Bio 7105:

Vertebrate
Ecology

Course Description

 

 

 

Dr. Robert L. Curry

Dept. of Biology

Villanova University

Ecology of vertebrates at individual and population levels.. Natural selection and adaptation; demography; life history ecology and evolution; behavioral ecology; speciation and species interactions; biodiversity and extinction; population viability; and endangered species management. 

Laboratory exercises, field trips, and student projects complement lecture material, with emphasis on collection and analysis of field data, and on familiarity with regional organisms, habitats, and conservation problems.

In keeping with my own training and background, coverage will emphasize birds (primarily) and mammals (secondarily). Students interested in other vertebrate groups will have options to explore associated literature when completing some course assignments, and student projects involving amphibians, reptiles, or fishes are possible.