BIOL 350 - Natural History Collections

4 Credit(s)

Natural history collections are incredible repositories of long term evolutionary and ecological data. The public displays at natural history museums represent only a tiny fraction of the preserved animals, plants, bones, fossils, and numerous other specimens that comprise these collections. In this course, students will apply ecological and evolutionary theory to experimental design and execution in a CURE (course-based research experience). Students will explore the uses of both physical and digitized repositories of biocollections data in collaboration with the Delaware Museum of Natural History. Semester-long projects will incorporate digitized natural history collections and other ecological data, integrating student conceptual knowledge with application to original research questions. Fulfills one interorganismal biology elective. 6 hours integrated laboratory and lecture per week.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 161, BIOL 162, and BIOL 299.