Survey of the major trends in plant evolution, including morphological and life history variation among major plant taxa. Use of keys for local flora emphasized. Survey of general concepts in developmental biology, emphasizing molecular mechanisms of positional information, pattern formation, and cellular interactions. Stresses comparative aspects of developmental processes, and the role of development in evolution. Structure, function, and biota of freshwater ecosystems, including lakes, streams and wetlands.
Lab emphasizes independent research and field study in local habitats.
Anatomy, development, physiology, secondary compounds, evolution, human uses of plants. Adaptive and neutral models, linkage disequilibria, effective population size, inbreeding depression, population genetic structure. Labs use computers to model genetic changes in populations and analyze genetic structure. Functions of animal structures as they relate to coping with different environmental situations. Practicum in Biology.