Animal Ecology, Developmentand Evolution (BIO 239)
Term: 2024-2025 Acad Year Fall
Description
This course is a comparative study of major innovations in form and function in animal evolution. The course will survey the major taxonomic groups of animals and course material will be organized using the Bauplan concept - basic themes of form and function: body symmetry; cellularity, body size, germ layers, and body cavities; support and movement; feeding and digestion; circulation and gas exchange; nervous system and sense organs; and development. The foundation concepts of ecology and the natural history of each taxonomic group will be covered to provide an ecological context for the evolution of animal form and function. The phylogenetic relationship among and within taxa will be covered to provide an understanding of the nature of animal biodiversity and to place the evolution of major innovations in a historical context. Lecture 3 hours, laboratory 3 hours. Prerequisite: C- or better in BIO 123.