Diversity of Life W/Lab

More than 3.5 billion years of evolution have resulted in the astonishing diversity of life on earth. This course will explore biodiversity through the lens of ecology, evolution, and heredity, and will investigate various topics, including: the history of life on Earth, evolutionary change, Mendelian & non-Mendelian inheritance, genetic recombination, as well as human impacts on biodiversity and ecological functioning. These processes will be studied in the lab using animal model systems, computer simulations, observations of diversity, and molecular techniques. Students will learn experimental design, data analysis, scientific writing, and various laboratory skills during weekly lab sessions.