Course Description
Summary
Ecologists and evolutionary biologists investigate the relationships between organisms and their environments and how these relationships shape the species we see today, but how? This class will focus on the methods used in the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology. Students will learn how to successfully design and carry out experiments in the lab and the field, how to analyze data, interpret results, and communicate their findings. Topics will provide a broad overview of common experimental methods including: breeding fruit flies as a model of evolution, common garden designs to tease apart the effects of environment and genetics, establishing mesocosms to mimic natural conditions, investigating sexual selection through insect battles, and deciphering decision making in squirrels. Additionally, students will complete an independent project using their new skills.
