ZOOL 101 : Principles of Zoology

An introduction to the study of animal life. Basic principles of biology are covered including the role of plants as primary producers of chemical energy. The mechanisms of digestion, circulation, osmoregulation, excretion, locomotion, nerve action and reproduction in representative animals are discussed. The chemical and cellular mechanisms involved in the transmission of inheritance are studied. The evolution of plant and animal life, the interaction of organisms in their environment, food chains and trophic levels, and ecological distributions are introduced. Representative animal phyla including both invertebrates and vertebrates are studied from the viewpoint of systematics and structural characters. This course is designed to provide the student with basic information and vocabulary in preparation for advanced courses in zoology and biology.