Micro 401G-Biological Sciences

Western Illinois University

Micro 401G: Mycology

Semester: Fall 2012

Location: Waggoner 249

Micro 464G-Biological Sciences

Western Illinois University

Schedule: T, Th10-11:50am (Lab T and/orTh)

Office Hours:

Andrea Porras-Alfaro: T and Th1-2:30 pm, W 1-2 pm (or by appointment only).

Pre-Requisite: Bot 200, Micr 200, and Zool 200, or permission of instructor

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION:

Andrea Porras-Alfaro, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor-Biology

Office: Waggoner Hall 287

Lab: Waggoner Hall 273

Phone number: (309) 298 1267

E-mail: a-porras-alfaro AT wiu.edu

Website:

Main Goal: This course is an introduction to the biology of the fungi emphasizing their evolutionary importance, morphology, ecology, physiology, and applied aspects. You will also learn laboratory and field techniques such as isolation, culture, and identification of the main fungal groups.

Students with disabilities

“In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper accommodation(s) you must obtain documentation of the need for an accommodation through Disability Resource Center (DRC) and provide it to the instructor. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire, tornado, etc.) should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Contact Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 298-2512 for additional services.”

Required Book (available at the bookstore):

Webster J, Weber RWS. 2007. Introduction to Fungi. 3 ed. Cambridge.

Lab Manual:

This class does not have a formal lab manual. There will be readings and handouts. Laboratories may also include discussion of scientific articles.

Other recommended books:

Alexopoulos CJ, Mims CW, Blackwell M. 1996. Introductory Mycology.
Mirk PM, Cannon PF, Minter DW, Stalpers JA. 2008. Dictionary of the Fungi. 10thed. CABI.
McFarland J, Mueller GM. 2009. Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois & Surrounding States. University of Illinois, Press.
Lincoff GH, Nehring C. 1981. Field Guide of Mushrooms, National Audubon Society

Type of examinations: quizzes (short answeror practical each week), in class exams with a lab practical and laboratory reports. Some laboratory reports may include oral presentations.

Undergraduate / Graduate
Exam + Lab Practical (2 exams, 15% each) and a Final (20 %)[1] / 50% / 50%
Quizzes and assignments / 25% / 20%
Lab Reports / 25% / 20%
Graduate Student Assignment / 0% / 10%
Total / 100% / 100%

Grading Scale:

Undergraduate students:

Grade / 100 Points
A / 93-100
A- / 90-92
B+ / 87-89
B / 83-86
B- / 80-82
C+ / 77-79
C / 73-76
C- / 70-72
D+ / 67-69
D / 63-66
D- / 60-62
F / >60

Graduate Students:

90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 0-59% = F

Deadlines (it is your responsibility to keep track of deadlines):

See calendar for more details.

Outside work required: attend seminars when indicated (bonus points), reading, web exercises and assignments.

Important things that you should know about this class:

It is your responsibility to be on time. The instructor won’t repeat a quiz if you are late. Quizzes are in the first 10 minutes of class T or Th. I may not give you previous notice and quizzes may include a practical part (example: identify a fungus that was studied that day or in a previous class).The quiz with the worst grade will be eliminated.
Attendance to lectures and labs is required and expected.
Deadlines for lab reports will be announced. Specific details of how to structure your lab reports will be given for each lab.
It is your responsibility to turn in your assignments on time. You will lose 50% for each day you are late. Do not wait until the last minute. If you have questions come to office hours.
Ask questions!
Clean after you finish each lab. You willlose 50% of thepoints from your report if your lab space is not clean before you leave the class.
Food or drinks are NOT allowed in class/laboratory.
Partial Powerpoint presentations will be posted at the instructor’s discretion (e.g. images or diagrams may be posted). This will motivate you to come to class (and to stay awake!).
TURN YOUR CELLPHONES OFF DURING CLASS. NO TEXT MESSAGING ALLOWED IN CLASS. Please be respectful of these rules and your classmates.
Labs will be on T and/or Th. If you do not attend a lab (T or Th) you will lose all the points of that lab report. There will not be makeup labs in this class.
The instructor won’t discuss individual grades with students during class, please come to office hours.
Academic dishonesty is not tolerated at WIU.

WESTERNONLINE:

Instructor will post specific information about the class: images, readings, links, etc at: Please check WesternOnline before each class.

WRITING CENTER

"The University Writing Center is available to assist you with general and specific questions on writing assigned in any discipline and at any academic level. The one-on-one assistance available at the Writing Center is valuable for generating ideas, talking about global-level issues such as organization, and even working through grammatical problems. The University Writing Center is located in Simpkins Hall 341. Call for an appointment (298-2815) and be sure to bring a copy of your assignment."

Laboratory

The lab exercises you will be conducting are integrally linked to the lecture. Being prepared includes having completed any laboratory homework requirements before the start of the lab. You must also have all your supplies with you each lab session, including your lab report forms (you will find this in western online), pencil, pen, notebook, and any supplies recommended by your instructor. You will find helpful to bring your lecture notes and course textbook to the lab.

Laboratory attendance is MANDATORY. Any student with two (2) or more unexcused absences will automatically result in automatic “F” for the course. Four (4) or more absences in any combination of excused and unexcused absences will result in a 0 for the lab portion of the course and an automatic “F” for the course.

LABORATORY CONDUCT (Biology Department General Guidelines)

a)During lab you should always maintain a business-like attitude.

b)Eating and drinking are strictly prohibited in lab unless you are directed to do so by your laboratory instructor or the laboratory exercise. Any food or drinks brought into lab will be discarded to protect the health and safety of all students.

c)Cell phones are prohibited in lab. If you have an emergency that requires you to have your cell phone in your possession you must inform your instructor of this in advance.

d)During the laboratory you will be using various types of equipment. You are responsible for properly using that equipment. If you are unsure how to use a piece of equipment, be sure to ask your instructor!!! If the equipment is damaged in any way, be sure to notify your instructor immediately. Otherwise you could be held responsible for the damage.

e)You will occasionally be using stains and other chemicals that could damage clothing, therefore, you may not want to wear your best clothes to lab.

f)Common means by which students cut themselves in lab are careless use of a razor blade or scalpel or picking up broken glass. Use caution when participating in any of these activities. Request the assistance of the instructor when cleaning up broken glass.

g)At the end of each laboratory session, you are expected to clean your laboratory station, replace all materials to their original locations, submit your completed laboratory report, and check out with your laboratory instructor. Failure to do any of these may result in a lowered laboratory grade (-50% of your laboratory grade).

Student Rights and Responsibilities

As a student at WIU, you have specific rights and responsibilities. These include grade appeals, academic integrity, and other important issues. As a student at WIU you should become familiar with them (

Department of Biological Sciences

Student Rights and Responsibilities

This information was printed out from the Biological Sciences Department Website ( As part of this class it is your responsibility to become familiar with this information.

“Students at Western Illinois University have specific rights and responsibilities. These include such topics as grade appeals, academic integrity, and other important issues. If you are a student at WIU, you should be familiar with them. They can be read at the following website:

Grade Appeals Policy: “The official grade appeals policy of Western Illinois University is that students should contact the faculty member involved no later than two weeks after the start of the next semester (the semester after the one the class that is being appealed was in). There are specific protocols which must be followed. If you have a grade appeal read the website below:

Final Exams: “Normally every course has a final exam. It must be given during the specified five-day time period, and no non-lab tests may be given during the last Thursday and Friday of classes. However, final lab exams may be given on these days. Students do not have to take more than three exams in one day. If you have more, there are specific steps you can take to resolve this issue. Read:

Definition of Plagiarism: “The faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences define plagiarism as expressed by V. E. McMillan in Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences (Bedford/St.Martin's Press, New York, pg 16)

"Plagiarism is the theft of someone else's words, work, or ideas. It includes such acts as (1) turning in a friend's paper and saying it is yours; (2) using another person's data or ideas without acknowledgement; (3) copying an author's exact words and putting them in your paper without quotation marks; and (4) using wording that is very similar to that of the original source but passing it off as entirely your own even while acknowledging the source."

“This includes information in textbooks or laboratory manuals, honors and masters theses, all writing assignments, and images. The faculty of the Department attempt to monitor student writing assignments (essay exams, papers, laboratory reports, and other writing assignments or exercises) for incidence of plagiarism. If plagiarism is found, the faculty will discuss the situation with the student and indicate to the student the penalty for this academic dishonesty. Potential penalties include those cited in the academic dishonesty section of the WIU academic integrity web page:

Academic Dishonesty

“Dishonest behavior is not appropriate and is not permitted at Western Illinois University. If a faculty member suspects that a student has cheated, falsified documents, copied someone else's materials without acknowledging them, or other issues, there are specific protocols that should be followed. They are described in:

Tentative Schedule:

As indicated this is a tentative schedule, fungi not always behave in the way we want them to. Then we may chance laboratory/lecture activities depending of weather conditions and availability of materials.

Week / Lecture / Laboratory
20-24 Aug / Course introduction and introduction to general mycology / Correct use of microscopes and dissecting scopes
27 Aug-31 Sept / Introduction to Fungal Taxonomy, History of mycology, Molecular methods / Fungal Phyla, Online tools
3-7 Sept / Basidiomycota / Basidiomycota
10-14 Sept / Basidiomycota / Basidiomycota
17-21Sept / Intro to Ascomycota / Ascomycota
24-28 Sept / Exam I, Ascomycota / Lab Practical I
1-5 Oct / Ascomycota / Ascomycota
8-12 Oct / Fungal Ecology – Mycorrhizal fungi / Mycorrhizal fungi
15-19 Oct / Fungal Biotechnology / Industrial Importance of fungi
22-26 Oct / Medical Mycology / Medical Mycology
29 Oct-2 Nov / Intro Zygomycota / Zygomycota
5-9 Nov / Exam II, Zygomycota / Lab Practical II
12-16 Nov / Chytrids / Chytrids
19-23 Nov / Fall Break / Fall Break
26-30 Nov / Slime molds / Slime molds
3-7 Dec / Oomycota / Oomycota
10-14 Dec / FINAL EXAM / Lab Practical

[1] Final exam will be in finals week and will include all the materials cover in class, readings and assignments.