BIO153 Lecture 1
Page 1: Introduction
Course Details
Course Title: Introduction to Biodiversity
Course Code: BIO153
Instructor: Ichiro Inamoto
University: University of Toronto Mississauga
Page 2: Understanding Biodiversity
Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)
LUCA existed approximately 4 billion years ago and is the ancestor of all cellular life on Earth.
Evolution from LUCA leads to present biodiversity via natural selection.
Fossil records are scarce for historical evolutionary processes.
Page 3: Taxonomy of Life
Classification Overview
Domains: Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Key Groups:
Domain Bacteria: Most diverse prokaryotes.
Domain Archaea: Live in extreme environments.
Domain Eukarya: Includes plants, animals, and fungi.
Unresolved lineages shown in polytomies.
Page 4: Challenges in Categorizing Organisms
Horizontal Gene Transfer
Genetic material can be exchanged between different species.
This interconnected reality complicates the traditional Tree of Life model.
Page 5: Adaptation and Evolution
Habitat Adaptation
Organisms evolve to suit various Earth habitats.
There is no single correct adaptation answer for any habitat.
Page 6: Biodiversity in Everyday Life
Observational Diversity
Flowering plant diversity can be viewed at UTM, encompassing both wild species and those planted by humans.
Page 8: Importance of Studying Biodiversity
Humans are inherently curious about their environment and themselves.
Page 9: Learning through Diversity
Human Classification
Humans learn about themselves and the Earth through the study of life.
Taxonomic Classification of Humans:
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Species: Homo sapiens
Page 10: Taxonomy and Phylogeny
Definitions
Taxonomy: Study and classification of organisms.
Phylogeny: Understanding evolutionary relationships among organisms.
Binomial naming example: Puma concolor (Cougar).
Page 11: Interactions in Ecology
Predator-Prey Dynamics
Constant organism interactions shape ecosystems.
Example: Snowshoe hare and Canada lynx populations.
Page 13: Conservation Ecology
Woodland Caribou
Habitat fragmentation due to commercial foresting affects woodland caribou sustainability.
Page 15: Human Health and Organisms
Parasitic Organisms
Important parasites include:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis).
Monkeypox virus (Mpox).
HIV (AIDS).
Page 16: Understanding Disease Spread
Epidemics and Pandemics
Epidemic: Significant disease rise in a local population.
Pandemic: Disease spread across multiple continents.
Page 17: COVID-19 Overview
Virus and Disease
Caused by SARS-CoV-2, leading to COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019).
Page 18: History of Coronaviruses
Coronaviruses Timeline
SARS-CoV-2 is one of seven known human coronaviruses, with historical precedents in epidemics.
Page 19: Previous Coronaviruses
Notable Outbreaks
SARS-CoV-1: 2002-2004 epidemic with a fatality rate of 10%.
MERS-CoV: First reported in 2012, up to 35% fatality rate.
Page 20: Impact of COVID-19
Global Impact
Approximately 612 million cases and 6.5 million deaths globally by September 2022.
Page 21: Prior Knowledge on Coronaviruses
Existing Knowledge Base
Pre-existing knowledge of coronaviruses aided in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Page 22: Course Administration
To-Do List
Review Syllabus and Quercus info.
Attend assigned lecture sections; tutorials begin Week 1.
Labs commence Week 2.