Teaching at the University of Bristol

School of Biological Sciences
Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1UG, UK

School of Biological Sciences website

Biol 12000 Biology 1B Life Processes

Nine (out of 72) lectures and three practicals on animal physiology given as part of the level 1 course in functional biology (cell and molecular biology, neurobiology, animal and plant physiology, genetics, ecology and ecophysiology). Class size 163. Course directed by Dr Steve Soffe. Recommended textbook for the whole course: Raven & Johnson's Biology - I have reviewed chapters 9 (How cells harvest energy) and 53 (Population ecology) of the 7th edition (2005) for McGraw-Hill USA.

Lectures (pdf notes)

19. Introduction to bioenergetics . pdf*
20. Glycolysis . pdf
21. Krebs cycle and electron transport chain . pdf
22. Respiration in water . pdf
23. Respiration in air . pdf
24. Blood and circulation . pdf
25. Control of respiration . pdf
26. Chemical communication . pdf
27. Endocrine control . pdf

Practicals

7. Oxygen consumption in goldfish . schedule
8. Nitrogen excretion in crayfish (schedule) and optical absorbance of haemoglobin . schedule
9. Endocrine control of colour change in tadpoles . schedule

• Experimental data from practicals 7 and 8 . class results

Tutorials

Ten one hour tutorials and four assessed essays in the first two terms, to groups of six students at both level 1 and level 2. Include practice in essay writing, electronic information retrieval, evaluating scientific literature, verbal presentation, and working in groups, as well as monitoring general progress.

• Level 1 task on electronic information retrieval

Biol 20001 Quantitative Methods in Biology

Three (out of 18) lectures and six practicals given as part of an introductory level 2 course in statistics and experimental design in biology. Class size 129. Course directed by Dr Jane Memmott.

• Practical 1 schedule - introduction to MINITAB

Biol 21403 Ecosystems and Ecophysiology

17 lectures and six practicals given as an optional course at level 2. Covered the ecological interactions and physiological adaptations of organisms to their physical environment, concentrating on aquatic systems. The course utilised the Blackboard VLE, with a class size of 111. Course directed by me, in consultation with Drs Marian Yallop and Steve Morris.

Lectures (pdf notes)

1. Introduction to aquatic systems . pdf*
2. Rivers . pdf
3. Estuaries . pdf
4. Lakes and ponds . pdf
5. Wetlands . pdf
6. Coasts . pdf
7. Shallow seas . pdf
8. Oceans . pdf
9. Extreme aquatic environments . pdf
10. Introduction to ecophysiology . pdf
11. Thermoregulation . pdf
12. Thermal tolerance . pdf
13. Thermal acclimation and adaptation . pdf
14. Metabolism . pdf
15. Respiration in water - advanced . pdf
16. Osmoregulation . pdf
17. Adaptation to extreme aquatic environments . pdf

Practicals

1. Biological assessment of water quality (BMWP index for invertebrate samples from two rivers)
2. Phytoplankton counts and biovolumes in lake water (using haemocytometer)
3. Calculation of primary productivity (data for light and dark bottles at different depths)
4. Measurement of Q₁₀ (phyllopodia beating in Artemia)
5. Osmoregulation in Arenicola
6. Computer simulation exercises

Results

• Analysis of Blackboard usage

Biol 31201 Library Project

An individual project of literature search and review for level 3 students, resulting in a 5000 word critical essay. Titles of six projects supervised in 2003:

• What impact has the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis), an invasive species, had on Guam?
• Disorientation of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtle hatchlings on nesting beaches as a result of photo-pollution
• The changing role of flagship species in conservation management and strategy
• Examining the use of ethology to assess animal welfare in intensive farming systems
• A critical analysis of the attempts to date to restore island faunas
• Fertility control as an alternative to culling

Biol 31202 Practical Project

Experimental research project, with level 3 students working in pairs but preparing individual thesis reports. Three pairs supervised in 2003 (subject areas below), and advice on statistical analysis given to students supervised by others.

• The growth pattern in the omnivorous African tortoise Kinixys spekii from photographs of scute growth rings
• Comparative utilization of space by tropical birds in the Wallace Aviary at Bristol Zoo
• Evaluation of biological and mechanical agents to stimulate ingestion of pelleted food by captive frogs

Practical Statistics for Postgraduates

Six (out of eight) lectures on basic statistical methods, and implementation in MINITAB and SPSS, given as part of a course for first year postgraduate students in biology. Class size 17, with follow-up advice given on specific research projects. Course designed by Dr Rob Thomas and Prof. Innes Cuthill.