BIOL 430 - Vertebrate Biology

Credit Hours: 4
Frequency of Offering: Alternate Fall Terms

This course will be an overview of all aspects of the biology of vertebrates, both living and extinct, that is rooted in their evolution and shared ancestry. Because this course is focused on vertebrates, we will be discussing a wide range of biological disciplines around these organisms including but not limited to their ecology, behavior, biomechanics, natural history, and genetics. This means the course will be broad and multidisciplinary, but the unifying theme will always be evolution. My primary objective in this course is for students to gain an understanding of how the vertebrate biodiversity we see today originated and how this tapestry of animals can be related to each other through the lens of evolutionary theory and phylogenetic analysis.

Traditionally, vertebrate biology courses, especially the lab portions, have placed a particular focus on learning Latin nomenclature for vertebrates and groups of vertebrates. This course, however, will be more focused on the ability to make connections and understand relationships between vertebrates. The lab will be a place to put this into practice using an inquiry-based approach and by getting outside and having fun in nature. My expectations for this course and your performance in it are high, but I will be there to help you reach them. It is my hope that at the end of the semester you will have a greater appreciation for vertebrates and what they have to offer in the world of Biological research and beyond.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL 271 and BIOL 271L