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Art and science have always been fundamentally linked. Before the invention of photography, illustration was the main documentation tool in science; even now, artistic representations are used to communicate important scientific discoveries. In this course students learn the basics of bird anatomy in tandem with sketching techniques to foster an appreciation of how science and art can reinforce each other in enriching one's life and study. Led by the staff biological illustrator at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, students begin with the fundamentals of observational drawing to improve accuracy before moving onto watercolors. Interwoven into art lessons are scientific lectures produced by Cornell ornithologists, blending art with current science to cover a range of interconnected topics.

This course has two main objectives: 1) to illustrate the diverse uses of natural history collections for research, teaching and conservation, and 2) to introduce students to the fine art of avian specimen preparation. Students will learn multiple specimen preparation techniques (skeletons, spread wings, and round skins) and will be required to prepare 20 round skins to receive course credit. Students will be evaluated on the quality of their specimens and on their participation in an in-class debate surrounding the value of natural history collections.

Evolution is the central unifying concept in biology. This course examines evolution as a science and places it in an historical context. Classes focus on descent with modification, natural selection, evolutionary genetics, the history of the earth, the information content of the fossil record, and diversification processes. The science of evolutionary biology is presented in the context of a broader history of ideas in science. The course also explores the importance of evolutionary thinking in the 21st century, including antibiotic and pesticide resistance, personalized genomics, human evolution, and evolutionary ecology. Courses of Study: Intended for students with no background in college biology.

This class relies more on intuitive reasoning rather than complicated mathematical formulas to convey basic concepts about how the ocean works. For this reason, the class is very accessible to non-science majors. The class covers standard material about how the ocean works, but also includes current environmental threats facing the ocean such as global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing and coastal pollution. Students will gain a depth of knowledge about the ocean and global warming to enable them to speak and write confidently about contemporary public issues regarding the health of the ocean, global warming and a sustainable future. This course satisfies the Physical and Biological Sciences (PBS) requirement for students in most colleges. For students in A&S and CALS, this course counts as in-college credit.

This class relies more on intuitive reasoning rather than complicated mathematical formulas to convey basic concepts about how the ocean works. For this reason, the class is very accessible to non-science majors. The class covers standard material about how the ocean works, but also includes current environmental threats facing the ocean such as global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing and coastal pollution. Students will gain a depth of knowledge about the ocean and global warming to enable them to speak and write confidently about contemporary public issues regarding the health of the ocean, global warming and a sustainable future. This course satisfies the Physical and Biological Sciences (PBS) requirement for students in most colleges and the Introductory Life Sciences/Biological Sciences requirement for students in CALS. For students in A&S and CALS, this course counts as in-college credit. This course is suitable for non-life sciences majors.

This course provides an introduction to ecology, covering interactions between organisms and the environment at scales of populations, communities, and ecosystems. Ecological principles are used to explore the theory and applications of major issues facing humanity in the 21st century, including population dynamics, disease ecology, biodiversity and invasive species, global change, and other topics of environmental sustainability.

The First-Year Writing Seminar provides the opportunity to write extensively about issues related to ecology and evolutionary biology. Topics vary by section.

This course in Biostatistics uses the R programming language as a platform for analysis. Students will be introduced to different types of statistical analysis while becoming comfortable writing basic code in the R programming language. Topics will include: descriptive statistics, inference, experimental design and hypothesis testing; assumptions behind statistical models and choice of statistical tests; analysis of variance and covariance; general linear models and interactions; regression; and parametric and non-parametric tests, bootstrapping, and permutation testing. No prior statistical or programming experience is required.

Considers explanations for pattern of diversity and the apparent good fit of organisms to the environment. Topics include the diversity of life, the genetics 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.

Considers explanations for pattern of diversity and the apparent good fit of organisms to the environment. Topics include the diversity of life, the genetics 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.

This course has three broad themes centered on natural history collections: 1) understanding the values and perceived controversies of scientific collections, 2) learning diverse methods of specimen collection and preparation, and 3) making specimens accessible to the public through outreach with community partners. Students will be introduced to all four vertebrate collections housed at the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates (CUMV) and discuss the ethical dilemmas inextricably connecting to scientific collecting. Students will participate in a 1-week collecting trip over spring break, where they learn diverse techniques of specimen collecting and preparation. Finally, students will work with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and/or the Cayuga Nature Center in creative ways that ultimately inform the public about the value of natural history collections.

This course builds upon skills introduced in BIOEE 1150 (Techniques of Avian Specimen Preparation) and offers students opportunities to improve and diversify specimen preparation skills and become more involved in CUMV activities. Students will gain experience preparing a diversity of birds (e.g., waterbirds, long-necked birds, big birds, long-legged birds), many of which require species-specific preparation techniques. Students will also improve skills in identifying key anatomical structures for aging birds, evaluating reproductive status, documenting appropriate metadata for modern scientific specimens, and further hone skills in discussing the values of natural history collections.

A surprisingly diverse, beautiful, and intriguing set of species live in our backyard. This class will meet outdoors for 3 hours per week, rain or shine, with extensive walking in natural areas (forests, fields, streams, agricultural lands). Field lectures will be on the specific plants and animals we encounter, discussing their ecology and exploring the evolutionary relationships between species. The class is hands-on, students can expect to get dirty and must be comfortable in the field. Connections will be drawn between theory learned in the classroom and real world biology and biodiversity out of doors. We will experience habitats and species, take notes, and write about biodiversity.

This on-campus and international field course combination provides participating students with a broad introduction to the research process in field ecology, with literature and hands-on examples drawn from the fauna and flora of coastal Patagonia (Argentina), an area that provides us with unprecedented access to both marine and terrestrial wildlife as well as exposure to conservation challenges and success stories. The course begins in the latter part of the Fall semester (BIOEE 2525) when it meets twice weekly for seven weeks, largely to discuss relevant papers from the scientific literature with an emphasis on best practices in designing field studies to address questions in Neotropical ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology. During the 2+ week field component in January (BIOEE 2526), students travel among field sites in Patagonia and put this knowledge to work in an experiential context by designing and implementing a series of research projects, including numerous short 'blitz' projects and several longer, more intensive independent projects; many of these field studies involve close-hand observations of marine mammals, penguins, or other seabirds. The course (BIOEE 2527) is focused on building skills in data analysis and scientific writing, based on the data collected in the field by each student.

This on-campus and international field course combination provides participating students with a broad introduction to the research process in field ecology, with literature and hands-on examples drawn from the fauna and flora of coastal Patagonia (Argentina), an area that provides us with unprecedented access to both marine and terrestrial wildlife as well as exposure to conservation challenges and success stories. The course begins in the latter part of the Fall semester (BIOEE 2525) when it meets twice weekly for seven weeks, largely to discuss relevant papers from the scientific literature with an emphasis on best practices in designing field studies to address questions in Neotropical ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology. During the 2+ week field component in January (BIOEE 2526), students travel among field sites in Patagonia and put this knowledge to work in an experiential context by designing and implementing a series of research projects, including numerous short 'blitz' projects and several longer, more intensive independent projects; many of these field studies involve close-hand observations of marine mammals, penguins, or other seabirds. The course (BIOEE 2527) is focused on building skills in data analysis and scientific writing, based on the data collected in the field by each student.

This on-campus and international field course combination provides participating students with a broad introduction to the research process in field ecology, with literature and hands-on examples drawn from the fauna and flora of coastal Patagonia (Argentina), an area that provides us with unprecedented access to both marine and terrestrial wildlife as well as exposure to conservation challenges and success stories. The course begins in the latter part of the Fall semester (BIOEE 2525) when it meets twice weekly for seven weeks, largely to discuss relevant papers from the scientific literature with an emphasis on best practices in designing field studies to address questions in Neotropical ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology. During the 2+ week field component in January (BIOEE 2526), students travel among field sites in Patagonia and put this knowledge to work in an experiential context by designing and implementing a series of research projects, including numerous short 'blitz' projects and several longer, more intensive independent projects; many of these field studies involve close-hand observations of marine mammals, penguins, or other seabirds. This course (BIOEE 2527) is focused on building skills in data analysis and scientific writing, based on the data collected in the field by each student.

This course in vertebrate organismal biology explores the anatomy and function of vertebrates with an emphasis on vertebrate evolution. Lectures cover topics such as the origin, anatomy, physiology, paleontology, and evolution of vertebrate groups, with a focus on organ systems (such as the nervous, circulatory, and respiratory systems), life history, locomotion, behavior, ecology, and conservation. This course prepares students for advanced courses on the biology of fishes, amphibians and reptiles, birds, and mammals; pre-vet and pre-med students benefit from its comparative anatomical approach to understanding the organization of the vertebrate body.

This course focuses on how evolutionary principles can help us better understand health and disease. Concepts from evolutionary biology (e.g., life history theory, coevolution, conflict, constraints and trade-offs) will be applied to key problems in medicine and public health, with case studies on antibiotic resistance, aging, cancer, autoimmune disease, and why pathogenic organisms cause harm to their hosts.

Ecology and Environmental Science are running into a 'big data' era. The unprecedented data sources provide opportunities for novel scientific exploration and solutions to real-world problems, which, however, usually requires robust quantitative analysis and informative visualization. This course aims to increase students' literacy and hands-on skills on common quantitative methods in ecology and environmental sciences, including accessing and curating data, statistical inference, regression, data-based predictions (also known as machine learning), and visualizing the results. Students will be using public data sets from organismal to landscape scales, including spatial data sets from the Google Earth Engine platform. Example codes will be provided in both Python and R.

This course provides an in-depth survey of ecology emphasizing conceptual foundations and the integration of experimental and quantitative approaches, including physiological ecology, population and community ecology, ecosystem biology, and ecological modeling. Current and classical ecological research is used to introduce major concepts and methods, derive major ecological principles, and critically discuss their applicability on multiple organizational levels, on multiple scales, and in a variety of ecosystems. Lab sections focus on discussion, experimental techniques, and computational skills.

Exercises designed to give students direct experience with field research to address ecological hypotheses, with emphasis on developing observational skills and basic methods in population and community ecology. Topics include methods in plant succession, niche relationships, influence of herbivores and competitors on plant communities, aquatic food web analysis, use of scientific collections, and presenting research results in written and oral form. We will visit a diversity of habitats and natural areas in Central New York. Students will conduct an independent research project and present their findings.

Why are chilies so spicy? This course examines the chemical basis of interactions between species and is intended for students with a basic knowledge of chemistry and biology. Focuses on the ecology and chemistry of plants, animals, and microbes. Stresses chemical signals used in diverse ecosystems, using Darwinian natural selection as a framework. Topics include: plant defenses, microbial warfare, communication in marine organisms, and human pheromones.

Introduction to the biology, natural history, and 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 current research. The discussion section will focus on current research papers with marine invertebrates.

This course is an introduction to CT visualization for its applications in comparative biology of the vertebrates. Students will learn and practice the exploration of vertebrate anatomy with OSIRIX 3-D visualization software or its future replacement; work on student-designed projects and/or a large survey of the vertebrates based on CT scans from specimens in the Cornell museum as well as the Smithsonian and other museums around the world.

This course introduces students to the field of infectious disease ecology, an area of study that has developed rapidly over the past three decades and addresses some of the most significant challenges to human health and conservation. Students will learn about the incredible diversity of parasitic organisms, arguably the most abundant life forms on the planet, and examine how pathogens invade and spread through host populations. Throughout the course, an emphasis will be placed on understanding of infectious diseases dynamics at the population level, and on quantitative approaches for studying pathogen spread and impacts. Specific topics include types of pathogens and their ecological properties, epidemiology and impacts on host populations, types of transmission, evolution of resistance and virulence, drivers of the emergence of new diseases, parasites in the context of ecological communities, strategies for controlling outbreaks, and the role of parasites in biodiversity and conservation.

How do plants respond to antagonists, such as herbivores and pathogens? What are the checks and balances that keep mutualist organisms in their tight interactions? How are symbioses organized on molecular, metabolic and ecological levels? What are the molecular, plant hormonal, and metabolic mechanisms mediating plant biotic interactions with other organisms? What ecological and evolutionary consequences do these interactions have for the fitness of the plants and their interactors? This course provides an overview of plants' myriad interactions with antagonists and mutualists, from microbes to multicellular organisms, and explains the underlying ecological and evolutionary concepts. It gives an introduction to the study of induced plant responses in the light of a behavioral biology framework.

Laboratory course covering topics presented in BIOEE 4460/BIONB 4460/PLSCI 4460.

Advanced course in evolutionary biology focusing on the pattern and process of speciation and the nature of origin of behavioral, morphological, physiological and ecological traits that form the intrinsic barriers to gene exchange. Lecture topics include species concepts and definitions, the history of ideas about speciation, the biological basis of intrinsic barriers to gene exchange, current models for the origin of such barriers, genetic architecture of speciation, rates of speciation. Emphasis is on developing a rigorous conceptual framework for discussing speciation and on detailed analysis of a series of case histories.

You will learn to think like an ecologist by studying the fundamental principles of insect ecology and the types of questions ecologists ask, seeing how ecology can be used to understand and solve environmental problems, and putting this knowledge into action during group activities in the lab and field.

Lecture examines patterns and processes in stream ecosystems, including geomorphology and hydrology, watershed-stream interactions, trophic dynamics, biogeochemistry, disturbance, and conservation and management. Field and laboratory exercises focus on experimental and analytical techniques used to study stream ecosystems, including techniques to measure stream discharge, physical habitat, water chemistry, and stream biota. Field project with lab papers.

Limnology is the study of inland freshwaters, which includes lakes, ponds, reservoirs, rivers, streams, and wetlands. This course focuses on lakes and ponds, and examines their physical, chemical, and biological properties. A lake's physical (e.g., size, light, temperature, mixing) and chemical (elements and compounds) structure directly affects aquatic organisms in terms of species abundance, diversity, and interactions. Organisms in turn influence their physical and chemical environment. This class will introduce students to fundamental concepts in limnology, which we will build upon to examine real-world challenges facing freshwater ecosystems (e.g., eutrophication, invasive species, climate change).

Laboratories and field trips devoted to studies of the biological, chemical, and physical properties of lakes and other freshwater environments. Exercises focus on understanding the freshwater environment, on experimentation, and on understanding ecological processes within lakes.

Detailed survey of how physiological processes help organisms meet the challenges of their environment. Lectures explore physiological adaptation, thermal biology, respiration and oxygen transport, resource acquisition and allocation, water use and limitation, energetics and nutrition, hormones, stress physiology, and developmental physiology. Readings draw from the primary literature and textbooks.

Detailed survey of the physiological approaches used in understanding the relationships between organisms and their environment. Laboratories apply physiological techniques to specific ecological problems and cover aspects of experimental design and computer-aided data analysis.

Multidisciplinary course dealing with the social and environmental impact of food production in the United States and developing countries. Agroecosystems of various kinds are analyzed from biological, economic, and social perspectives. The impacts of traditional, conventional, and alternative agricultural technologies are critically examined in the context of developed and developing economies. Specific topics include biodiversity and ecosystem services in agriculture, transgenic crops, land use for energy production, urban agriculture, and sustainable development.

Lectures cover various aspects of the biology of amphibians and reptiles, including evolution, zoogeography, ecology, behavior, and physiology.

This course covers many aspects of avian biology, including ecology, behavior, evolution, anatomy, physiology, and conservation. This is an active learning-style offering in which students complete pre-class work through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bird Academy online learning platform, and then engage in interactive activities and exercises during class periods. BIOEE 4750 may be taken alone, or students can choose to enroll simultaneously in the associated laboratory classes, BIOEE 4751.

This laboratory course covers many aspects of avian biology, including ecology, behavior, evolution, anatomy, physiology, and conservation. Some laboratory sessions will involve dissection of avian material, and the study of skeleton and scientific study skin specimens. Other sessions will involve outdoor activities including observations of avian behavior and demonstrations of standard ornithological field techniques, including methods of capturing, handling, and banding birds.

Birds present a wondrous diversity of behaviors, ecological lifestyles, and appearances. This course provides an in-depth survey of the natural history and evolutionary relationships of all Orders and Families of living birds from across the globe. Cornell is the home of the Birds of the World online resource which provides background information on worldwide avian diversity, and BIOEE 4752 also makes extensive use of the avian specimen materials of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, where the weekly lab sessions are held.

Introduction to the systematic study of fossil and living fishes: their anatomy, physiology and functional morphology, behavior, ecology, diversity, evolution, classification, and identification. Emphasizes marine fishes from different habitats (temperate, tropical coral reef, intertidal, and deep sea), local freshwater species, and interesting freshwater fishes from around the world, especially South America, Africa and Australia.

Laboratory course covering topics presented in BIOEE 4760. Two field trips, including one full-day weekend trip required. Live animals are studied in the field and are sometimes used in the laboratory for nondestructive demonstrations or experiments. The systematics and dissection laboratories use preserved specimens.

Fishes and fishing are linked throughout the history of humans. While early fishing was assuredly for survival, its modern form includes both subsistence and sport. This course will dive into the target of fishing- the most diverse vertebrate group; the fishes. Together we will explore numerous aspects about the biology of fishes including the diversity, evolution, anatomy, ecology, behavior, physiology, and conservation of the fishes of the world. Cornell is a world leading institution in the study of vertebrate biology, and has a long history of training students in the importance of specimen-based research. This is a college level course that will utilize the methods from many scientific disciplines in our approaches to studying fishes, though the only prerequisite is a strong interest in fishes.

Examines ecosystem structure, carbon and energy flow, and nutrient cycles, and how these processes respond to environmental variations. Reviews classic ecosystem experiments, and considers effects on ecosystems from human-driven environmental changes, such as climate change, air pollution, excess nitrogen use, and land-use change.

Surveys the major groups of invertebrate organisms and their evolutionary histories, and the theoretical and practical principles of paleontology, from biostratigraphy to macroevolution. Intended to fill out the biological backgrounds of Earth and atmospheric science students concerning the nature and significance of the fossil record for their respective studies, and the paleontological backgrounds of biology students interested in ecology and evolution.

Ecological Genetics focuses on the application of population genetic concepts in ecological contexts, with emphases on measuring adaptation in natural populations, detecting the effects of population demography, and determining the genetic basis of quantitative traits. Illustrative examples will be drawn from the primary research literature to demonstrate experimental techniques and methods of data analysis on single-gene, multi-locus and genome-wide scales.

The department offers trial courses or seminars under this number. Offerings vary by semester. The same course is not to be offered more than twice under this number. For 2022-2023 descriptions, please go to the department website.

Designed to give qualified undergraduate students teaching experience through actual involvement in planning and assisting in biology courses. This experience may include supervised participation in a discussion group, assisting in a biology laboratory, assisting in field biology, or tutoring.

This course introduces students to the field of infectious disease ecology, an area of study that has developed rapidly over the past three decades and addresses some of the most significant challenges to human health and conservation. Students will learn about the incredible diversity of parasitic organisms, arguably the most abundant life forms on the planet, and examine how pathogens invade and spread through host populations. Throughout the course, an emphasis will be placed on understanding of infectious diseases dynamics at the population level, and on quantitative approaches for studying pathogen spread and impacts. Specific topics include types of pathogens and their ecological properties, epidemiology and impacts on host populations, types of transmission, evolution of resistance and virulence, drivers of the emergence of new diseases, parasites in the context of ecological communities, strategies for controlling outbreaks, and the role of parasites in biodiversity and conservation.

Ecology and Environmental Science are running into a 'big data' era. The unprecedented data sources provide opportunities for novel scientific exploration and solutions to real-world problems, which, however, usually requires robust quantitative analysis and informative visualization. This course aims to increase students' literacy and hands-on skills on common quantitative methods in ecology and environmental sciences, including accessing and curating data, statistical inference, regression, data-based predictions (also known as machine learning), and visualizing the results. Students will be using public data sets from organismal to landscape scales, including spatial data sets from the Google Earth Engine platform. Example codes will be provided in both Python and R.

Designed to give graduate students experience in defining questions and designing field investigations. The course is based at the Archbold Biological Station in central Florida over spring break and during the following week. The class visits several ecosystems including sand pine scrub, cattle ranches, cypress swamps, and the Everglades.

Lectures cover the biotic controls on the chemistry of the environment and the chemical control of ecosystem function. Emphasis is on cycles of major elements and minor elements globally and in selected ecosystems, stressing the coupling of element cycles. A comparative approach is used to illustrate similarities and differences in element cycling among ecosystems. Analysis of both theoretical and applied issues, including global atmospheric changes and factors controlling the acidification of lakes and soils.

Graduate-level discussion of the ecology, epidemiology, genetics, and evolution of infectious disease in animal and plant systems. Weekly discussion of research papers published in the primary scientific literature. Participation in discussion and presentation of at least one paper required for course credit.

Lectures and intensive study of special topics in the field of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Content varies each semester.

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.

Group discussion on professional activities for academic ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Topics include: writing a CV, publication strategies, finding a postdoc, the tenure process, grant writing, manuscript reviews, networking, public speaking, and scientific collaboration.

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.

Group intensive study of current research in ornithology built around a research seminar series covering a wide variety of projects and topics in ornithology and related disciplines, including avian ecology, evolution, conservation, behavior, and physiology. Each weekly seminar is followed by informal discussion and networking that builds connections among the large community of Cornell students and scholars with an interest in avian biology. All students with an interest in this subject area are welcome and deep knowledge of ornithology is not expected or required. Instructor permission is not required for enrollment.

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.

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.