A review of the adaptations of birds to different environments, behaviour and ecology, biodiversity and evolution, and current threats to the world's birds. Laboratories include field trips, a study of bird anatomy and examination of museum specimens. Prerequisites: SC/BIOL 2050 4.00, SC/BIOL 2060 3.00. Course Outlines: Fall 2024 Course Outline
This course focuses on the microbial world that is part of the complex ecosystem of human body. It explores the mechanisms and consequences of microbial interactions with the human body, including the microbial communities that inhabit our bodies, their essentiality to our health, and the delicate balance between health-promoting and disease-causing microbial behaviour. The application […]
This course presents a genetic and molecular biological approach to the field of developmental biology. Topics range from unicellular systems, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, to more complex, multicellular systems. Prerequisites: SC/BIOL 2020 3.00, SC/BIOL 2021 3.00, SC/BIOL 2040 3.00, SC/BIOL 2070 3.00 Course Outlines Winter 2024 Course Outline
Contemporary proteomic methodologies and applications. Specific topics: high-throughput methods, protein identification, protein complexes, structural proteomics, sub-cellular proteomics and molecular modeling. Prerequisite: SC/BIOL 3130 3.00 Course Outlines: Winter 2024 Course Outline
This course explores the issues of integrity as associated with the scientific method and research, including our responsibilities as scientists within an framework of integrity and veracity. The importance of ethical conduct, particularly with respect to writing, data collection, presentation of results, and attribution will be discussed as well as the implications of violations (e.g., […]
Offers the student research experience as part of a Biology research team. The student must make arrangements with a faculty member before enrolling in this course. Note: This course does not count for degree credit in any program. Students are expected to commit to approximately 5-10 hours per week (on average). The student and faculty […]
This course explores sensory systems in humans, animals and machines, and how they are used to control action, behaviour and physiological state. Students learn about the various ways in which an agent can exploit physical energies such as light, sound, and chemical signals to serve their species-specific needs. Adopting a comparative approach, the course focuses […]
A comparative study of the anatomy of chordate animals in which the evidence of their evolutionary relationships is emphasized. Three lecture hours, three laboratory hours. One term. Prerequisites: SC/BIOL 2030 4.00. Course Credit Exclusion: SC/BIOL 4350 4.00. Course Outlines: Winter 2024 Course Outline
This course reflects the diversity of topics that make up the field of plant ecology: ecosystems, plant population ecology, physiological and evolutionary ecology, plant-herbivore interactions and applied ecology. Laboratories cover field and laboratory techniques, including sampling methods and statistical analysis. Experiments extend and build on laboratory and field skills introduced in lower year Biology courses. […]
Using lectures and tutorials, this course explores the many ways that species interact over diverse spatial and temporal scales. Major themes include scales of interaction; mutualistic and antagonistic relationships; communities as coevolved relationships; community assembly, structure, and stability; responses to disruptions; ecological succession; measures of diversity; and methods for assessing the correlation between animal species […]