The goal of this project is to improve the curriculum by providing enhanced hands-on field and/or laboratory exercises in Introductory Biology, Ecology, lnvertebrate Zoology, Microbiology, Developmental Biology, Cell Physiology, Plant Systematics, Genetics and Evolution, and Marine Biology. The purchase of a refrigerated marine aquaria and a freshwater table, environmental chambers, incubators, a sieve shaker and sieves, a plant dryer and herbarium case, and microvideo systems allow the incorporation of exercises such as isolation of microorganisms from marine sediments and soils, study of the behavior of marine invertebrates in aquaria, the culture of cells and microorganisms, observation of developmental events in slime molds, yeasts and avian embryos, growth of short life cycle plants, and successful preparation of herbarium specimens. Students benefit from the addition of field- collected and cultured live animals, plants and microorganisms to laboratory exercises, and the integration of field work with laboratory exercises, and more organisms are available for student research projects.
