Jamb Biology Syllabus and Recommended Textbooks to Read

A.i. deduce the effects of temperature; rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, altitude, salinity, turbidity, pH and edaphic (soil) conditions on the distribution of organisms.

ii. use appropriate equipment (e.g. secchi disc, thermometer, rain gauge etc) to measure abiotic factors.

B.

i. describe how the activities of plants/animals (particularly human) affect the distribution of organisms.

Candidates should be able to:i. locate biomes in regions.

ii. apply the knowledge of the features of the listed local biomes in determining the characteristics of different regions of Nigeria.

i. associate plants and animals with each of these habitats.B.

i. relate adaptive features to the habitats in which an organism lives.

B.i. relate soil characteristics, types and components to the healthy growth of plant.

C.

i. relate such factors as loss of inorganic matter, compaction, leaching, erosion of the top soil and repeated cropping with one variety.

D.

i. apply the knowledge of the practice of contour ridging, terracing, mulching, poly-cropping, strip-cropping, use of organic and inorganic fertilizers, crop rotation, shifting cultivation, etc to enhance soil conservation.

ii. organic

iii. soil organisms

iv. soil air

v. soil water.

(c)Soil fertility:

i. loss of soil fertility.

ii. Renewal and maintenance of soil fertility.

ii. outline the benefits of conserving natural resources, prevention of desertification.

iii. identify the bodies responsible for the conservation of resources at the national and international levels (e.g. Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigeria National Parks, World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and their activities.

iv. asses their activities.

A.i. identify ecological conditions that favour the spread of common endemic and potentially epidemic disease e.g. malaria, meningitis, drancunculiasis, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, typhoid fever and cholera etc.

ii. relate the biology of the vector or agent of each disease with its spread and control.

B.

i. use the knowledge of the causative organisms, mode of transmission and symptoms of the listed diseases to their prevention/treatment/control.

ii. apply the principles of inoculation and vaccination on disease prevention.

(a) Common and endemic diseases.(b) Easily transmissible diseases and disease syndrome such as:

i. poliomyelitis

ii. cholera

iii. tuberculosis

iv. sexually transmitted disease/syndrome (gonorrhea, syphilis, AIDS, etc).

Candidates should be able to:i. Know the location and importance of game reserves and National parks in Nigeria.

i. categorize pollution into air, water and soil pollution.ii. relate the effects of common pollutants to human health and environmental degradation.

iii. determine the methods by which each pollutant may be controlled.

B.

i. examine the importance of sanitation with emphasis on solid waste sewage disposal, community health and personal hygiene.

ii. assess the roles and functions of international and national health agencies (e.g. World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), International Red Cross Society (IRCS), and the ministries of health and environment.

ii. associate the distribution of organisms with food chains and food webs in particular habitats.

i. relate increase in population, diseases, shortage of food and space with intra- and inter-specific competition.B.

i) determine niche differentiation as a means of reducing intra-specific completion.

C.

i) relate competition to succession.

i. determine the reasons for rapid changes in human population and the consequences of overcrowding.ii. compute/calculate density as the number of organisms per unit area.

i. provide evidences for evolution such as fossil records, comparative anatomy, physiology and embryology.ii. trace evolutionary trends in plants and animals.

iii. provide evidence for modern evolutionary theories such as genetic studies and the role of mutation.

i. relate organic evolution as the sum total of all adaptive changes that have taken place over a long period of time resulting in the diversity of forms, structure and functions among organisms.ii. examine the contributions of Lamarck and Darwin to the theory of evolution.

iii. know evidences in support of organic evolution.

i. apply the knowledge of the conditions necessary for germination on plants growth.

ii. differentiate between epigeal and hypogeal germination.

Candidates should be able to:i. identify the transverse sections of these organs.

ii. relate the structure of these organs to their functions.

iii. identify supporting tissues in plants (collenchyma) sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem fibres).

iv. describe the distribution of supporting tissues in roots, stem and leaf.

i. examine the arrangement of the mammalian internal organs.ii. describe the appearance and position of the digestive, reproductive and excretory organs.

Candidates should be able to:A.

i. locate the listed endocrine glands in animals.

ii. relate the hormone produced by each of these glands to their functions.

B.

i. examine the effects of various phytohormones (e.g. auxins, gibberellin, cytokinin, and ethylene) on growth, tropism, flowering, fruit ripening and leaf abscission.

(b) Plant hormones (phytohormones).

Candidates should be able to:i. apply the knowledge of the structure and function of the central nervous system in the coordination of body functions in organisms.

ii. illustrate reflex actions such as blinking of the eyes, knee jerk etc.

iii. differentiate between reflex and voluntary actions as well as conditioned reflexes such as salivation, riding a bicycle and swimming.

Candidates should be able to:i. associate the listed sense organs with their functions.

ii. apply the knowledge of the structure and functions of these sense organs in detecting and correcting their defects.

i. define the meaning and state the significance of excretion.

ii. relate the characteristics of each structure with functions.

A.

i. indicate the sources of the various classes of food;

ii. relate the importance and deficiency e.g. scurvy, rickets, kwashiorkor etc. of each class;

iii. determine the importance of a balanced diet.

B.

i. detect the presence of the listed food items from the result of a given experiment.

C.

i. describe the structure of a typical mammalian tooth;

ii. differentiate the types of mammalian tooth and relate their structures to their functions.

iii. compare the dental formulae of man, sheep, and dog.

D.

i. relate the structure of the various components of the alimentary canal and its accessory organs (liver, pancreas, and gall bladder) to their functions.

E.

i. identify the general characteristics of digestive enzymes;

ii. associate enzymes with digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats;

iii. determine the end products of these classes of food.

ii. provide examples from both flowering and non-flowering plants.

iii.compare autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition.

i. differentiate the light and dark reactions, and state conditions necessary for photosynthesis.ii. determine the necessity of light, carbon (IV) oxide and chlorophyll in photosynthesis.

iii. detect the presence of starch in a leaf as an evidence of photosynthesis.

B.

i. identify macro-and micro-elements required by plants.

ii. recognise the deficiency symptoms of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

i. differentiate the following examples:

– holozoic (sheep and man)

– Parasitic (roundworm, tapeworm and Loranthus)

– saprophytic (Rhizopus and mushroom)

– carnivorous plants (sundew and bladderwort)

ii. determine their nutritional value.

i. differentiate between asexual and sexual reproduction.ii. apply natural vegetative propagation in crop production and multiplication.

iii. apply grafting, budding and layering in agricultural practices.

Candidates should be able to:A.

i. differentiate between male and female reproductive organs.

ii. relate their structure and function to the production of offspring.

B.

i. describe the fusion of gametes as a process of fertilization.

ii. relate the effects of the motherÂ’s health, nutrition and indiscriminate use of drugs on the developmental stages of the embryo up to birth.

iii. Modern methods of regulating reproductive on e.g. invitro fertilization and birth control.

Candidates should be able to:i. relate parts of flower to their functions and reproductive process.

ii. deduce the advantages of cross pollination.

iii. deduce the different types of placentation that develop into simple, aggregate, multiple and succulent fruits.

Candidates should be able to:i. examine the role of oxygen in the liberation of energy for the activities of the living organisms.

ii. deduce the effect of insufficient supply of oxygen to the muscles.

Candidates should be able to:i. use yeast cells and sugar solution to demonstrate the process of fermentation.

ii. know the economic importance of yeasts.

i. examine the significance of respiration.ii. describe a simplified outline of the chemical process involved in glycolysis and krebs cycle with reference to the role ATP.

iii deduce from an experimental set up, gaseous exchange and products, exchange and production of heat energy during respiration.

Candidates should be able to:i. describe the following respiratory organs and surfaces with organisms in which they occur; body surface, gill, trachea, lungs, stomata and lenticel.

i. describe the mechanism for the opening and closing of the stomata.ii. determine respiratory movements in these animals.

(a) The mechanism of gaseous exchange in:i. plants

ii. mammals

i. determine the need for support and movement in organisms.ii. identify supporting tissues in plants (collenchyma, sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem fibres).

iii. describe the distribution of supporting tissues in roots, stem, and leaf.

Candidates should be able to:i. relate the location of chitin, cartilage and bone to their supporting function.

ii. relate the structure and the general layout of the mammalian skeleton to their supportive, locomotive and respiratory function.

iii. differentiate types of joints using appropriate examples.

Candidates should be able to:i. determine the sources of materials and the forms in which they are transported.

Candidates should be able to:i. determine the relationship between increase in size and complexity and the need for the development of a transport system in plants and animals.

i. determine heritable and non-heritable characters with examples.

B.

i. illustrate simple structure of DNA.

C.

i. illustrate segregation of genes at meiosis and recombination of genes at fertilization to account for the process of transmission of characters from parents to offspring.

D.

i. deduce that segregation of genes occurs during gamete formation and that recombination of genes at fertilization is random in nature.

E.

i. analyze data on cross-breeding experiments.

ii. apply the principles of heredity in the production of new varieties of crops and livestock through cross-breeding.

iii. deduce advantages and disadvantages of out-breeding and in-breeding.

iv. analyze elementarily the contentious issues of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and gene therapy and biosafety.

F.

i. apply the knowledge of heredity in marriage counselling with particular reference to blood grouping, sickle-cell anaemia and the Rhesus factors.

ii. examine the significance of using recombinant DNA materials in the production of important medical products such as insulin, interferon and enzymes.

G.

i. identify characters that are sex linked.

Content

(a) Inheritance of characters in organisms:

i. Heritable and non-heritable characters.

(b) Chromosomes – the basis of heredity:

i. Structure

ii. Process of transmission of hereditary characters from parents to offspring.

(c) Probability in genetics and sex determination.

(d) Application of the principles of heredity in:

i. Agricultureii. Medicine

(e) Sex–linked characters e.g. baldness, haemophilia, colour blindness, etc.

Candidates should be able to:i. apply the knowledge of blood groups in blood transfusion and determination of paternity.

ii. use discontinuous variation in crime detection.

A.

i. differentiate between continuous and discontinuous variations with examples.

ii. relate the role of environmental conditions, habitat and the genetic constitution to variation.

B.

i. measure heights and weight of pupils of the same age group.

ii. plot graphs of frequency distribution of the heights and weights.

C.

i. observe and record various colour patterns in some plants and mammals.

D.

i. apply classification of fingerprints in identity detection.

Candidates should be able to:i. identify some specific examples of physiological variation among human population.

ii. Categorize people according to their physiological variation.

i. categorize countershading in fish, toads and snakes and warning colouration in mushrooms.

Candidates should be able to:i. differentiate various castes in social insects like termites and their functions in their colony hive.

ii. Account for basking in lizards, territorial behavior of other animals under unfavourable conditions (hibernation and aestivation).

i. analyse external features and characteristics of the listed organisms:

ii. apply the knowledge from (i) above to demonstrate increase in structural complexity.

iii. trace the stages in the life histories of the listed organisms.

iv. apply the knowledge of the life histories to demonstrate gradual transition from life in water to life on land.

v. trace the evolution of the listed plants.

vi. trace the advancement of the invertebrate animals.

vii. determine the economic importance of the insects studied.

viii. asses their values to the environment.

ix. trace the advancement of multi-cellular animals.

x. determine their economic importance.

(a) Monera (prokaryotes), e.g. bacteria and blue green algae.(b) Protista (protozoans and protophyta), e.g. Amoeba, Euglena and Paramecium.

(c) Fungi, e.g. mushroom and Rhizopus.

(d) Plantae (plants):

i. Thallophyta (e.g. Spirogyra)

ii. Bryophyta (mosses and liveworts) e.g. Brachmenium and Merchantia.

iii. Pteridophyta (ferns) e.g. Dryopteris.

iv. Spermatophyta (Gymnospermae and Angiospermae)

– Gymnosperms e.g. Cycads and conifers.

– Angiosperms (monocots, e.g. maize; dicots, e.g. water leaf).

(e)Animalia (animals)

i. Invertebrates

– coelenterate (e.g. Hydra)

– Platyhelminthes (flatworms) e.g. Taenia

– Nematoda (roundworms)

– Annelida (e.g. earthworm)

– Arthropoda e.g. mosquito, cockroach, housefly, bee, butterfly

– Mollusca (e.g. snails).

ii. Multicellular animals (vertebrates)

– pisces (cartilaginous and bony fish)

– Amphibia (e.g. toads and frogs)

– Reptilia (e.g. lizards, snakes and turtles)

– Aves (birds)

– Mammalia (mammals).

4.  Living organisms

Objectives

Candidates should be able to:

Content

(a) Characteristics.

(b) Cell structure and functions of cell Components.

(c) Level of organization:

i. Cell e.g. euglena and paramecium.

ii. Tissue, e.g. epithelial tissues and hydra.

iii. Organ, e.g. onion bulb.

iv. Systems, e.g. reproductive, digestive and excretory.

v. Organisms e.g. Chlamydomonas.

Candidates should be able to account for adaptation in organisms with respect to the following:i. Obtaining food (beaks and legs of birds, mouthparts of insects, especially mosquito, butterfly and moth).

ii. Protection and defence (stick insects, praying mantis and toad).

iii. Securing mates (redhead male and female Agama lizards, display of fathers by birds).

iv. Regulating body temperature (skin, feathers and hairs).

v. Conserving water (spines in plants and scales in mammals).

i. describe how the various structures, functions and behaviour adapt these organisms to their environment, and way of life.