Tree

Pre-Lab Quiz 25

Problem to Solve 25.1 Can I Use a Microtome to Make Slides of Plant Tissues?

Problem to Solve 25.2 Can I Recognize Key Characteristics of Monocot and Eudicot Angiosperms?

Problem to Solve 25.3 Can I Classify Types of Fruit?

Problem to Solve 25.4 Can I Identify Local Campus Plants?

Problem to Solve 25.5 Can I Estimate the Height of a Tree?

Post-Lab Quiz 25

Lab 26 Ecology: Relationships Between Organisms and Their Environments

Lab Skill 26.1 Working With Population Models

Pre-Lab Quiz 26

Problem to Solve 26.1 Can I Determine the Habitat Range for an Organism?

Problem to Solve 26.2 Can I Use Computer Models to Predict Population Changes?

Problem to Solve 26.3 Can I Interpret Internet Claims?

Problem to Solve 26.4 Can I Observe the Biodiversity of This Campus?

Post-Lab Quiz 26

Appendix H How to Create a Standard Curve Using Excel

Appendix I How to Use ImageLab to Analyze a Gel

Appendix J Reference Charts for Animal Classification

Appendix K Concept Maps as Tools for Learning

Appendix L Self-Test for Visual Accuity

Appendix M Tangent Table

Paul Luyster
Paul Luyster earned his bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University, where he studied biology, chemistry, and philosophy. He completed a summer program at the University of Montana Biological Field Station, which is where his passion for biology really developed. He pursued a doctorate in systems ecology at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology and also earned a masters in science education from Piedmont College. He completed a graduate certificate in medical human anatomy and physiology from the University of Florida’s College of Medicine, and he is finishing a PhD in biology at the University of North Texas. He has over 30 years of teaching experience. He has been employed by Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2004. There, he has taught general biology for science majors, general biology for non-science majors, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, undergraduate biology research, and environmental biology field studies. He has received a number of teaching awards, including the NISOD Excellence Award and the Chancellor’s Quarterly Employee Excellence Award, and he was a finalist for the national Bellwether Award for Teaching. He is an active member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and is a National Academies Education Fellow. He has contributed to a number of print and digital publications, including Mastering A&P. He also sponsors a student organization for pre-nursing students and serves as the lead instructor for the Majors Biology courses at Tarrant County College, South Campus, Fort Worth, TX. Most importantly, Mr. Luyster enjoys getting to know his students and seeing them succeed as they pursue their academic and professional goals.

This is the lab manual for Biology II, the second semester of a two-semester General Biology course for science majors.

There is much more to biology than memorizing facts in a textbook. The fun part of biology is actually doing it! This laboratory course is designed to help you develop the hands-on skills of biologist using the tools found in a typical, modern biology lab.

Each of the exercises in this manual begins with background to help you understand a core concept of biology. You will then be presented with a question of problem related to that concept. The lab exercise will guide you as you use the scientific method, laboratory tools, and standard protocols to answer that question or solve that problem. Throughout the course you will also evaluate scientific information, dig into primary research, use a lab notebook, collect and interpret quantitative data, and practice writing scientific reports.

As you work through this manual you will learn skills that you may use again in future classes, graduate school, or in a professional setting. Your manual will become a portfolio of the skills you learn as well as a record of the protocols you master. You may find it a valuable reference as you take advanced biology lab courses in the future.  

Introduction

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Lab 14 Histology: The Biology of Tissues

Lab Skill 14.1 Effectively Sketching Microscopic Images

Lab Skill 14.2 Visually Identifying Animal Tissues 

Pre-Lab Quiz 14

Problem to Solve 14.1 Can I Identify Embryonic Germ Layers?

Problem to Solve 14.2 Can I Identify Microscopic Images of Cells and Tissues of Animals?

Post-Lab Quiz 14

Lab 15 Biological Classification: Cladograms, Phylograms, and Dichotomous Keys 

Lab Skill 15.1 Creating a Dichotomous Key

Lab Skill 15.2 Creating a Cladogram

Lab Skill 15.3 Using a Nanodrop Spectrophotometer to Measure Protein Concentration

Pre-Lab Quiz 15

Problem to Solve 15.1 Can I Isolate and Determine the Concentration of Proteins from a Tissue Sample?

Problem to Solve 15.2 Can I Create a Dichotomous Key?

HOMEWORK Problem 15.2 Dichotomous Key

Problem to Solve 15.3 Can I Create a Cladogram?

Post-Lab Quiz 15

Lab 16 Zoology I: Evolution of Sponges, Jellies, and Worms
Lab Skill 16.1 Identifying Common Invertebrates (Part 1)

Lab Skill 16.2 Proteomic Analysis

Lab Skill 16.3 SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis

Pre-Lab Quiz 16

Problem to Solve 16.1 Can I Create a Protein Profile of Tissue Samples Using SDS-PAGE?

Problem to Solve 16.2 Can I Identify Unlabeled Invertebrates by Phylum and Class? 

Post-Lab Quiz 16

Lab 17 Zoology II: Evolution of Mollusks, Arthropods, and Echinoderms

Lab Skill 17.1 Identifying Common Invertebrates (Part 2)

Lab Skill 17.2 Making a Standard Curve from a Standard Electrophoresis Ladder

Pre-Lab Quiz 17

Problem to Solve 17.1 Can I Create a Standard Curve from Protein Standard Bands in my SDS-PAGE Gel?

Problem to Solve 17.2 Can I Create a Cladogram from SDS-PAGE Data?

Problem to Solve 17.3 Can I Identify Unlabeled Invertebrates by Phylum and Class?

Post-Lab Quiz 17

Lab 18 Zoology III: Evolution of Chordates

Lab Skill 18.1 Identifying Chordates

Pre-Lab Quiz 18

Problem to Solve 18.1 Can I Create a Cladogram Based on Taxonomic Information?

Problem to Solve 18.2 Can I Identify the Major Systems and Structures of a Complex Animal?

Problem to Solve 18.3 Can I Identify Unlabeled Chordates by Class?

Post-Lab Quiz 18

Lab 19 Astrobiology: Design an Animalien

Lab Skill 19.1 Creating an Effective Presentation

Pre-Lab Quiz 19

Problem to Solve 19.1 Can I Design an Organism that Is Perfectly Adapted to a Specific Environment?

Problem to Solve 19.2 Can I Create and Give a Good Digital Presentation?

Post-Lab Quiz 19

Lab 20 Animal Physiology I: Life Support Systems

Lab Skill 20.1 Using a Sphygmomanometer, Stethoscope, and ECG

Lab Skill 20.2 Using a Spirometer to Measure Lung Capacities

Lab Skill 20.3 Conducting Urinalysis

Lab Skill 20.4 Creating Effective Concept Maps

Pre-Lab Quiz 20

Problem to Solve 20.1 Can I Identify the Parts of a Mammal Heart and Trace the Path of Blood Through it?

Problem to Solve 20.2 Can I Measure Blood Flow in a Human Body?

Problem to Solve 20.3 Can I Measure Lung Volumes?

Problem to Solve 20.4 Can I Assemble the Digestive System Puzzle?

Problem to Solve 20.5 Can I Interpret Urinalysis Results?

Problem to Solve 20.6 Can I Create a Concept Map of the Human Body Systems?

Post-Lab Quiz 20

Lab 21 Animal Physiology II: Support and Movement

Lab Skill 21.1 Performing Surgery on the Dead – the Art of Dissection

Pre-Lab Quiz 21

Problem to Solve 21.1 Can I Demonstrate the Effects of Exercise and Oxygen Deprivation on Muscle Physiology?

Problem to Solve 21.2 Can I Identify Human Bones?

Problem to Solve 21.3 Can I Identify the Major Organs of a Mammal?

Problem to Solve 21.4 Can I Create a Concept Map of Muscle Fiber Physiology?

Post-Lab Quiz 21

Lab 22 Animal Physiology III: The Biology of Sex

Lab Skill 22.1 Identifying Structures of the Human Male Reproductive System and Describing Their Functions

Lab Skill 22.2 Identifying Structures of the Human Female Reproductive System and Describing their Functions

Pre-Lab Quiz 22

Problem to Solve 22.1 Can I Trace the Path of Sperm through the Male Reproductive System?

Problem to Solve 22.2 Can I Trace the Path of an Egg through the Female Reproductive System?

Problem to Solve 22.3 Can I Describe Some of the Unusual Strategies of Animal Sex?

Problem to Solve 22.4 Can I Observe the Sexual Behavior of the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach?

Post-Lab Quiz 22

Lab 23 Animal Physiology IV: Brains and Senses

Lab Skill 23.1 Understanding Neuron Physiology

Lab Skill 23.2 Identifying the Structures of a Nerve and the Spinal Cord

Lab Skill 23.3 Identifying the Anatomical and Functional Parts of a Human Brain

Lab Skill 23.4 Observing the Brain in Action

Lab Skill 23.5 Identifying the Structures of Human Sensory Organs and Describing their Functions

Pre-Lab Quiz 23

Problem to Solve 23.1 Can I Recognize the Structures of the Nervous System from Slides, Models, and Specimens?

Problem to Solve 23.2 Can I Correlate the Location of Brain Damage to Neurologic Deficits?

Problem to Solve 23.3 Do I Look, Taste, Feel, and Smell Like You?

Post-Lab Quiz 23

Lab 24 Botany I: Evolution and Characteristics of Simple Plants

Lab Skill 24.1 Understanding the Life Cycles and Characteristics of the Major Plant Phyla

Lab Skill 24.2 How to Set Up a Hydroponic Garden

Pre-Lab Quiz 24

Problem to Solve 24.1 Can I Classify Plants by Phylum and Identify Their Key Features?

Problem to Solve 24.2 Can I Observe the Activity of Guard Cells?

Problem to Solve 23.3 Can I Determine How Environmental Factors Affect Plant Transpiration?

Post-Lab Quiz 24

Lab 25 Botany II: The Evolution and Characteristics of Complex Plants

Lab Skill 25.1 Identifying Structures and Tissues of Angiosperms

Lab Skill 25.2 Using a Microtome to Make Slides of Tissues

Lab Skill 23.3 Using Fluorescent Stains and a Fluorescent Microscope to Identify Plant Tissues

Lab Skill 25.4 Using a Clinometer to Estimate the Height of a Tree

Pre-Lab Quiz 25

Problem to Solve 25.1 Can I Use a Microtome to Make Slides of Plant Tissues?

Problem to Solve 25.2 Can I Recognize Key Characteristics of Monocot and Eudicot Angiosperms?

Problem to Solve 25.3 Can I Classify Types of Fruit?

Problem to Solve 25.4 Can I Identify Local Campus Plants?

Problem to Solve 25.5 Can I Estimate the Height of a Tree?

Post-Lab Quiz 25

Lab 26 Ecology: Relationships Between Organisms and Their Environments

Lab Skill 26.1 Working With Population Models

Pre-Lab Quiz 26

Problem to Solve 26.1 Can I Determine the Habitat Range for an Organism?

Problem to Solve 26.2 Can I Use Computer Models to Predict Population Changes?

Problem to Solve 26.3 Can I Interpret Internet Claims?

Problem to Solve 26.4 Can I Observe the Biodiversity of This Campus?

Post-Lab Quiz 26

Appendix H How to Create a Standard Curve Using Excel

Appendix I How to Use ImageLab to Analyze a Gel

Appendix J Reference Charts for Animal Classification

Appendix K Concept Maps as Tools for Learning

Appendix L Self-Test for Visual Accuity

Appendix M Tangent Table

Paul Luyster
Paul Luyster
Paul Luyster earned his bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University, where he studied biology, chemistry, and philosophy. He completed a summer program at the University of Montana Biological Field Station, which is where his passion for biology really developed. He pursued a doctorate in systems ecology at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology and also earned a masters in science education from Piedmont College. He completed a graduate certificate in medical human anatomy and physiology from the University of Florida’s College of Medicine, and he is finishing a PhD in biology at the University of North Texas. He has over 30 years of teaching experience. He has been employed by Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2004. There, he has taught general biology for science majors, general biology for non-science majors, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, undergraduate biology research, and environmental biology field studies. He has received a number of teaching awards, including the NISOD Excellence Award and the Chancellor’s Quarterly Employee Excellence Award, and he was a finalist for the national Bellwether Award for Teaching. He is an active member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and is a National Academies Education Fellow. He has contributed to a number of print and digital publications, including Mastering A&P. He also sponsors a student organization for pre-nursing students and serves as the lead instructor for the Majors Biology courses at Tarrant County College, South Campus, Fort Worth, TX. Most importantly, Mr. Luyster enjoys getting to know his students and seeing them succeed as they pursue their academic and professional goals.