Course Descriptions

Consists of modules taught by faculty in the environmental sciences. Students will participate together in weekly seminars, assigned readings, essays and oral presentations to learn about current issues in the environment and cutting-edge research with an environmental focus.

Weekly hours: 2.5 Seminar/Discussion hours
Permission of the Department is required.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 228 and BIOL 301.
Note: Students in the B.Sc. 4-Year and Honours Environmental Biology program must take this course in their fourth year. Enrolment preference will be given to students who have declared a major in Environmental Biology.

Introduction to the ecology of lakes. The biological, chemical and physical properties of lakes are examined at lake and watershed levels. Theoretical and applied topics, including human impacts (e.g., eutrophication, climate change, ultraviolet radiation, contaminants, and angling) are examined. Laboratories and field trips provide training in limnological techniques.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 121, BIOL 228 and CHEM 112; or permission of the instructor.
Note: A course in statistics is recommended. Students with credit for BIOL 415 may not take this course for credit. There will be costs for a field trip in addition to tuition fees.

An in-depth examination of cardiovascular, respiratory, osmoregulatory, digestive, and reproductive system physiology in animals. Integrates information about cellular and whole animal physiology, endocrine and nervous system coordination, and the evolution of body organ systems in animals.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 317.3; or CPPS 302.3 and CPPS 303.3; or VBMS 324.3 and VBMS 325.3.
Note: Students with credit for BIOL 218 or BIOL 318 will not receive credit for BIOL 418.

A study of the molecular biology of plants: nuclear and plastid genomes, coordination of expression between nuclear and plastid genomes, transposable elements, biotic and abiotic stress, hormonal effects on gene expression, plant transformation, and biotechnology applications of plant molecular biology.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 121.3; one of BIOL 316.3 or BMSC 320.3; and one of BIOL 325.3, BIOL 331.3 or BIOL 345.3
Note: BIOL 301 is strongly recommended.

Studies how activities in an animal's nervous systems produces and modifies natural behaviour. Topics in the course include: the detection and coding of information from the environment, integration of information for decision-making, generation of motor patterns that underlie behaviour, and general constraints on form and function of neural circuits.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 317 or NEUR 350; or permission of instructor.

Deals with helminths, arthropods and protozoa of people, domestic and wild animals, and birds. Examples from these parasite and host types will be used to illustrate important concepts, including basic structure and function, life cycles, ecology, biogeography, individual and population level host-parasite-environment relationships, epizootiology and parasite control strategies.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 3 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 121 and 9 additional credit units of senior BIOL courses or permission of the instructor.
Note: BIOL 302 is recommended.

An introduction to light interactions with biological systems. The class will examine the evolution of biological pigments and photoreceptor systems. Emphasis will be placed on how plants and animals detect changes in their environment based on light cues and how they respond at the physiological level. Examples of topics which will be explored are the evolution of vision, photosynthetic energy production, circadian rhythms, phototoxicity and bioluminescence.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 3 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 120; and 15 credit units of senior BIOL or permission of the instructor.
Note: Students with credit for BIOL 498: Photobiology may not take BIOL 440 for credit.

The biology of fishes including their morphological diversity, physiology, behaviour and ecology, and their management and utilization.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 121 and 224 and BIOL 228.
Note: BIOL 302 is recommended.

Introduction to local and world mammal faunas including living and extinct taxa. Evolution, behaviour, ecology, morphology, phylogeny, and physiology will be emphasized in lectures. Laboratories will be concerned with classification, identification, and anatomical adaptations.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 121 and 224 and BIOL 228.
Note: BIOL 302 is recommended.

Introduction to the diversity of birds of the world. Lecture material focuses on evolution, ecology, behaviour, physiology and conservation. Laboratories focus on morphological diversity and taxonomy.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 121 and 224 and BIOL 228.
Note: BIOL 302 is recommended.

An introduction to the theoretical and scientific foundation of conservation biology as applied to animals and plants. Course material will cover elements of population, community and landscape ecology as they apply to conservation challenges. Labs will include measuring biodiversity and analysis of current conservation issues. Field trips are compulsory.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 228.3; and BIOL 301.3 or permission of the instructor.
Note: There will be costs for a field trip in addition to tuition fees.

Fundamental concepts in animal behaviour. An introduction to the form, control and adaptive significance of animal behaviour.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 4 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 228; 6 additional credit units of senior BIOL courses; one of STAT 245, STAT 246 or PLSC 214.

An introduction to the principles of ecological toxicology, including: population modeling, experimental design and interpretation of field studies, and contaminant impact assessment on populations, communities and ecosystems. Computer laboratory exercises will be used to model populations and ecosystems and analyze changes in populations and communities resulting from contaminant impacts.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours and 3 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 120 and 121 and BIOL 228 and 6 additional credit units of senior BIOL courses and a course in statistics; or permission of the instructor.
Note: TOX 301 is recommended. Students cannot receive credit for both BIOL 475 and BIOL 875.

This course is designed to provide students with experience in researching and interpreting primary research in biology. Students will study a research question with a faculty supervisor, primarily through a research literature review. A written report and an oral presentation are required.

Weekly hours: 5 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 301; and 12 credit units from BIOL courses at the 200-level or above, ACB 406.3, ANBI 470.3, ANSC 313.3, ARCH 270.3, BINF 200.3, BMSC 210.3, BMSC 220.3, FABS 212.3, GEOL 343.3, BMIS 487.3, PLSC 405.3, PLSC 411.3, PLSC 416.3, PLSC 422.3, PLSC 425.3, TOX 300.3, TOX 301.3 of which at least 3 credit units must be at the 300-level or above; and permission of the department.
Note: Students are required to obtain a faculty supervisor prior to registration in this course.

The student will work on a laboratory or field project under the supervision of a faculty member. Before beginning, the student must obtain a supervisor and then submit an outline of the project for approval by the Head of the Department. At the end of the project, the student will submit to the Department a written report in thesis form. An oral presentation is required.

Weekly hours: 6 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 301; and BIOL 380 or 15 additional credit units of BIOL courses at the 200-level or above, of which at least 6 credit units must be at the 300-level or above; and permission of the department.
Note: Students may complete both BIOL 480.3 and 481.6 for credit provided that research conducted for each course is substantially different.

The student will work on a laboratory or field project under the supervision of a faculty member. Before beginning, the student must obtain a supervisor and then submit an outline of the project for approval by the Head of the Department. At the end of the project, the student will submit to the Department a written report in thesis form. An oral presentation is required.

Weekly hours: 6 Practicum/Lab hours
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 301; and BIOL 380 or 15 additional credit units of BIOL courses at the 200-level or above, of which at least 6 credit units must be at the 300-level or above; and permission of the department.
Note: Students may complete both BIOL 480.3 and 481.6 for credit provided that research conducted for each course is substantially different.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours