Marine Invertebrates CAS BI 547 I. Course Description: This course examines the diversity of marine animals. We focus on major evolutionary innovations that occurred during the 600 million year history of animals and contemporary ecological processes that shape coastal marine communities. Topics include major features of body plans (multicellularity, symmetry, paired appendages, etc.), reproductive strategies (sex, asexual propagation, regeneration, etc.), trophic strategies (infaunal filter feeders, pelagic predators, parasites), and the responses of marine animals to environmental challenges, both natural and anthropogenic. In the laboratory portion of the course, students will conduct original research into the ecology and evolution of two close related sea anemones. (1) The starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, is a denizen of estuarine pools. Students working on “Stella” will focus on how this animal makes a living in the harsh and rapidly changing environment of a coastal salt marsh, and whether different genetic strains of the anemone are differentially adapted to stress. (2) The lined sea anemone, Edwardsiella lineata, is closely related to Nematostella, but it lives in coastal marine habitats, and it has recently evolved into a parasite. Research on “Ed” will focus on key elements of the relationship between the parasite and its comb-jelly host such as the fitness consequences of infection for the host and the mode of parasite transmission. Depending on the particular question(s) you are addressing, your research may include field work at local coastal habitats or controlled laboratory studies on whole organisms. In past years, publication-quality original data has been generated, and students have contributed as co-authors on manuscripts that report findings from the class.

II. Prerequisites: BI 107 and BI260 [or permission of instructor].

III. Course Website: http://people.bu.edu/jrf3/BI547 The course website contains all the information present in this syllabus plus additional resources including downloadable course notes, laboratory manuals, required and supplemental readings, animations, and announcements. You should consult the course web site regularly. You will be notified of important updates to the website by e-mail.

IV. Instructors: John R. Finnerty Elizabeth Burmester (TF) Office: BRB 425 Office: BRB 404 Office Hours: M:4-5; Tu:4-5; Th 12-1; Office Hours: Individually arranged appts. Phone: 353-6984 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] V. Grading ! Grades will be based on the quality of your research and a final oral research report. Discussion and collaboration among students is encouraged, but I will also be looking for signs of individual effort, scientific logic, and creativity. Hard work and enthusiastic participation will be well-rewarded. VI. Readings  Primary Text: • Invertebrate Zoology, 7th edition, by Ruppert, Fox and Barnes  Background Readings (Available as .pdf files on the course website): • Sippewissett (or, Life on a Salt Marsh) by T. Traver • Biology of the Invertebrates. by J. Pechenik. • Wild Solutions by Andrew Beattie and Paul R. Ehrlich • The Cooperative Gene : How Mendel's Demon Explains the Evolution of Complex Beings, by Mark Ridley • “Do Parasites Rule the World?” by Carl Zimmer, Discover, August 2000, pp. 80-85 • Embryology: Constructing the Organism, Eds.: Scott Gilbert and Anne Raunio, Ch. 1-2 VII. Lecture & Laboratory Schedule ! Attendance at all lectures, collecting trips, and laboratory sessions is mandatory. Your final grade will be penalized 2.5% for each unexcused absence from a lecture or lab session. Monday, SEPTEMBER 6 University Holiday Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 7 LECTURES: The Animal Kingdom & The History of Earth’s Biodiversity Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 11-21; 30-31 (“Chlorophyta” and “Choanoflagellata”); 54-55 (“Phylogeny of Protozoa”); 70-74; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 01. Earth's History of Biodiversity. 10:30-11:50 Lecture 02. The Origin of Multicellular Animals RESEARCH 1:30-4:00 Lab Discussion A. Nematostella — portrait of a saltmarsh anemone Preparation for field collection, Plum Island. Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 8 9:00-5:00 Field collection & analysis of field samples. Thursday, SEPTEMBER 9 LECTURES: Animal “Characters”Evolutionarily Derived Traits of Metazoans Readings Gilbert & Raunio, Chapter 1; Pechenik, Chapter 2; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 03. Importance of Phylogeny 10:30-11:50 Lecture 04. Important Animal Characters RESEARCH 1:30-5:00 Lab Discussion B. Edwardsiella — portrait of a parasite Analysis of field samples. Friday, SEPTEMBER 10 9:00-5:00 Field collection. Monday, SEPTEMBER 13 LECTURES: The Early Radiation of Animals Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 77-94; Geological Timescale (available on course website) 9:00-10:20 Lecture 05. The Evolutionary Radiation of Major Animal Lineages 10:30-11:50 Lecture 06. The Phylum Porifera: Sponges RESEARCH 1:00-2:20 Lab Discussion C. Environmental stressors in the marine realm. 2:30-5:00 Analysis of field samples. Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 14 9:00-5:00 Lab research / field work. Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 15 LECTURE—The “Basal” Eumetazoa (“true animals”) Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 111-130; 181-191; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 07. The Phylum Cnidaria: Hydras, Jellyfishes, Sea anemones, and corals. 10:30-11:50 Lecture 08. The Phylum Ctenophora: The comb jellies. RESEARCH 1:00-1:50 DISCUSSION: Polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. 2:00-5:00 DNA isolation from sea anemones. (continued) Thursday, SEPTEMBER 16 9:00-5:00 Lab research / field work. Friday, SEPTEMBER 17 LECTURE—Early Animal “Explosions” and the Increase of Animal Complexity Readings Raff, Chapter 3. 9:00-10:20 Lecture 09. The Evolutionary Radiation of Early Animal Lineages 10:30-11:50 Lecture 10. The Ediacaran Fauna and the Cambrian Explosion RESEARCH 1:00-1:50 Lab research Monday, SEPTEMBER 20 LECTURE—Bilaterian Coelomate Phyla, part I. the "Lophotrochozoa" Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 284-291 (“Generalized Mollusc”); 414-422; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 11. Biomechanical Analysis of Animal Locomotion 10:30-11:50 Lecture 12. The Phylum Annelida RESEARCH 1:30-5:00 Lab research. Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 21 9:00-5:00 Lab research / field work. Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 22 LECTURE—Bilaterian Coelomate Phyla, part II. the "Ecydysozoa" Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 518-542; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 13. The Phylum Mollusca 10:30-11:50 Lecture 14. The Phylum Arthropoda RESEARCH 1:00-1:50 Discussion: Environmental Stress and Gene Expression 2:00-5:00 Independent research. Thursday, SEPTEMBER 23 LECTURE—Axial Complexity / WDO's (Worms of Disputed Origins) Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 99-109; 197-222; 226-249; 757-770; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 15. The Evolution of Axial Complexity 10:30-11:50 Lecture 16. Platyhelminthes, Acoelomorpha, and Nematoda. RESEARCH 1:30-5:00 Independent research. Friday, SEPTEMBER 24 LECTURE—Parasitism / The Non-Chordate Deuterostomes Readings Zimmer: “Do Parasites Rule the World? [download via course website;] Ruppert et al., pp. 858-870; 873-889; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 17. Parasitism 10:30-11:50 Lecture 18. The Phylum Echinodermata RESEARCH 1:30-5:00 Independent research. Monday, SEPTEMBER 27 LECTURE—The Chordates Readings Ruppert et al., pp. 873-889; pp. 931-960; 9:00-10:20 Lecture 19. The Phylum Chordata 10:30-11:50 Lecture 20. The Origin of the Vertebrates RESEARCH 1:30-5:00 Data analysis & talk preparation Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 28 9:00-12:00 Talks 12:00-2:00 The Feast of Five Phyla

VIII. Academic Conduct It is each student's responsibility to know and understand the provisions of the Academic Conduct Code in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Code is available online at http://www.cs.bu.edu/ugradprogram/ conduct.html. Cases of suspected misconduct will be referred to the Dean of the College. If the Dean's office comes to the conclusion that cheating or plagiarism have occurred, a grade of zero will be awarded for the assignment in question.