INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY: COURSES
Students must normally have completed the prerequisites indicated, but under special circumstances may be permitted to take a particular course with the consent of the instructor.
Not all courses listed will necessarily be taught each year. Where enrollment limits are placed on specific courses, students who require these courses as part of their program will be given preference.
BIOL-1013. Organisms and the Environment
Organisms interacting with other organisms and with their physical environment. Ecological impacts of human activity. This course is offered on-campus and as a distance course. (Intended for non-majors and students requiring preparation for BIOL-1111 and BIOL-1101.)(Not counted for credit in any Faculty of Science program.) (2 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-1101. Cell Biology
Examination of the principles governing living systems, with emphasis on the molecular and cellular basis of life, molecular genetics, energetics, differentiation, and development. (Grade 12 “U” Biology or equivalent, or BIOM-1003 and BIOL-1013 are strongly recommended) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-1111. Biological Diversity
Principles governing living systems; the origins and diversity of life; evolution, reproduction, and heredity; the structure and function of viruses through plants and animals; basic principles of ecology. (Grade 12“U” Biology or equivalent, or BIOM-1003 and BIOL-1013 are strongly recommended) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-2040.Human Physiology I
Introduction to human physiology: a systems approach. Topics include homeostasis and feedback control, enzymes and energy, membrane transport, metabolism, and the nervous, skeletal muscle, and cardiovascular systems. This course is offered on-campus and a distance course. (Prerequisites: any two first year biology courses.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-2050.Human Physiology II
Introduction to human physiology: a systems approach. Topics include respiratory, endocrine, digestive and renal systems, and control of metabolism. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2040 or consent of instructor.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-2070.Introductory Microbiology
Growth, genetics, structure, physiology, and diversity of microbes and viruses. This course is offered on-campus and as a distance course. (Prerequisites: any two first year biology courses; Antirequisite: BIOL-2071.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-2071.Introductory Microbiology and Techniques
Growth, genetics, structure, physiology, and diversity of microbes and viruses. (Antirequisites: BIOL-2070; prerequisites: BIOL-1111 and BIOL-1101.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week including follow-up visits outside scheduled times)
BIOL-2080.Economic Botany
Earth’s biosphere is the product of plant activity and animal life and is ultimately dependent on plants. This course provides basic plant biology as a background to a discussion of the relationship between humans and plants, particularly economically important plants and their products. Plants used for food, flavours, drugs, stimulants, fuel and/or industrial raw materials will be explored. (Prerequisite: BIOL-1111 and BIOL-1101 or permission of the instructor.) (3 lecture hours.)
BIOL-2101.Ecology
Introduction to the fundamental concepts of ecology including factors affecting species distribution, reproductive strategies, population growth and regulation, species interactions, and community level organization and energetics. (Prerequisites: BIOL-1111 and BIOL-1101.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory/discussion hours a week.)
BIOL-2111.Genetics
The course reviews transmission genetics and principles of inheritance. The material also includes non-nuclear inheritance and gene linkage, gene expression and regulation, mechanisms and phenotypic effects of DNA mutation and repair, and the principles and applications of population and quantitative genetics. Students will be exposed to molecular genetic techniques such as PCR and DNA sequencing. (Antirequisite: BIOM-2093; Prerequisite: BIOL-1111 and BIOL-1101.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-2480.Principles of Neuroscience
This course is meant to serve as a survey course that will provide familiarity with and an understanding of the basic principles of Neuroscience. The main emphasis will be on the morphology of neural systems, processes of neural signalling and communication, and how such basics relate to sensory processes and behaviour. The main purposes of the course are to provide a background for students interested in, and those taking higher level courses related to the neurosciences. (Prerequisites: BIOL-1111, BIOL-1101, and BIOL-2040 (or KINE-1050 or KINE-2600), or permission of instructor.) (3 lecture hours.)
BIOL-3022. Research Principles and Study Design in Biological Sciences
Introduction to the logic and principles used to develop sound and efficient studies in the biological sciences: generating, testing, and discriminating among hypotheses; dealing with unwanted sources of variation; ; selecting and executing statistical analyses and evaluating their assumptionss and appropriate choice of statistical analysis. Instruction in the use of selected network and personal computer software for data analysis and presentation. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101, BIOL-2111, BIOM-2131, and STAT-2910, or consent of instructor.) (3 lecture, 2 laboratory/tutorial hours a week.)
BIOL-3142.Evolution
Topics include the interaction of gene mutation, selection, and population characteristics in the process of evolution, mechanisms of speciation, and current problems in evolution. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2111.) (3 lecture hours and 1 tutorial hour a week.)
BIOL-3201. Applied Entomology
Students will become familiar with insect taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, behaviour and ecology and apply this knowledge in studying the utility of insects within the applications of pest management, disease transmission and legal investigations. The course will cover the detection, collection, identification and analysis of insect evidence, as well as the current state of knowledge in the use of insect evidence. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101 and semester 5 standing or above) (Cross-listed with FRSC-3201)
BIOL-3212. Environmental Physiology
This course is designed to introduce students to the diversity of adaptations possessed by organisms (including humans) enabling them to successfully interact with and survive in their abiotic/biotic environments. Topics will include overviews of the mechanisms organisms use to balance energetics, homeostasis and metabolism in environments varying in temperature, water availability, resources and oxygen. Descriptions of these systems will be supplemented frequently with the current methods that medical-, field- and laboratory-based researchers use to investigate these physiological adaptations to the environment. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101 or consent of instructor) (3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour a week)
BIOL-3230.Animal Behaviour
This course will emphasize the link between organisms and their environment. The thrust of the course will be to understand why different species behave in different ways and why within species there may be individual differences in behaviour. The aim of the course is to derive a basic understanding of how animals have evolved behaviours that aid in survival and reproduction. Students will gain experience by participating in activities throughout the term. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101, BIOL-2111, and BIOM-2131, or permission of instructor.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-3241.Fishes and Fisheries
The fishes are the most diverse, the oldest, and the most abundant group of vertebrates on earth. This course surveys their evolution, their phylogenetic relationships, and their morphological, physiological, behavioural, and ecological adaptations to life in virtually every aquatic environment on earth. The laboratory includes units on gross anatomy of a typical actinopterygian fish, identification of local fauna, study of age and growth, and other selected topics. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101, BIOL-2111, BIOM-2131.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week)
BIOL-3250. Population and Community Ecology
This course will examine the ecology of individual populations and the interactions of species within communities. Topics of population ecology will investigate ecological patterns and dynamics, as well as population growth and regulation, linking to processes occurring at lower (individual and within-individual) and higher (species interactions, communities, and ecosystems) levels of biological organization. Topics of community ecology will build upon these same ideas, but by examining the dynamics of assemblages of populations of two or more species co-occurring in the same geographic area. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-3261.Ornithology
This course gives students a thorough understanding of the biology of birds, with an emphasis on avian ecology, evolution, and behaviour. This course complements Ecology, Evolution, Physiology, Animal Behaviour, and Conservation. Classroom lectures are integrated with laboratory exercises which provides students with hands-on exposure to the topics covered. Students will learn to identify the common birds in the Windsor area. All students are required to participate in a full-day laboratory at Point Pelee and Holiday Beach on a weekend in late September or early October. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-3281.Plant Ecology
Evolutionary and community aspects of plant interactions with other organisms and the physical environment. The course deals with plant demography at different levels: individual, population, community, and ecosystem. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-3291.Invertebrate Biology
Survey of major classes of the invertebrates from an evolutionary, phylogenic, and ecological perspective. Emphasis on the morphological, physiological, and behavioural adaptations that permit animals to exploit the full range of earth's habitats, including the living bodies of other organisms (parasitism). (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101, BIOL-2111, and BIOM-2131.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-3571.Animal Cells and Tissues
The structure and organization of animal systems at the tissue, cellular, and subcellular levels. Contemporary techniques, including electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, and in situ hybridization are discussed. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2111 and BIOM-2131.) (2 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-4008, BIOL-4208, BIOL-4408, BIOL-4508. Special Topics in Biology
Selected topics of current interest which may vary from year to year.(May be repeated for credit if content changes.)
The University of Windsor is a member of the Ontario Summer Field Courses Program. Students may select and receive credit for one or more of over thirty field courses under the "Special Topics" designation. Courses are normally advertised in January. Because enrolment is limited, students should apply as early as possible. For further information, contact the Department.
Note: Special Topics in Biology: Epigenetics requires prerequisite: BIOM-3500 or BIOM-3530.
BIOL-4212. Speciation
The course will present an overview of current knowledge, controversy and research directions into the origin of species and will include topics such as species concepts, methods of studying speciation, tempo and modes of speciation, isolation mechanisms, reinforcement, and macroevolution. Background in basic Mendelian genetics, population genetics, evolution, ecology and biological diversity is required. (Prerequisite: BIOL-3142 ) (2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour a week)
BIOL-4220. Science Communication: A Biological Approach
The purpose of this course is to have students learn the theories and best practices of science communication to the non-scientist, with an emphasis on biological problems and perspectives. Students will learn about different venues and types of scientific communication and will use hands-on examples to develop standards of best practice. Students will participate in weekly discussions and readings, culminating in a final presentation of their work. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101 and BIOL-3142, or permission of the instructor.) (3 lecture hours.)
BIOL-4232. Pollution Ecology
The transport, fate and effects of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems; food web modelling in the context of pollutant fate; risk assessment. Topics will include toxicokinetics, toxicity testing, and measurements of pollutant stress. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101 and BIOM-2131.) (3 lecture hours a week, 1 hour week tutorial.)
BIOL-4241. Stream Ecology
Physical properties and biotic responses in rivers, including morphometry, energy processing, behavioural adaptations of organisms, and interactions among organisms. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101.) (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week, and a field trip.)
BIOL-4252. Evolutionary Endocrinology
This course will examine the molecular, cellular and organismal processes underlying the functioning of the major vertebrate endocrine systems. Topics will include overviews of the major vertebrate endocrine systems (e.g., reproductive, stress, metabolic, developmental etc.) by integrating recent medical-, field- and laboratory-based experimental research to explore the role of endocrine systems in our lives. The evolutionary role of hormones will be emphasized throughout as a means for medical health practitioners and environmental biologists to appreciate how and why complex endocrine systems are impacted by human-induced changes in the environment. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101 or consent of instructor) (3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour a week)
BIOL-4262. Animal Communication
This course will cover mechanistic and evolutionary aspects of communication in vertebrates and invertebrates across four signaling modalities: visual, acoustic, chemical, and electrical. The first part of the course will review mechanisms of signal production, transmission through the environment, and perception by signal receivers for each signaling modality. The second part of the course will examine how natural and sexual selection shape the evolution of communication strategies in animals. The approach will be explicitly evolutionary, and will draw from a broad range of disciplines including physics, chemistry, ecology, psychology, and behavioural ecology. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101.) (3 lecture hours per week. 2 tutorial hours every other week.)
BIOL-4270.Conservation Biology
Principles of conservation biology emphasizing population and biogeographic attributes, including genetics, habitat fragmentation, and island processes, which characterize endangered species and habitats. Case studies of management of threatened species and habitats will be addressed. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101 and BIOL-2111, or consent of instructor.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-4280.Limnology
Selected aspects of the ecology of large water masses - large lakes and estuaries. Emphasis on physical properties and chemical dynamics of aquatic systems, and on life history requirements in such systems. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2101 or BIOL-4864.) (3 lecture hours a week.)
BIOL-4450. Behavioural Neurobiology
This course will cover the structural, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms in the nervous system that are important for animal natural behaviours. In-depth case studies will be conducted to examine how animals have developed neural mechanisms for solving behavioural problems encountered in their environmental niches. Topics will be related to sensory processing, motor control, and learning and memory. Research methods used in the study of neural mechanisms of behaviour will also be discussed. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2480) (3 lecture hours a week)
BIOL-4481. Excitable Cells
A systemic view of regulation in the nervous system. Physiological control mechanisms at the levels of molecules through cells, neural circuits and neural muscular regulation are discussed and investigated. (Prerequisites: BIOM-2131 and BIOL-2480.) (2 lecture, 3 laboratory hours a week.)
BIOL-4570.Plant Molecular Biology and Physiology
Plant development and its coordination by means of hormones and other molecular signals. Molecular approaches applied to the analysis and modification of plant development will be discussed. (Prerequisite: BIOM-2131.) (2 lecture hours, 1 seminar hour a week.)
BIOL-4864.Great Lakes Field Biology
The physical, chemical, and biological properties of the Great Lakes system; measures of transport and fate of contaminants in aquatic systems and food webs; changes in species abundance, composition, and distributions. Field work stresses sampling techniques and measurements of temporal and spatial variation. Students are required to complete a project and present a seminar. (Prerequisites: BIOL-2101 and STAT-2910, or consent of instructor.) (2 weeks, Intersession; 26 hours lecture, 52 hours field/laboratory work, 8 hours seminar.)
BIOL-4874. Field Course in Tropical Ecology
This two-week field course is a hands-on exploration of the flora and fauna of the tropics with an emphasis on ecology, behaviour, evolutionary adaptations, and community relationships. The course is normally held in Costa Rica but may occasionally be offered at other sites in the Neotropics. Field research will include identifying birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and plants; studying the ecology of neotropical animals in multiple ecosystems; capturing and banding birds; monitoring the social behaviour of monkeys; observing army ants, leaf-cutter ants, termites, ant/acacia mutualisms; and assessing different conservation practices. The course consists of field excursions, lectures, and data collection for independent projects. Project reports are submitted within one month of the completion of the course field component. The course will usually take place during the Winter Study Week and one week before or after. (Pre-requisite: BIOL-2101 and permission of instructor)
BIOL-4904. Undergraduate Research in Biology
Completion of an undergraduate research project, including an oral presentation at an annual colloquium and submission of written final report. (10 laboratory hours a week; offered over two terms.) (A 6.00 credit hour research project which counts as two courses.) (Registration and selection of a supervisor requires the consent of the Department Head) (Prerequisites: major average of 70% and a cumulative average of 60%.)
BIOL-4914.Undergraduate Research in Biology
Completion of an undergraduate research project, including an oral presentation at an annual colloquium and submission of written final report. (Registration and selection of supervisor will be completed with consent of the Department Head.) (Restricted to students who have completed BIOL-4904.) (10 laboratory hours a week; offered over two terms.) (A 6.00 credit hour research project which counts as two courses.)