BIOL 1051
Introduction to Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity
Winter 2026
Topics
- Evolution – Darwin and Before
- Classification
- Prokaryotes
- Fungi
- Rise of Land Plants
- Seedless Plants
- Flowering Plants
- Introduction to Animals
- Lophotrochozoans
- Ecdysozoans
- Fishes
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Population Ecology
- Ecosystems
- Biodiversity and Conservation
Readings
- Required: BIOL 1051 Lab Manual available on D2L free of charge (required)
- Required: Biology 2e from OpenStax available free of charge on D2L or at (optional)
- Required: Understand the fundamental concepts and underlying processes of evolution.
- Required: Understand the basic principles of phylogenetics and classification.
- Required: Categorize the diversity of major lineages of microbes, fungi, and protists, and understand the primary characteristics of each lineage.
- Required: Categorize diversity of major lineages of plants, and understand the primary characteristics of each lineage.
- Required: Categorize diversity of major lineages of animals, and understand the primary characteristics of each lineage.
- Required: Remember the basic properties of populations and ecological interactions among different types of living organisms within ecosystems and biomes.
- Required: Understand the importance of these biotic and abiotic interactions in ecosystem functioning and providing the services upon which all life exists.
- Required: Understand the effects that humans have had on ecological systems and biodiversity, and identify important remediation actions.
- Suggested: OpenStax Biology 2e is a free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed textbook created as part of an ini- tiative based at Rice University. It is an excellent resource for students who would like additional information and practice questions for topics covered in this course
Winter 2026
Topics
- Evolution and phylogenetics
- classification
- microbial, fungal and protist diversity
- plant and animal lineages
- populations and species interactions
- ecosystems and biomes
- ecosystem services
- human impacts on biodiversity and remediation.
Readings
- Lab manual: Pendarvis, Exploring Biology in the Laboratory, 3rd edition; no other editions suitable. Optional: Biology 2e (OpenStax).
Winter 2025
Topics
- Evolutionary and ecological principles
- biodiversity and species interactions
- characteristics, behavior and classification of prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes, fungi, plants and animals
- laboratory investigation of biological diversity.
Readings
- Suggested: Concepts of Biology (OpenStax). Other course materials are supplied through D2L.
Winter 2023
Topics
- Evolutionary and ecological principles
- biodiversity and species interactions
- characteristics, behavior and classification of prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes, fungi, plants and animals
- laboratory investigation of biological diversity.
Readings
- Suggested: Concepts of Biology (OpenStax). Other course materials are supplied through D2L.
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- syllabus ↗Winter 2026
- Course source ↗
- syllabus ↗Winter 2026
- syllabus ↗Winter 2025
- syllabus ↗Winter 2023
- Additional readings or course materials are supplied through the course site or course pack.
- Additional readings or course materials are supplied through the course site or course pack.; BIOL1050 appears only in the note that the laboratory manual continues from the earlier course; it is not an identity for this syllabus.; BIOL 1050 is mentioned only because students may reuse its laboratory manual. It is not a second course identity.
- Additional readings or course materials are supplied through the course site or course pack.; BIOL1110 is a previous-credit exclusion; explicit title-page course code is BIOL1051.; BIOL 1110 appears only as a previous-credit exclusion. Administrative closure procedures are excluded from the topic summary.
- Additional readings or course materials are supplied through the course site or course pack.; BIOL1110 is a previous-credit exclusion; explicit title-page course code is BIOL1051.; BIOL 1110 appears only as a previous-credit exclusion. Administrative closure procedures are excluded from the topic summary.