Ecology & Evolutionary Biology CoursesFor Distribution Requirement purposes, all BIO and EEB courses,
ENV234Y1, and JMB170Y1 are classified as SCIENCE courses (see page 27).
All students, regardless of campus or Faculty, must abide by the stated
course prerequisites and exclusions. |
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100-SERIES COURSES BIO150Y1 Evolutionary, ecological, and behavioural responses of organisms to
their environment at the level of individuals, populations, communities,
and ecosystems. A Prerequisite for advanced work in biological
sciences. Attendance at weekly lecture tutorials is voluntary, yet highly
recommended. JMB170Y1 Applications of mathematics to biological problems in physiology,
genetics, evolution, growth, population dynamics, cell biology, ecology,
and behaviour. Mathematical topics include: power functions and
regression; exponential and logistic functions; binomial theorem and
probability; calculus, including derivatives, max/min, integration, areas,
integration by parts, substitution; differential equations, including
linear constant coefficient systems; Markov processes; and chaos. This
course is intended for students in Life Sciences. SCI199Y1 Undergraduate seminar that focuses on specific ideas, questions, phenomena or controversies, taught by a regular Faculty member deeply engaged in the discipline. Open only to newly admitted first year students. It may serve as a distribution requirement course; see page 47. BIO251Y1 An introduction to the biology of plants, fungi, and algae. Diversity
of forms, reproductive patterns, structure, and physiology are emphasized.
Labs demonstrate major species groups and the relationship between
structure and function of plants. EEB202H1 The continuing impact of new scientific technologies on society through
changes in agriculture. Plant biology and domestication, genetic resource
conservation, biological invasions, environmental pollution, genetic
engineering, and biotechnology. Evaluation of the ecological implications
of advances in modern plant science. EEB214H1 Evolution and adaptation through natural selection. Concepts and
application based on faunal life goals of habitat survival, food
acquisition, predator avoidance, and reproduction. Topics include:
speciation, mutation, co-evolution, symbiosis, pollination, cannibalism,
parasitism, eusociality, and sexual and parental conflict. Essays,
debates, and reading required. EEB215H1 Introduction to the scientific discipline that deals with threats,
losses and recovery of endangered wildlife. Topics include: biodiversity,
extinction, demography, genetic diversity, nature reserves, captive
breeding; also endangered species laws, moral philosophies, and political,
economic and social justice issues surrounding biodiversity. Essays and
reading required. EEB216H1 Introduction to ecological, evolutionary, physiological, and anatomical
adaptations of marine mammals to their aquatic environment. Issues of
conservation and environmental biology will also be covered. In tutorials
the use of anatomical specimens (skulls, teeth, etc.) will be supplemented
with video and other teaching tools. EEB225H1 A statistics course designed especially for life science students,
using biological examples where appropriate. Students learn to choose and
use statistics that are appropriate to address relevant biological
questions and hypotheses. Lectures and computer labs will be used to cover
the following methods: sampling and experimental design, data exploration,
correlation, regression, EEB263Y1 The ontogeny and phylogeny of vertebrate structure are considered
within the context of evolutionary theory. Functional aspects of the
various organ systems are examined. Representative fish and mammals are
dissected in detail and other forms are dealt with briefly to illustrate
selected anatomical features and to provide practical exposure to
vertebrate construction. EEB265Y1 Diversity of animals in the world. Special attributes, requirements and
ecosystems of different groups of organisms and how they interact with
each other and with humans. Labs emphasize recognition of major groups,
and use living organisms when possible, but involve no invasive
procedures. EEB299Y1 Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project.
See page 47 for details. ENV234Y1 A broad-based science course drawing on elements from geology,
systematics, soil science, and ecology to understand past and present
environments and how humans are altering the environment. Emphasis is
placed on examination of ecological phenomena in relation to population,
community, and ecosystem processes with particular reference to the biomes
of Ontario. Descriptive and experimental laboratory studies including a
weekend field trip (total cost about $15.00). (Offered by the Department
of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Department of Geology, and the
Faculty of Forestry) EEB301H1 Offered in the summer at Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, New
Brunswick, of about 14 days duration. Informal lectures and seminars with
intensive field and laboratory work on different marine habitats and the
animals and plants associated with them. Student projects included.
EEB302H1 Two-week summer field course offered in Churchill, Manitoba.
Instruction combines lectures with field trips to local tundra and boreal
forest sites. Students are responsible for completing an independent
project based on local field work. Dates, instructors, and material
covered vary from year to year. (Offered in alternate years)
EEB303H1 A field course during Reading Week introduces students to the diversity
of biological communities in the tropics focusing on ecological and
evolutionary interactions. Plant and animal communities of the New World
tropics are compared and contrasted with temperate communities. Students
conduct small-scale research projects in the field. Lectures will be given
on Friday afternoons prior to departure. EEB304H1 A two-week course that aims to introduce students to the diversity of
plants that can be found in southern Ontario, not only in the wild but
also in botanical gardens or other living collections. The course studies
field, herbarium, and laboratory methods used in plant organismic biology
research. Topics include: plant collecting, plant identification,
preparation of voucher specimens, plant reproductive biology, and plant
diversity and phylogeny. EEB305H1 A field course offered at a Southern Ontario field station for two
weeks in May or June. Students learn the natural history of the region and
conduct a research project in the field. Projects focus on terrestrial
plant ecology, plant-insect interactions, and other topics in evolutionary
ecology selected by the students. EEB306H1 Inter-university selections from the offerings of the Ontario
Universities Program in Field Biology. Courses, of one or two weeks
duration at field sites from May through August, are announced each
January. Consult the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate
Office or website. EEB307H1 A field course at a high mountain field station for two weeks in the
summer. Students learn the natural history of alpine and subalpine biomes
and investigate major abiotic and biotic interactions. Required projects
catalogue natural diversity, examine species interactions, or assess
abiotic influences and stresses on high-altitude organisms and their
environment. EEB308H1 Offered in early or late summer for approximately two weeks. Students
conduct independent research projects and will be introduced to the
biodiversity and ecology of the tropics. Projects will be tailored to each
student’s interests and background. EEB309H1 Lectures on the biology of birds, and intensive field work emphasizing
field identification, census techniques and habitat preferences. Student
projects included. Offered for two weeks in the spring or summer at a
field station. EEB319H1 Distribution of species; population growth and regulation; interactions
within and among species; food webs; harvesting of natural resources;
diseases; pest control. Basic ecological principles and applied issues
discussed. Labs include experiments and computer
simulations. EEB321H1 A comprehensive survey of community and ecosystem ecology emphasizing
current developments and controversies. There will be two or three
required day field trips held on weekends early in the fall term. Both the
field trips and computer exercises provide training in sampling,
simulation, and data analysis. EEB322H1 A broad introduction to animal behaviour emphasizing concepts from
ethology and behavioural ecology. Field and laboratory studies are
undertaken. EEB323H1 Evolutionary biology rests on a foundation of evolutionary genetics.
This course focuses on the core ideas in population genetics and extends
to evolutionary genomics. Students are exposed to the mathematical theory
underlying evolutionary genetics and are expected to learn the
mathematical foundations underlying these ideas. Topics include the
population genetics of mutation, migration, drift, and selection, analysis
of sequence variation, and the evolution of sexual
reproduction. EEB324H1 Empirical and theoretical approaches to key areas of research including
foraging, natural and sexual selection, and life histories. Other topics
may include phenotypic plasticity, quantitative genetics, and
co-evolution. EEB328H1 An advanced treatment of the physiological mechanisms controlling plant
and animal distribution and ecological success. Topics of focus include
photosynthesis and resource balance, water and nutrient relations,
temperature effects, and adaptations to abiotic stress.
EEB330H1 The theoretical foundations of taxonomy and the types of evidence used
in constructing plant classifications. Labs emphasize taxonomic characters
and their uses. Includes an independent taxonomic project.
EEB331H1 Topics include fungal systematics, morphology, physiology, and ecology.
The roles of fungi in the environment and their importance to man. A field
trip explores the natural occurrence of fungi. Labs introduce the
techniques used for morphological and molecular identification, and for
isolation in pure culture. Students use fungal cultures to conduct an
independent experimental research project. EEB337H1 Variation in morphology, predominant breeding systems, dispersal
syndromes, and other features between families of vascular plants in the
Ontario flora are examined. Students learn key characteristics for
identification of important families of ferns, fern allies, conifers, and
flowering plants. EEB340H1 Evolution of vegetative and reproductive morphology of land plants is
examined. Lecture topics cover evolution of meristems, shoot architecture
and vascular tissue as well as evolution of the land plant life cycle, the
ovule habit, fertilization processes, and pollination biology.
EEB341H1 The microscopic structure of plants with emphasis on the
characteristics of cells and tissues, how they are formed from plant
meristems and how they function in transport, photosynthesis,
transpiration, absorption, and reproduction. (Not offered in
2007-08) EEB353H1 An examination of major ideas about biological evolution from the 18th
century to the 1930s and of their impact on scientific and social thought.
Topics include the diversity of life and its classification, the
adaptation of organisms to their environment, Wallace’s and Darwin’s views
on evolution by natural selection, sexual selection, inheritance from
Mendel to T.H. Morgan, eugenics, and the implications of evolution for
religion, gender roles, and the organization of
society. EEB355H1 An examination of ideas about biological evolution from the 1930s to
the present. Topics include the Modern Synthesis, population genetics, the
concept of biological species, ecology, sociobiology, and creationism.
EEB356H1 Lectures provide an introduction to the morphology, physiology,
development, behaviour, evolutionary history and biological significance
of insects. Labs will include demonstrations, multimedia, and independent
student projects and presentations. (Offered in alternate
years) EEB360H1 Introduction to the morphology, physiology, development, behaviour,
ecology, evolutionary history, and biological significance of insects.
Labs include making an insect collection. Mandatory one week of fieldwork
in Algonquin Park at the end of August. EEB/ZOO 360H1 can be used to
fulfil a program’s field course requirement. (Offered in alternate
years) EEB361H1 A field and laboratory course to provide practical experience in
techniques for collecting and studying insects. Students will each prepare
an insect collection and/or conduct a small-scale research project.
EEB362H1 Explores patterns of large-scale evolutionary change, played out over
large geographic expanses and extended periods of time. Integrates
patterns with field and experimental studies to clarify evolutionary
processes. Topics include: origins of species and their adaptations,
historical biogeography, co-evolution, community evolution, and the role
of evolutionary information in conservation and biodiversity initiatives.
Tutorials emphasize methods used to reconstruct phylogenetic
relationships. EEB365H1 Introduction to the study and conservation of biodiversity at all
levels genes, species, communities, and ecosystems. Includes threats to
biodiversity and approaches to maintaining biodiversity. Practicals
include computer labs and small group discussions of lecture
topics. EEB370H1 Introduction to mathematical modeling techniques used in ecological and
evolutionary theory. Applications include understanding the dynamics of
populations and ecological communities and the evolution of ecologically
important characteristics within species. Includes applied linear algebra,
dynamic systems models, optimization techniques, and game theory. Requires
good knowledge of first-year calculus, but not extensive mathematical
background. Computer lab once a week. EEB375H1 A lecture and seminar course dealing with the effects of physical and
chemical environments on animals. EEB384H1 Introduction to the natural history, evolution, and diversity of
amphibians. (Offered in alternate years) EEB386H1 Avian diversity and evolution; adaptations for flight; physiology;
migration and navigation; reproduction and social behaviour; species,
speciation, and hybridization; population trends and conservation. Local
field trips. An activity fee may be collected. EEB388H1 Natural history of mammals emphasizing ecology, community structure,
behaviour, reproduction, and life history strategies; form and function
related to different modes of life and physical environments. Labs include
a survey of Ontario mammals. (Offered in alternate years)
EEB389H1 The origin, evolution, zoogeography, phylogenetic relationships, and
diversity of mammals; speciation, extinction, and current issues in
conservation biology. Labs survey mammalian orders, their characteristics,
identification, and systematic relationships. (Offered in alternate years)
EEB398H0/399Y0 An instructor-supervised group project in an off-campus setting. See page 47 for details.
NOTE: EEB494Y1, EEB495Y1, EEB496Y1 are
courses that are advanced in level and broad in scope, emphasizing
the integration of related sub-disciplines, critical thinking, and
the
synthesis of ideas often crossing disciplinary boundaries. These courses,
generally taken in fourth year, demand active student participation,
and
typically involve several instructors. Students can normally enrol
in only one of these courses; students wishing to take more than one
should
contact the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate Office. EEB428H1 An examination of organism, population, and ecosystem responses to
long-term environmental change occurring at the global scale, with
emphasis on human caused perturbation to climate and the carbon, nitrogen,
and hydrolic cycles and their ecological effects. (Not offered in
2007-2008). EEB440H1 Major concepts in ecology and evolution from the perspective of
plant-animal interactions. The richness of interactions between plants and
animals are explored, including antagonistic interactions (e.g.,
herbivory, carnivorous plants), mutualistic interactions (e.g., seed
dispersal and ant-plant associations), and interactions involving two to
many species and across trophic levels. (Not offered in
2007-2008). EEB459H1 A focus on theoretical population genetics, using mathematical models
to understand how different evolutionary forces drive allele frequency
change. Students learn how to mathematically derive classic results in
population genetics. Topics include: drift, coalescence, the relationship
between population and quantitative genetics, selection in finite
populations, and mutation load. (Offered in alternate
years) EEB460H1 Processes of evolution at the molecular level, and the analysis of
molecular data. Gene structure, neutrality, nucleotide sequence evolution,
sequence evolution, sequence alignment, phylogeny construction, gene
families, transposition. EEB461H1 Study of the evolution of genes and genomes. Topics include: gene and
genome duplication, molecular phylogenetics, methods of detecting
selection, adaptive evolution of proteins, genome size evolution,
comparative genomics. EEB462H1 Computer-assisted methods for constructing and testing phylogenetic
hypotheses are introduced through lectures and labs. Molecular data are
emphasized although morphological data may also be considered. Character
coding, maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and
nested clade analyses are discussed. Students prepare a comprehensive term
paper based on analysis of individual data sets. (Offered in alternate
years) EEB465H1 The principles of conservation biology from a Canadian and global
perspective, including conservation practice and legislation, targets for
conservation, methods of assessment and tools for recovery. This course
provides students with an introduction to Canadian biodiversity
initiatives, as well as insights into the current questions in
conservation biology. EEB468H1 Basic ecological principles and applied issues of physical, chemical
and biological (microbes, algae, plants, invertebrates, fish) interaction
in lakes and streams. Same lectures as EEB469H1,
but no practical work. Major paper is expected to be equivalent to the
field work required in EEB469H1.
(Not offered in 2007-08; next offered in Fall
2008) EEB469H1 Basic ecological principles and applied issues of physical, chemical,
and biological (microbes, algae, plants, invertebrates, fish) interactions
in lakes and streams. Mandatory one-week field trip at the end of the
summer preceding the Fall session to learn standard sampling techniques
and data analysis and start integrating principles we will learn in class.
No other labs during Fall session. An activity fee is collected. (Not
offered in 2007-08; next offered in Fall 2008) EEB471H1 This course examines aspects of quantitative ecology including
approaches to ecological sampling, multivariate analysis of ecological
communities and environmental conditions, null models, and spatial
ecology. (Not offered in 2007-2008) EEB494Y1 Topics include evolutionary ecology and genetics, biodiversity, and
behavioural ecology. Primary literature and research seminars form the
basis for class discussion and short seminars. Discussions are led by
students. Each instructor is responsible for a separate module.
EEB495Y1 Student-directed roundtable on current topics in ecology. The topics
vary from year to year. The seminar activities include both oral and
written analyses of current research articles, and may include group
projects. Critical discussion of research methods is an important
component of the course. EEB496Y1 Topics may include: history of ethology, behavioural ecology including
predator-prey interactions, mate choice, and foraging. Evaluation is based
on presentations, participation in class discussions and written
assignments. EEB497H1/498Y1 An original research project (a literature review alone is not
sufficient) requiring the prior consent of a member of the Department to
supervise the project. The topic is to be one mutually agreed on by the
student and supervisor. They must arrange the time, place, and provision
of any materials and submit to the Undergraduate Office a signed form of
agreement outlining details prior to being enrolled. This course is
normally open only to Fourth-Year students with adequate background in
ecology, evolutionary biology or behaviour. A copy of the final written
report is submitted to the Undergraduate Office. Students are also
required to give an oral presentation of the results and/or participate in
a poster session. Students should contact their potential supervisor no
later than April/May for projects that commence in
September. EEB499Y1 Allows students to do a second independent project, supervision of
which must be different from EEB497H1/498Y1.
Operates in the same manner as EEB498Y1. |