Biodiversity

biotechnology

obligatory courses

Classroom

The course aims to introduce students to the diversity of organisms from which biotechnology already draws inspiration or may do so in the future. By comparing selected traits of the organisms presented and relating them to the tree of life, students will have the opportunity to integrate knowledge of phylogenetic diversity with functional one.

The course is intended to acquaint future biotechnologists with the diversity of organisms from which biotechnology currently derives, or may in future derive, inspiration and practical applications.

The course focuses on presenting biological diversity from a functional perspective. Students will examine morphological and anatomical similarities and differences that have evolved independently in various, often phylogenetically distant, groups of organisms. Selected model organisms commonly used in biotechnological research will also be discussed. Various aspects of organismal biology will be presented according to specific life functions rather than within a strictly taxonomic framework. Nevertheless, the tree of life will serve as a conceptual scaffold, with evolutionary relationships among the discussed organisms indicated throughout the course. This dual-perspective approach will enable the integration of knowledge of phylogenetic diversity with functional diversity.

During the 90 hours of practical classes, the following topics will be covered:

- Selected methods for investigating organismal diversity

- Diversity of life forms – an overview of unicellular organisms, colonial forms, thalloid organisms, and simple multicellular organisms, together with their placement on the tree of life; microscopic investigations.

- The nature and diversity of sexual processes and life cycles – comparative analysis of life cycles and reproductive structures in representatives of cyanobacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals; live observations and prepared microscopic slides.

- Locomotion – analysis of the diversity of locomotory and motile mechanisms in cyanobacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals in relation to their environments; live observations and microscopic preparations.

- Nutrition and transport – overview of strategies for nutrient acquisition and biosynthesis, including autotrophy, mixotrophy, and heterotrophy; simple laboratory experiments, microscopic investigations, and live observations of cyanobacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals.

- Adaptations to environmental conditions – presentation of the diversity of ecological forms and life-history strategies of plants and animals; simple laboratory experiments and a field excursion to the greenhouse of the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden.

- Biotic interactions – overview of forms of symbiosis ranging from parasitism to mutualism, with emphasis on their evolutionary context and biotechnological applications; simple laboratory experiments and live observations.

1. Szweykowska A., Szweykowski J. 1993. Botanika. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN (obie części) [lub którekolwiek z wydań późniejszych - są one identyczne].

2. Niklas K.J. 1997. The evolutionary biology of plants. University of Chicago Press, Chicago i Londyn.

3. Judd W.S., Campbell C.S., Kellogg E.A., Stevens P.F., Donoghue M.J. 2002. Plant systematics, a phylogenetic approach. Sinauer, Sunderland (MA). Wydanie drugie.

4. Watkinson S. C., Boddy L., Money N. 2016. The Fungi (3rd Edition). Elsevier Academic Press.

5. Antonelli A. et al. 2023. State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34885/wnwn-6s63

The student:

- possesses basic knowledge of biological diversity, including the functional diversity of organisms, and understands the relationships between different scientific disciplines (K_W01);

- demonstrates knowledge of the fundamentals of the natural sciences, key conceptual categories, and scientific terminology, and is able to relate them to applications in biotechnology (K_W02);

- demonstrates the ability to use available information sources, including electronic resources (K_U03);

- is able to carry out simple research tasks under supervision (K_U04);

- performs observations and simple laboratory measurements enabling analysis of the studied phenomena (K_U05);

- demonstrates the ability to draw correct conclusions based on data from various sources (K_U06);

- demonstrates the ability to collect and characterize biological material (K_U08);

- Eligibility for the final examination is contingent upon the successful completion and submission of all laboratory reports and assigned tasks, which will be provided to students progressively throughout the course of the practical classes.

- The course is considered passed (with a minimum grade of satisfactory) upon achieving a minimum of 60% of the total possible points in the final examination

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