Photo Credit: Robin Moore
Education
Available courses, instructed by the biodiversity center faculty, for undergraduate and graduate students.
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BIO 3196 Experimental Marine Biology
Summer Session - Not in 2024Instructor: Erik Cordes
Introduction to research methods and the analysis of data from marine systems. Lectures emphasize the biological and physical interactions that structure intertidal and subtidal marine communities.
BIO 5307 Conservation Biology
Spring SemesterInstructor: Brent Sewall
The Earth’s biodiversity underpins the functioning of natural ecosystems, provides a wide array of services to people, and is increasingly threatened. In this course, we examine patterns of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, and existing and potential strategies to conserve biodiversity, at local, regional, and global scales.
BIO 5416 Tropical Marine Ecology
Fall SemesterInstructor: Robert Sanders
A survey of marine biology focusing on coral reefs of the Atlantic Ocean. Lecture topics include coral biology, reef geology and ecology, coral reef biota, food webs and nutrient transfer in coral reefs, reef community organization, the biology of reef fishes, commensal and symbiotic interactions of reef organisms, and other appropriate topics.
BIO 8210 Section 002 Graduate Seminar
Fall SemesterInstructor: S. Blair Hedges
This graduate seminar covers a diversity of topics in the broad area of biodiversity research, emphasizing the latest methods and discoveries and global perspectives. Potential topics for discussion include patterns and controversies in studies of the genetic, phylogenetic, temporal, functional, and spatial dimensions of biodiversity, as well as studies that integrate multiple dimensions. Related topics for consideration may include phylogenomics, DNA barcoding, imaging of biodiversity, conservation, taxonomy, protected areas, extinction, and biodiversity hot spots, among others.
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Undergraduate Courses
BIO 1911 Introductory Biology Honors
Fall SemesterInstructor: Erik Cordes
Introductory Biology is an undergraduate survey course designed for honors students who are pursuing biology-related careers, or otherwise interested in the diversity and function of life on Earth.
BIO 2227 Principles of Ecology
Fall SemesterInstructor: Matthew R. Helmus
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of ecology from the level of individual organisms to populations, communities, ecosystems and the biosphere. It examines the physical, chemical, and biological components of ecological interactions, and includes terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
BIO 3101 Evolution
Fall SemesterInstructor: Blair Hedges
A comprehensive course in evolutionary biology, covering concepts (history, Darwin, etc.), Earth history, the origin of life, fossil record, macroevolution, adaptation, systematics, genes and populations, molecular evolution, molecular phylogenetics, speciation, biogeography, coevolution, primate evolution, biodiversity, and astrobiology.
BIO 3114 Evolutionary Ecology
Fall SemesterInstructor: Rachel Spigler
An upper-level course exploring the dynamic interface between ecology and evolution. We address questions such as: What are the ecological causes of evolution? How do ecological interactions shape the evolution of traits and origination of species? How does evolutionary history shape species interactions and community structure?
BIO 3196 Experimental Marine Biology
Summer Session - Not in 2024Instructor: Erik Cordes
Introduction to research methods and the analysis of data from marine systems. Lectures emphasize the biological and physical interactions that structure intertidal and subtidal marine communities.
BIO 3307 Conservation Biology
Spring SemesterInstructor: Brent Sewall
The Earth’s biodiversity underpins the functioning of natural ecosystems, provides a wide array of services to people, and is increasingly threatened. In this course, we examine patterns of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, and existing and potential strategies to conserve biodiversity, at local, regional, and global scales.
BIO 3316 Tropical Marine Ecology
Fall SemesterInstructor: Robert Sanders
A survey of marine biology focusing on coral reefs of the Atlantic Ocean. Lecture topics include coral biology, reef geology and ecology, coral reef biota, food webs and nutrient transfer in coral reefs, reef community organization, the biology of reef fishes, commensal and symbiotic interactions of reef organisms, and other appropriate topics.
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