Ã山ǿ¼é

Environmental Biology (Multidisciplinary) (24 credits)

Note: This is the 2011–2012 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.

Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences     Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

Program Requirements

Revision, August 2011. Start of revision. This is a flexible specialization offering a balance between organisms, their ecology, and ecosystem processes and applications. Biology and ecology of a variety of taxonomic groups and the ways the organisms interact with and affect ecosystem processes will be examined. Students are exposed to ecosystem management and issues related to environmental change. The proposed specialization is designed for students with broad and general interests in environmental biology, but who wish for a strong grounding in organismal biology and ecology and environmental sciences. Specialization Coordinator: Professor Christopher Buddle Academic Adviser: Dr. Julie Major Macdonald-Stewart Building, Room 2-082 Telephone: 514-398-8380

Complementary Courses (24 credits)

24 credits (total) are selected from various categories as follows:

Minimum of 6 credits - Organisms
Minimum of 3 credits - Ecology
Minimum of 6 credits - Ecosystem Processes and Applications

Organisms

Minimum of 6 credits from the following:

  • BIOL 427 Herpetology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)

    Overview

    Biology (Sci) : Principles of biology as exemplified by amphibians and reptiles. Topics include: adaptation, social behaviour, reproductive strategies, physiology, biomechanics, ecology, biogeography and evolution. Laboratories will emphasize structure, systematics and identification of local and world herpetofauna as well as field methods.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Green, David M (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 2 hours lecture; 3 hours laboratory

    • Prerequisite: BIOL 205 and BIOL 305 or permission of instructor.

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken BIOL 327.

  • ENTO 340 Field Entomology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Entomology : A field course and project about arthropod taxonomy, field methods and experimental design in entomology. Includes natural history observation, and experimental approaches to arthropod population and community ecology.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Wheeler, Terry A; Boucher, Stephanie (Fall)

    • Summer

  • PLNT 304 Biology of Fungi (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : This course describes the various groups of fungi and explores in depth their biology and physiology, their ecological niches and the role in various ecosystems and their benefits and uses in industry and biotechnology.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Jabaji, Suha (Winter)

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab

  • PLNT 358 Flowering Plant Diversity (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Stromvik, Martina; Eades, Tracy Lee (Fall)

    • 2 lectures, one 3-hour lab, plus a 4-day field week held the week preceding the start of classes

    • Prerequisite: PLNT 201 or AEBI 210 or ENVR 202 or permission of instructor

    • A $50 fee is charged to all students registered in this course, which has a fieldwork component prior to the beginning of classes in August. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, a hand lens, instructional handouts and identification aids. Students who have already received a hand lens may request a reimbursement of a portion of this charge through their department.

  • WILD 307 Natural History of Vertebrates (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Review of higher taxonomic groups of vertebrates and prochordates, emphasizing diagnostic characters evolution and distribution.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Frei, Barbara (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Lectures and modules

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ZOOL 307

    • This course carries an additional charge of $15 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

  • WILD 350 Mammalogy (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : This course focuses on the evolution, classification, ecology and behaviour of mammals and relations between humans and mammals. Also structure, systematics and identification of local and world mammals, as well as field methods will be emphasized.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Humphries, Murray Mitchell (Winter)

  • WILD 420 Ornithology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Taxonomic relationships and evolution of birds are outlined. Reproduction, migration and population processes of North American birds are examined.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Bird, David M (Fall)

    • Fall and Winter

    • 3 lectures and occasional field trips

    • Prerequisite: WILD 307 (formerly ZOOL 307) or permission of instructor

    • This course is scheduled for video-conferencing.

    • This course carries an additional charge of $15 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

Ecology

Minimum of 3 credits from the following:

  • ENTO 440 Insect Diversity (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Entomology : Ecology, evolution and systematics of insects and their relatives. Classification and phylogeny of selected insect families; use of diagnostic characters and taxonomic keys. Ecological interactions at an individual, population and community level with emphasis on diversity patterns in space and time.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Wheeler, Terry A; Buddle, Christopher (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Combined lecture/demonstration

    • Prerequisite: ENTO 330 or permission of instructor

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ENTO 425

  • ENVB 305 Population & Community Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Interactions between organisms and their environment; historical and current perspectives in applied and theoretical population and community ecology. Principles of population dynamics, feedback loops, and population regulation. Development and structure of communities; competition, predation and food web dynamics. Biodiversity science in theory and practice.

    Terms: Winter 2012, Summer 2012

    Instructors: Buddle, Christopher (Winter) Timms, Laura (Summer)

    • Winter

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 205

  • ENVB 315 Science of Inland Waters (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Nature and history of limnology; divisions of inland waters; properties of fresh water; habitats; zones; nutrient cycles; biota; adaptations; seasonal variation; distributions; pollution; succession and evolution of fresh water environments. Includes field excursions.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Lewis, David James (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 315.

  • ENVB 506 Quantitative Methods in Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : The process of formulating models of natural systems and confronting them with data, along with the necessary statistical computing skills. Emphasis on hands-on experience with current approaches for building, fitting, and comparing models.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Solomon, Christopher (Winter)

  • MICR 331 Microbial Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : The ecology of microorganisms, primarily bacteria and archaea, and their roles in biogeochemical cycles will be discussed. Microbial interactions with the environment, plants, animals and other microbes emphasizing the underlying genetics and physiology. Diversity, evolution (microbial phylogenetics) and the application of molecular biology in microbial ecology.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Driscoll, Brian T (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have successfully completed NRSC 331

  • PLNT 460 Plant Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Theory and practice of plant ecology with an emphasis on the interaction between patterns and ecological processes and the dynamics, conservation and management of plant populations and communities over a range of temporal and spatial scales.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: de Blois, Sylvie (Fall)

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab

    • Prerequisite: AEMA 310 or permission of instructor.

  • SOIL 335 Soil Ecology and Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Soil Science : The physical and chemical environment of soil organisms; survey of soil microflora and fauna; processes and optimal agronomic systems of management consistent with the goals of ecological agriculture.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Whalen, Joann Karen (Winter)

Ecosystem Processes and Applications

Minimum of 6 credits from the following:

  • AGRI 435 Soil and Water Quality Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Agriculture : Management of soil and water systems for sustainability. Cause of soil degradation, surface and groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals and toxic pollutants. Human health and safety concerns. Water-table management. Soil and water conservation techniques will be examined with an emphasis on methods of prediction and best management practices.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Clark, Grant; Stämpfli, Nicolas; Schwertfeger, Dina (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab

    • This course carries an additional charge of $13 to cover the cost of transportation with respect to a field trip. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.

  • ENVB 301 Meteorology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : The physical processes underlying weather. Topics include: the atmosphere - its properties (structure and motion), and thermodynamics (stability, heat and moisture); clouds and precipitation; air masses and fronts; mid-latitude weather systems and severe weather.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Strachan, Ian Brett (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 201

  • ENVB 430 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to the presentation and analysis of ecological information, including sources and capture of spatial data; characterizing, transforming, displaying spatial data; and spatial analysis to solve resource management problems.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Bennett, Elena (Fall)

    • Fall

    • Prerequisites: At least one environmental science course and one ecology course or permission of instructor

    • Restrictions: U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken GEOG 201, 306 or 307 or BREE/ABEN 430 or NRSC 430. Limited to 32 students.

  • ENVB 437 Assessing Environmental Impact (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Theories and procedures of assessing environmental impact. An examination of the environmental impact of existing programs and projects to examine their accuracy in predicting consequences and attenuating undesirable effects.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Hickey, Gordon (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 2 lectures

    • Restrictions: U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken WILD 437 or NRSC 437.

  • MICR 450 Environmental Microbiology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Microbiology (Agric&Envir Sc) : Focus on microbes in the environment. Topics include extreme environments, polar microbiology, biotechnology and bioremediation. Emphasis will be on population studies based upon molecular biological methods.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2011-2012 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2011-2012 academic year.

  • SOIL 300 Geosystems (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Soil Science : Interactions between Earth's various geologic systems and how these interactions lead to mineral and rock formation. Geomorphic processes and how various landforms are created by the interactions at the Earth's surface between the various geologic systems.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: McCourt, George (Winter)

    • Winter

    • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 200. Restricted to U2 students and above.

  • SOIL 326 Soils in a Changing Environment (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Soil Science : Soil processes responsible for soil formation will be studied and the impact of changes to the physical and chemical environment will be discussed.

    Terms: Fall 2011

    Instructors: Hendershot, William H (Fall)

    • Fall

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab

    • Prerequisite: A previous course in soil science, geography, geology or permission of instructor.

  • WILD 375 Issues: Environmental Sciences (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Principles and trends in global ecology as they pertain to agricultural and natural ecosystems and the impact of environmental change on food production.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Lewis, David James (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 lectures

  • WILD 421 Wildlife Conservation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Study of current controversial issues focusing on wildlife conservation. Topics include: animal rights, exotic species, ecotourism, urban wildlife, multi-use of national parks, harvesting of wildlife, biological controls, and endangered species.

    Terms: Winter 2012

    Instructors: Bird, David M (Winter)

    • Winter

    • 3 lectures

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 421.

Revision, August 2011. End of revision.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2011-2012 (last updated Aug. 18, 2011) (disclaimer)
Back to top