UBC OKANAGAN COURSE OUTLINE BIOL 480: Mycology Term 1 2009

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Course Objectives

After taking this course, students will be:

·          knowledgeable of the fungi belonging to the Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

·          knowledgeable of the taxonomy, evolution, genetics, ecology and physiology of the Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

·          knowledgeable about fungi causing plant and animal diseases.

·          competent in identifying macrofungi using both traditional and molecular techniques

Course Format

This course will consist of 3 hours of lecture and one 3-hour lab per week in Term 1 every other year.  The lecture will consist of a mixture of traditional lectures and reading/discussions of peer-reviewed journal articles.  Students will write a 5-7 page review paper that examines a current topic in mycology.  The lab emphasizes the morphological and molecular identification of macrofungi as well as their classification.  The student will be required to submit a macrofungal collection and there will be at least one mandatory field trip.

Required Texts

The lecture will use the text, Deacon J. (2006) Fungal Biology.  4^th edition

The lab will use the book Arora, D. (2004) A comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi. Ten Speed Press 2nd edition.

Tentative Lecture Schedule

Week 1                  Introduction and Taxonomy (Chapter 1, 2)

Evolution, Taxonomy and life cycles of the Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Glomeromycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

Taylor, TN et al. 2004.  Fungi from the Rhynie chert: a view from the dark side.  Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, 94, 457–473,.

Week 2                  Fungal Structure (Chapter 3)

Structure and ultra structure of the Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

Van Driel, GA et al. Septal pore complex morphology in the Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota) with emphasis on the Cantharellales and Hymenochaetales

Week 3                  Fungal Growth and Spore Dispersal,  (Chapter 4, Chapter 10)

Growth and physiology unique to the Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

Deering R, Dong F, Rambo D, 2001 et al. Airflow patterns around mushrooms and their relationship to spore dispersal.  Mycologia 93 (4): 732-736.

Week 4                  Fungal Differentiation Development, nutrition and metabolism (Chapters 5,6, and 7)

Focus will be on differentiation and metabolism in fungi.

Croll, D., et al. (2008) Nonself vegetative fusion and genetic exchange in the

arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices

Week 5                  Fungal genetics (Chapter 9)

Mechanisms of genetic variation such as parasexuality, mating patterns and systems.

McGuire JC, Davis JE, Double ML, et al. 2005. Heterokaryon formation and parasexual recombination between vegetatively incompatible lineages in a population of the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica. Molecular Ecology. 14 (12): 3657-3669.

Week 6                  Molecular biology of fungi and phylogeny  (Chapter 9, handouts)

Techniques used for community and population analysis as well as for genetic engineering. 

David S. Hibbett, 2007.  A higher-level phylogenetic classification of the Fungi. Mycological Research Volume 111: 509-547

Week 7                  Mycorrhizal fungi and other fungal mutualisms  (Chapter 13)

Structure, function and their ecology, including their application to forestry and

agriculture.

Lian CL, Narimatsu M, Nara K, et al. 2006.   Tricholoma matsutake in a natural Pinus densiflora forest: correspondence between above- and below-ground genets, association with multiple host trees and alteration of existing ectomycorrhizal communities.  New Phytologist. 171 (4): 825-836

Week 8                  Population ecology of fungi  (Handouts)

Focus will be on recent results of fungal population studies.

Kretzer AM, Dunham S, Molina R, et al. 2005. Patterns of vegetative growth and gene flow in Rhizopogon vinicolor and R. vesiculosus (Boletales, Basidiomycota). Molecular Ecology. 14 (8): 2259-2268.

Week 9                  Community ecology of fungi  (Chapter 11, handouts)

Focus will be on successional patterns of communities.

Twieg B, Durall DM, Simard SW. 2007. Ectomycorrhizal fungal succession in mixed temperate forests. New Phytologist 176: 437-447.

Week 10                Fungal Pathogens of Plants and animals including those found associated with insects and humans  (Chapter 14, 15, and 16)

Medical mycology paper   To be announced

Week 11/12          Special topics in Basidiomycota and Ascomycota (Handouts)

Poisonous Mushrooms, hallucinogenic Mushrooms, edible mushrooms, beer and wine production

Poisonous mushroom paper  To be announced

Lab Topics

Introduction to identification of Macrofungi

Mushroom Stature types

Microscopic Identification of Macrofungi

Features and Identification of Agaricoid fungi

Media prep and culturing of fungi

Molecular Identification of Macrofungi

Features and Identification of Aphyllophorales

Pathogens of plant and animals

 

Lecture Evaluation

Participation in class                                           10%                       

Term Paper                                                           10%

Final Exam                                                           30%

Lecture Total                                                        50%

Lab Evaluation

Lab Exam I                                                          15%

Lab Exam II                                                        15%

Fungal Collection                                                                15%

Full Specimen Identification                               5%

Lab Total                                                              50%

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity.  As members of this enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct regarding academic integrity.  At the most basic level, this means submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas and attributing them to others as required.  This also means you should not cheat, copy, or mislead others about what is your work.  Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed.  For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or exam and more serious consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline.  Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences.

A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the policies and procedures, may be found at:  http://okanagan.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,0
If you have any questions about how academic integrity applies to this course, please consult with your professor.

A current version of the above integrity statement can be found as a .pdf in the following link:
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/ikbarberschool/facultystaff/forms.html

DISABILITY SERVICES

If you require disability-related accommodations to meet the course objectives, please contact the Coordinator of Disability Resources located in the Student Development and Advising area of the student services building. For more information about Disability Resources or academic accommodations, please visit the website at:  http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/students/disres/welcome.html <http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/students/disres/welcome.html>

Mid-term break – Term 1
The official dates for the semester are those listed on the online calendar.  Don’t forget that November 11th is the Remembrance Day holiday and November 12th is a mid-term break so classes are cancelled on both days.  See:  http://okanagan.students.ubc.ca/calendar/academicyear.cfm