BIOL 305: Comparative Animal Physiology
(Co-taught with Dr. Weihong Lin)
Functional features of whole organisms and their component organs and organ systems will be studied. Emphasis will be on ways in which diverse organisms at various phylogenetic levels perform similar functions. Examples of topics include osmoregulation, gas exchange, control systems, sensors, effectors, brain and behavior. Prerequisite: You must have completed BIOL 303 with a grade of C or better. In addition, you must be concurrently enrolled PHYS 112 or 122 or have completed those courses in a previous semester with a grade of C or better.
BIOL 480 / 680: Animal Behavior
This course explores the general themes and important questions in animal behavior. We cover subjects that examine how and why animals interact in the way they do with each other and with their environment. Topics will include the genetics of behavior, behavioral development, learning, animal communication, habitat selection, foraging, sexual selection, and mating systems, among others. This is a quantitative course, a familiarity with basic college-level statistics and mathematics is assumed. Prerequisite: BIOL 142 or equivalent.
BIOL 769: Seminar in Evolution and Ecology
This course is intended primarily for students engaged in research in ecology and evolution. Students and faculty will present results of their recent experiments and/or important papers from current literature for critical discussion. Participation in the discussion of the work of others is expected. Note: May be repeated for credit.