Syllabus for International Olympiad on Biology (IBO)

Syllabus for Theoretical Component

The IBO theoretical examination should concentrate on biological concepts applied to the majority of

organisms of the same group. It should not contain specific facts, exceptions or knowledge about local

organisms that require special or local experiences. The majority of questions should test students'

understanding, science

process skills and application of their biological knowledge. The questions testing only knowledge should be

as few as possible and they should not exceed 25 % of the total points.

After approval of the test questions by the International Jury the maximum obtainable points for correct

answers of each particular question have to be stated in the examination papers.

Questions concerning Principles of Scientific Reasoning and Principles of Biological Methods should be

included in the Theoretical test, which should cover the following 7 topics in the indicated proportions.

In the IBO tasks the names of organisms will be the national names (no description) together with the

scientific names (Latin) in brackets.

Any description instead of name is prohibited. The organizers should construct the questions so that the

name of the organism is not a key element for answering; otherwise they should use very well known

organisms (general representatives of a group) mentioned in the list for biosystematics.

I Cell biology

Structure and function of cells

- Enzymes

. Chemical structure: apoenzyme and coenzyme

. Model for enzyme action: enzyme binds with substrate

. Denaturation

. Nomenclature

- Nucleic Acids : DNA, RNA

- Other important compounds

. ADP and ATP

. NAD+ and NADH

. NADP+ and NADPH

* Organelles

nucleus - nuclear envelope

- (nucleohyaloplasm)

- chromosomes

- nucleoli

cytoplasm - cell membrane

- hyaloplasm

- mitochondria

- endoplasmatic reticulum

- ribosomes

- Golgi apparatus

- lysosomes

- vacuole membrane

- proplastides

- plastides . chloroplasts

. chromoplasts

. leucoplasts)

(e.g. amyloplasts)

Plant cells are surrounded with a cell wall

* Cell metabolism

- Breakdown of carbohydrates

. Anaerobic break down (anaerobic respiration) of glucose:

glycolysis

. Aerobic break down (aerobic respiration) of glucose: glycolysis

citric acid cycle

oxidative phosphorylation

- Dissimilation of fats and proteins

- Assimilation

. Photosynthesis

. Light reaction

. Dark reaction (Calvin cycle)

* Protein synthesis

- Transcription

- Translation

- Genetic code

* Transport through membranes

- Diffusion

- Osmosis, plasmolysis

- Active transport

* Mitosis and meiosis

- Cell cycle: interphase (replication) and mitosis (prophase -

metaphase - anaphase - telophase)

- Chromatids, equatorial plate, haploid and diploid, genome,

somatic and generative cells, gamete, crossing over

- Meiosis I and meiosis II.

Microbiology

* Prokaryotic cell organization

* Morphology

* Phototrophy and chemotrophy

Biotechnology

* Fermentation

* Genetic manipulation of organisms

II Plant anatomy and physiology (15 %)

(with emphasis on seed plants)

Structure and function of tissues and organs involved in:

* Photosynthesis, transpiration and gas exchange

- Leaf : structure; function stomata

* Transport of water, minerals and assimilates

- Root : structure (endodermis)

- Stem : structure (vascular bundles)

* Growth and development

- Apical meristem and cambium

- Germination

* Reproduction (ferns and mosses included)

- Asexual reproduction (clone forming)

- Sexual reproduction

. Structure of flowers

. Pollination

. Double fertilization

- Alternation of generation in seed plants, ferns and mosses

Appendix I: Theoretical Content International Biology Olympiad

37

III Animal anatomy and physiology (25 %)

(with emphasis on vertebrates and especially man)

Structure and function of organs and tissues involved in

* Digestion and nutrition

- Digestive tract (including liver, gall bladder and pancreas)

- Mechanical and chemical breakdown of food

- Absorption

- Food components (water, minerals, vitamins, proteins,

carbohydrates and fats)

* Respiration

- Breathing mechanism

- Gas exchange

- Respiratory organs

* Circulation

- Blood : blood plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, blood

platelets

- Blood circulation : arteries, capillaries, veins, heart

- Lymphatic system : tissue fluid, lymph

* Excretion

- Structure of the renal system

- Urine production

* Regulation (neural and hormonal)

- Nervous system : peripheral nervous system, central nervous

system (spinal cord and brain), autonomic nervous system

(sympathetic and parasympathetic), reflexes, sense organs

(eyes and ears)

- Endocrine system : pituitary gland, thyroid gland, islets of

Langerhans, adrenal medulla, adrenal cortex, ovaries and

testes

* Reproduction and development

- Structure and function of male and female reproductive

systems

- Ovulation and menstrual cycle

- Fertilization

- Formation of ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm

- Embryonic membranes

* Immunity

- Antigens, antibodies

Appendix I: Theoretical Content International Biology Olympiad

38

IV Ethology (5 %)

* Methodology of Ethology

* Innate and Learned Behavior

* Communication and Social Organization

* Foraging Behavior

* Defensive Behavior

* Mating systems and Parental care

* Biorhythms

V Genetics and Evolution (20 %)

* Variation : mutation and modification

* Mendelian inheritance

- Monohybrid cross

- Dihybrid cross

- Polyhybrid cross

* Multiple allelism, recombination, sex linkage

* Hardy-Weinberg principle

* Mechanism of evolution

- Mutation

- Natural selection

- Reproductive isolation

- Adaptation

- Fitness

VI Ecology (10 %)

* Individual Organisms

- Unitary and modular organisms

* Population

- Population structure

. dispersion, age, size and sex structure

- Population dynamics

. birth rate, death rate

. exponential and logistic growth, carrying capacity

- Population regulation

. metapopulation dynamics

* Biotic Communities

- Species reachness and diversity

- Niche, competition exclusion principle

- Interspecific Interactions

. competition, predation, symbiosis

- Community dynamics

. succession

- Terrestrial biomes

Appendix I: Theoretical Content International Biology Olympiad

39

- Aquatic biomes

* Ecosystems

- Trophic structure

. food webs

- Trophic levels

. producers, consumers, decomposers

- Energy flow

- Productivity

. gross and net primary productivity

. energy transfer efficiencies

- Matter flux through ecosystems

- Global biogeochemical cycles

* Biosphere and man

- Human population growth

- Pollution

. threats of biodiversity

. in situ conservation

. ex situ conservation

VII BIOSYSTEMATICS (5 %)

- Structure and function, evolutionary and ecological relationships among typical organisms in the following

groups. Knowledge of scientific terms will not be required for successful solution of the tasks. However,

competitors should know what the named representatives of genera mentioned below look like.

Domain Archaea Methanobacterium,

Halobacterium,Thermoplasma,

Sulfolobus

Domain Bacteria Agrobacterium, Anabaena,

Bacillus, Escherichia,

Rhizobium, Salmonella,

Streptomyces

Syllabus for the Experimental Component

Please note:

 The syllabus for  National Standard Examination in Biology (NSEB) is broadly  equivalent to the senior

secondary level (Class XI and Class XII) of CBSE Biology. This is only a rough guideline, and there is no

detailed syllabus given for NSEB.

 The syllabus for Indian National Biology Olympiad (INBO) is broadly similar to NSEB but the difficulty

level of the questions will be higher. Questions and problems in National Olympiads are usually non-

conventional and of high difficulty level, comparable to International Olympiads.