ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

COURSE OFFERINGS

Fall 2009 Courses

BIOEE 1540
Introductory Oceanography
(also EAS/BIOSM 1540)
Fall or summer. 3 credits. S-U or letter grades. B. C. Monger and C. H. Greene.
Lec, M W F 2:30-3:20.
For description, see EAS 1540

BIOEE 1560
Introductory Oceanography with Laboratory
(also EAS/BIOSM 1560)
Fall. 4 credits. S-U or letter grades. B. C. Monger and C. H. Greene.
Lec, M W F 2:30-3:20; lab, R 10:10-12:05 or 7:30-9:55 p.m.
For description, see EAS 1560.

BIOEE 1640
Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (First-Year Writing Seminar): Sem 101, Writing the Ocean Waves
Fall. 3 credits. Limited to 17 students. Letter grades only. M. L. Nydam.
T R 2:55-4:10 CMH A409.
What do tsunamis, bioluminescence, coral reefs, and whale songs all have in common? They are among the many ocean phenomena being studied at Cornell! During this semester we will explore what marine scientists at Cornell are learning and how they are communicating their findings to different audiences. We will visit scientists; labs, read popular and technical literature about ocean research, and write about what researchers at Cornell are learning about our oceans. Writing assignments include short vignettes for a radio program on ocean sciences, longer Discover magazine-style articles about specific marine science topics, and letters to congressional representatives about the value of studying our oceans. The course will culminate in a student-written brochure on Marine Sciences at Cornell.

BIOEE 1640
Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (First-Year Writing Seminar): Sem 102, Foundations of Environmental Issues
Fall. 3 credits. Limited to 17 students. Letter grades only. B. F. Chabot.
T R 8:40-9:55 a.m.
Valuing our environment and developing a sustainable relationship with it is the major challenge for the growing human population. we are facing the need for significant lifestyle and economic adjustments. This seminar will provide an opportunity to explore both classic and contemporary writings that call attention to growing environmental challenges. Writings about the environment are rich in the variety of styles and approaches to communication. Understanding both the form and substance of different kinds of exposition will provide opportunities to explore and expand your writing skills.

BIOEE 2070
Evolution
(also HIST 2870, STS 2871)
Fall or summer (six-week session). 3 credits. Intended for students with no background in college biology. May not be taken for credit after BIOEE 2780. Does not meet evolutionary biology requirement for biological sciences major. S-U or letter grades. W. B. Provine.
Fall: Lec, T R 10:10; disc, 1 hour each week TBA. Summer: lec and disc, M W 6-9 p.m.
Evolution is the central concept in biology. This course examines evolution in historical and cultural contexts. This course aims to understand the major issues in the history and current status of evolutionary biology and explore the implications of evolution for culture. Issues range from controversies over mechanisms of evolution in natural populations to the conflict between creationists and evolutionists.

BIOEE 2610
Ecology and the Environment
Fall or summer (three-week session). 4 credits. Prerequisite: one year introductory biology. S-U or letter grades. Fall: J. P. Sparks (lead instructor), C. L. Goodale, A. Kessler, A. S. Flecker, N. G. Hairston. Summer: A. T. Vawter.
Fall: lec, M W F 11:15; disc, W or R 1:25, 2:30, or 3:35. Summer: lec, M T W R F 8:30-12:20.
Fall: explores interactions between the environment and organisms in the context of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Emphasizes basic ecological principles and processes intrinsic to understanding the world around us and in more advanced studies in the environmental sciences, including management-oriented disciplines. Major topics include adaptive strategies of organisms, population dynamics, species interactions, community structure and ecosystem function, biodiversity, biogeochemistry, productivity, human influences on ecosystems, and sustainable practices. Summer: Introduction to principles of ecology, concerning the interactions between organisms and their environment. Deals with both terrestrial and aquatic ecology, drawing examples from both plant and animal studies. Phenomena that occur at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels of organization are examined through classroom lectures and discussion and through a series of lab and field experiences in natural habitats around Ithaca. Ecological principles are applied extensively to current environmental problems and issues.

BIOEE 2630
Field Ecology
Fall. 3 credits. Pre-or corequisite: BIOEE 2610. Letter grades only. One weekend field trip. A. Kessler.
Lec, R 1:25; lab, F 12:20-4:25.
Field exercises designed to give students direct experience with fieldwork, with emphasis on developing observational skills, journal keeping, and a landscape perspective. Topics include plant succession, niche relationships of insects, influence of herbivores and competition on plant performance, decomposition of soil litter, foraging behavior, census methods, and use of scientific collections.

BIOEE 2670
Introduction to Conservation Biology
Fall. 2 or 3 credits; 3 credits with discussion section, two Sat. a.m. field trips, and two essays. Intended for both science and nonscience majors. May not be taken for credit after NTRES 4100. Completion of BIOEE 2670 not required for NTRES 4100. S-U or letter grades. Offered alternate years. J. W. Fitzpatrick.
Lec, M W 10:10; disc, F 10:10.
Broad exploration of biological concepts and practices related to conserving the earth's biodiversity; integrates ecological, evolutionary, behavioral, and genetic principles important for understanding conservation issues of the 21st century. Topics include species and ecosystem diversity, values of biodiversity, causes of extinction, risks facing small populations, simulation modeling, design of nature preserves, the Endangered Species Act, conservation priority-setting, species recovery, ecosystem restoration and management, implications of climate change, and our ecological footprint.

BIOEE 2780
Evolutionary Biology and Diversity
Fall or spring. 4 or 5 credits; 5-credit option involves writing component and two disc per week; 5-credit option limited to 15 students per sec each semester. (Students taking the 5-credit option read additional materials from the primary literature and write essays in the place of the regular exams. Students may not preregister for 5-credit option; interested students complete application form on first day of class.) Limited to 300 students. S-U or letter grades. One field trip. Evening prelims: spring, Mar. 4 and Apr. 6. Fall: I. J. Lovette (lead instructor), K. R. Zamudio, A. R. McCune, J. G. Morin, B. Lazzaro, A. G. Hay. Spring: staff.
Lec, M W F 10:10-11:00; disc, 1 hour each week TBA.
Considers explanations for patterns of diversity and for the apparent good fit of organisms to the environment. Topics include the diversity of life, the genetic and developmental basis of evolutionary change, processes at the population level, evolution by natural selection, modes of speciation, long-term trends in evolution, origin of humans.

BIOEE 3500
Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems
(Also EAS 3500)
Fall. 3 credits. Limited to 25 students. Prerequisites: one year of calculus and semester of oceanography (i.e., BIOEE/EAS 1540), or permission of instructor. S-U or letter grades. Offered alternate years. C. H. Greene and R. W. Howarth.
Lec, T R 1:25-2:40.
For description, see EAS 3500.

BIOEE 3730
Biodiversity and Biology of the Marine Invertebrates
Fall (but course must be taken previous summer at Shoals Marine Laboratory [SML]), three-week, full-time course, 5 credits (students enroll for credit during fall semester). Limited to 24 students. Prerequisites: one year introductory biology for majors; permission of faculty because off campus. Letter grades only. Daily and evening lec, lab, and fieldwork. Total cost for room, board, and overhead at SML: $2,426. Offered alternate years. C. D. Harvell.
Introduction to the biology an evolution of the major invertebrate phyla, concentrating on marine representatives. In addition to the evolution of form and function, lectures cover aspects of ecology, behavior, physiology, chemical ecology, and natural history of invertebrates. SML exposes students to a wealth of marine and terrestrial invertebrates in their natural habitats. Regular field excursions allow an excellent opportunity to study freshly collected and in situ representatives of most of the major phyla.

BIOEE 4560
Stream Ecology
(also NTRES 4560)
Fall. 4 credits. Prerequisite: BIOEE 2610 or permission of instructor. S-U or letter grades. Field project with lab papers. One Sat. field trip. Offered alternate years. A. S. Flecker and C. E. Kraft.
Lec, T R 9:05 a.m.; lab, T or W 1:25-4:25.
Fore description, see NTRES 4560.

BIOEE 4670
Seminar in the History of Biology
(also HIST 4150, BSOC/STS 4471)
Fall or summer (six-week session). 4 credits. Limited to 18 students. S-U or letter grades. W. B. Provine.
Specific topic changes each year.

BIOEE 4770
Marine Invertebrates Seminar
Fall. 1 credit. Prerequisite: BIOEE 3730 or permission of instructor. S-U grades only. Offered alternate years. C. D. Harvell.
Sem, one hour each week TBA.
Discussions and directed readings center on current research themes in invertebrate biology. Designed as an on-campus companion course to the field-based BIOEE 3730 Biodiversity and Biology of the Marine Invertebrates. sTudents write individual research essays based on projects done in the field.

BIOEE 6610
Environmental Policy
(also ALS/BSOC 6610-6611)
6610, fall; 6611 spring. 3 credits each semester; students must register for 6 credits each semester since R grade given at end of fall semester. Limited to 12 students. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Letter grades only. D. Pimentel.
Sem, R 2:30-4:30.
Focuses on complex environmental issues. Ten to 12 students, representing several disciplines, investigate significant environmental problems. The research team spends two semesters preparing a scientific report for publication in Science or BioScience. Thus far, every study has been published.

BIOEE 7600
Special Topics in Evolution and Ecology: Sem 101, Independent Study
Fall. 1-3 credits. S-U grades optional. Staff.

BIOEE 7600
Special Topics in Evolution and Ecology: Sem 102, Special Topics in the Life Sciences at Cornell University
Fall. 1 credit. Enrollment limited to graduate student Presidential Life Science Fellows, or by instructor approval. S-U grades only. K. R. Zamudio.
Time: TBA

BIOEE 7600
Special Topics in Evolution and Ecology: Sem 103, Conservation: Values, History, and Law
Fall. 3 credits. Limited to 18 students. S-U grades only. G. Gorman.
Time: TBA

BIOEE 7600
Special Topics in Evolution and Ecology: Sem 104, Ecological Design and Analysis I
Fall. 2 credits. S-U grades only. M. A. Geber.
T R 11:30-12:30 CMH A409

BIOEE 7640
Plant-Insect Interactions Seminar
Fall or spring. 1 credit; may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: for undergraduates, permission of instructor. S-U grades only. A. Agrawal, J. S. Thaler, and A. Kessler.
Sem, TBA.
Group-intensive study of current research in plant-insect interactions. Topics vary from semester to semester, but include: chemical defense, coevolution, insect community structure, population regulation, biocontrol, tritrophic interactions, and mutualism.

BIOEE 7670
Current Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Fall. 3 credits. Prerequisite: for undergraduates, permission of instructor. S-U grades only. M. A. Geber.
Lec and disc, T R 10:10-11:25.
Critical evaluation and discussion of theory and research in ecology and evolutionary biology. Lectures by faculty and student-led discussions of topics in areas of current importance.

BIOEE 7800
Graduate Seminar in Ornithology
(also NTRES 7800)
Fall or spring. 1 credit; may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: for undergraduates, permission of instructor. S-U grades only. I. J. Lovette, A. A. Dhondt, D. W. Winkler, and J. L. Dickinson.
Sem, TBA.
Group intensive study of current research in ornithology. Topics vary from semester to semester.

BIOEE 8990
M.S. Thesis Research
Fall or spring. 1-15 credits. Prerequisite: admission to field of ecology and evolutionary biology. S-U grades only. E&EB field faculty.
Thesis research conducted by an M.S. student in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology with advice and consultation of a major professor who is a member of the field.

BIOEE 9990
Ph.D. Dissertation Research
Fall or spring. 1-15 credits. Prerequisite: admission to the field of ecology and evolutionary biology as Ph.D. student. S-U grades only. E&EB field faculty.
Dissertation research conducted by a Ph.D. student in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology with advice and consultation of a major professor who is a member of the field.