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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: 514-398-8380Complementary 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:
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BIOL 427 Herpetology (3 credits)
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)
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ENTO 340 Field Entomology (3 credits)
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
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PLNT 304 Biology of Fungi (3 credits)
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
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PLNT 358 Flowering Plant Diversity (3 credits)
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.
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WILD 307 Natural History of Vertebrates (3 credits)
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.
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WILD 350 Mammalogy (3 credits)
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)
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WILD 420 Ornithology (3 credits)
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:
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ENTO 440 Insect Diversity (3 credits)
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)
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ENVB 305 Population & Community Ecology (3 credits)
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
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ENVB 315 Science of Inland Waters (3 credits)
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.
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ENVB 506 Quantitative Methods in Ecology (3 credits)
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)
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MICR 331 Microbial Ecology (3 credits)
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
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PLNT 460 Plant Ecology (3 credits)
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.
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SOIL 335 Soil Ecology and Management (3 credits)
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:
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AGRI 435 Soil and Water Quality Management (3 credits)
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; St盲mpfli, 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.
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ENVB 301 Meteorology (3 credits)
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
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ENVB 430 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits)
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)
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ENVB 437 Assessing Environmental Impact (3 credits)
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)
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MICR 450 Environmental Microbiology (3 credits)
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.
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SOIL 300 Geosystems (3 credits)
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.
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SOIL 326 Soils in a Changing Environment (3 credits)
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.
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WILD 375 Issues: Environmental Sciences (3 credits)
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
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WILD 421 Wildlife Conservation (3 credits)
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)