Udo Savalli's BIO 113 Page

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BIO 113— Dinosaurs Updated 14 November 2024

Course Information

Description: Principles of evolution, ecology, behavior, anatomy and physiology using dinosaurs and other extinct life as case studies. Geological processes and the fossil record. Day field trip on weekend required. Cannot be used for major credit in the biological sciences. General studies: SG.

Current Sections:

Lecture: TTh 9:00-10:15, Sands 230
Lab: Fri 10:30-1:15, CLCC 353

Texts: U.M. Savalli 2024. Dinosaurs: A Laboratory Manual.
Optional: D.E. Fastovsky & D.B. Wishampel, 2021. Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History, 4th ed. Cambridge Univ. Press.

The Instructor: Udo M. Savalli

Announcements & Upcoming

Nov 6 — Last day to withdraw
Nov 9 — Optional Fossil Collecting Field Trip
Nov 15 — Optional Field Notes Due
Nov 26 — AZ MNH Worksheet Due
Nov 28-29 — Thanksgiving — No Class
Dec 5 — Lecture Exam 3
Dec 12 — Final Exam: 7:30 am (Optional)

Tentative Lecture Schedule
(Fall 2024)

Week of:	Topic:	Chapters in Text:
August 22 —	Course Introduction
27-29 —	Scientific Method; History of Dino Exploration	1, 15
September 3-5 —	Fossils & Paleontological Techniques	1
September 10-12 —	Stratigraphy; Evolution	2, 3
17-19 —	Phylogenetic Trees & Classification	3
24-26 —	Exam 1, Sep 24 Phylogenetic Analysis	3
October 1-3 —	History of Earth; Plate Tectonics	2
8-10 —	Extinctions	17
15-17 —	No Class—Fall Break, Oct 15 Vertebrate Anatomy & Diversity	4
22-24 —	Reptile Diversity	4, 15
29-31 —	Exam 2, Oct 29 Dinosaur Origins	4, 5
November 5-7 —	Dinosaur Diversity	7, 9-12
12-14 —	Dinosaur Gigantism	9, 13
19-21 —	Dinosaur Diets and Defenses	6, (244-54), 10
26-28 —	Growth, Development & Metabolism No Class—Thanksgiving, Nov 28	13, 14
December 3-5 —	The Origin of Birds Exam 3, Dec 5	5, 8

Lab Schedule
(Fall 2024)

Date:	Topic:	Lab Manual Exercises:
Aug 23 —	No Lab	none
Aug 30 —	Introduction to Rocks	1
Sep 6 —	Introduction to Fossils	2
Sep 13 —	Estimating Age of Rocks	3
Sep 20 —	Abundance & Diversity Over Time	6
Sep 27 —	Evolution & Phylogenetic Methods	4
Oct 4 —	The Vertebrate Skeleton	7, 8
Oct 11 —	Diet and Teeth	9
Oct 18 —	Prehistoric Reptiles	12
Oct 25 —	Pterosaurs; Dinosaur Origins; Sauropods	13-15
Nov 1 —	Ornithischian Dinosaurs	16
Nov 8 —	Theropod Dinosaurs	17
Nov 15 —	Allometry & Body Size	10, 11
Nov 22 —	The Origin of Birds	18
Dec 6 —	No Lab