AGR130: Biology in Agriculture - Course Notes

AGR130: Biology in Agriculture

Subject overview for the course Biology in Agriculture (AGR130).

Course Information

• Topics:
  • Stuff you need to know (schedule, timetable, assessments).
  • Why study Biology?
  • What is life?
  • How do we study life?

Instructor Information

• Joanne Ashnest: Subject coordinator.
  • PhD (2015): Embryo development and seed proteins.
  • Research Associate: Developing cold-tolerant germination.
  • Postdoc (2016-2019): Apomixis and reproductive biology in Boechera stricta, soybean, and canola.
  • BSc (Biomedicine).
  • Email: jashnest@csu.edu.au
  • Building 286/room 203
  • Phone: 02 6933 2636

Important Information

• Read the subject outline.
• Timetable details available in the subject outline.
• Office hours: Upon request (contact instructor to arrange a meeting).

Schedule

The course schedule is as follows:

Subject Outline

• Topic 1: Intro to Biology
• Topic 2: Cell biology
• Topic 3: Genes and inheritance
• Topic 4: Taxonomy, diversity and evolution
• Topic 5: Plant Biology
• Topic 6: Animal biology
• Topic 7: Agroecology
  • Jo Sujeewa (2 weeks)
  • Andrew (3 weeks)

Practicals

• Wednesdays (8.30 – 11.30am or 12 – 3pm)
• Compulsory
• Bring:
  • Lab coat, enclosed shoes, hair tied back
  • Pens/pencils/ruler/calculator
• Print and bring the practical manual.

Assessment

• Brightspace Quizzes:
  • 10% per quiz x 3 quizzes = 30% total
  • 1 hour time limit
  • Open 72 hours; closing at midnight:
    • Topics 1 – 2: 23rd March
    • Topics 3 – 4: 27th April
    • Topics 5 – 6: 25th May
• Practical exam:
  • 40%; 28th May
  • “Open Prac manual” (but not open-book)
• Final Exam:
  • 30%
  • Exam period TBA
  • Open book, open web

Questions?

• Make a discussion post on Brightspace.
• Ask at lectures/tutorials/practicals.
• Send an email to jashnest@csu.edu.au
  • Include “AGR130” and your student ID in the Subject Line.
  • Use a courteous and professional tone.
• Drop by office: 286/203 CSU Wagga Wagga
• Call: 02 6933 2636

Agriculture vs. Biology

• Biology: "bios" (life) + "logos" (study)
• Agriculture: "ager" (field) + "cultura" (growing)

Importance of Biology in Agriculture

Biology is crucial for:

• Limited space utilization
• Reduced fertilizer, chemical & pesticide use
• Less food waste
• Nutritional benefits
• Reduced environmental impacts

What is Life?

An “organism” is a living entity. Organisms exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Are made up of cells
2. Replicate
3. Acquire and use energy
4. Receive and respond to information
5. Evolve

1. Organisms are made up of cells

• Cell theory:
  • All organisms are composed of one or more cells.
  • The cell is the basic unit of life.
  • Cells arise from pre-existing cells.
• Organisms can be unicellular or multicellular.
  • Examples:
    • Unicellular: Yeast (S. cerevisiae), Bacteria (E. coli)
    • Multicellular: Wheat, Mouse, Fruit fly

2. Organisms replicate

• Reproduction can be:
  • Sexual
  • Asexual
  • Examples
    • Asexual: Bees, Puffball fungus spores, Germinating fern spores
    • Sexual: Cow and calf, Zucchini seedling

3. Organisms acquire and use energy

• Almost all energy comes from the sun.
• Organisms can be:
  • Autotrophs (primary producers):
    • Photo-autotrophs (by photosynthesis)
    • Chemo-autotrophs (by chemosynthesis)
  • Heterotrophs (consumers):
    • Chemo-heterotrophs
    • Photo-heterotrophs

4. Organisms receive and respond to information

• External stimuli:
  • Light
  • Heat
  • Chemicals
  • Sound
  • Touch/Electricity
• Internal stimuli:
  • Temperature
  • Pressure
  • Chemicals

5. Organisms Evolve

• Collectively, as populations.
• Example:
  • Bulbasaur (lvl 16) -> Ivysaur (lvl 32) -> Venusaur
  • Evolution of birds and Tyrannosauroids

How do we study life?

• Through the Scientific Process:
  • A systematic enquiry through observation and experiment.
• Rely on 3 basic principles:
  • All events can be traced to natural causes (Causality).
  • Natural laws are universal. They do not change over time or distance. (Universality).
  • Scientific facts are independent of subjective values (Value-neutrality).

The Scientific Process:

1. Observation
2. Question
3. Hypothesis
4. Prediction
5. Experiment
6. Conclusion

Testing a hypothesis

1. Controlled experiments with independent & dependent variables:
   • Control – Baseline, all possible variables are held at a constant.
   • Experimental – One variable is manipulated, others are held at a constant.
2. Replication of control & experimental groups.
3. Gathering data; quantitative vs qualitative.
4. Statistical analysis of data.
5. Interpretation of results.
6. Accept/reject hypothesis.
7. Report.
8. Peer review.

Science vs. Pseudoscience

• A theory is a general and reliable explanation, the result of extensive inductive and deductive reasoning and experimentation.
• A belief is impossible to prove or disprove and so falls outside the scope of science.
• Pseudoscience is a collection of beliefs mistakenly regarded as being based on the scientific method.
• Think skeptically!

Summary

• Everything you need to know is in the Subject Outline
• But reach out if you have any questions!
• Biology is a fundamental component of growing things, and therefore of agriculture.
• Biology can be used to improve agriculture
• “Life” is hard to define
• 5 basic principles of “organisms”
• We study biology as we study any science, through the scientific process.