Course Descriptions - Summer 2008:

Plant Conservation and Diversity: Bioinformatics, Systematics, and Field Techniques(BIOL 351/851 & EVSC 486, 4cr), Zack Murrell
The extraordinary biodiversity of the Southern Appalachians will serve as a backdrop to explore the world of plants. We will visit unique regional mountain habitats to develop an appreciation for the different species assemblages in these ecologically wide-ranging sites. Issues at these sites concerning conservation of biodiversity will be explored. The methodology and management activities of state and federal agencies involved in conservation will be examined to evaluate their effectiveness. Based upon our observations and analyses, we will critique contemporary views of the most effective units of conservation (individual, population, species, family, habitat, etc.) and the methods used to achieve the goals of the conservation community.

Field Entomology (BIOL 578, 3cr), Gard Otis , Steve Marshall , and Henry Wilbur
This course is an intensive undergraduate and graduate course on the ecology and diversity of insects. Students make individual insect collections and participate in group research projects demonstrating how insects can be used to address general problems in ecology and behavior. Both local and overnight field trips are an integral part of the course.

Conservation Ecology - From Genes to Ecosystems (BIOL 460/860 & EVSC 487, 4cr), Leslie Rissler and Wendy Palen
The conservation of biodiversity requires a solid scientific foundation rooted in ecology and evolutionary biology. Conservation biology must be studied at multiple spatial and temporal scales. We will investigate the processes driving patterns of biodiversity at the gene, lineage, species, community, and ecosystem levels. We will integrate theory and methods from both ecology and genetics so that students will gain an appreciation for the diversity of new approaches and methods in modern conservation science. Lectures and debates will cover global patterns of richness and endemism, especially in amphibians and fishes, the impact of invasive species, population viability analyses, and the consequences of global climate change. Field trips will be taken to local, highly endemic regions. Students will participate in data analysis and a research project that may include GIS analyses, field or lab experiments, or literature reviews. Useful preparation includes introductory genetics, ecology, and some background in statistics. Please contact the station with questions about these preparations.

Ecology of Wildlife Diseases(BIOL 461/861 & EVSC 488, 4cr), Sonia Altizer, Dana Hawley and Amy Pedersen
This course will focus on the ecology and evolution of parasitic organisms in wild animal populations, and is designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Topics include: epidemiology and parasite diversity, population biology of micro- and macroparasites, host immune defenses and pathogen virulence, and the role of infectious diseases in wildlife conservation. Students will obtain hands-on experience with field and laboratory techniques, including capture and examination of insects, birds, amphibians, small mammals, and other wildlife near MLBS, and will gain experience with data analysis and quantitative methods for understanding disease processes at multiple scales.  Useful preparation includes calculus or linear algebra. Please contact the station with questions about these preparations.

Biology of Fungi (BIOL 354/854, 4cr), Rytas Vilgalys
An introduction to the fungi, with emphasis on field identification as well as current experimental methods used to study fungal genetics, ecology, and evolution. Laboratory exercises will use filamentous fungi to demonstrate methods for identification, culture techniques, breeding systems, genetic analysis, and interaction biology. Field trips will survey taxonomic diversity of fleshy fungi from diverse habitats in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Evolution of Social Behavior (BIOL 470/870, 4cr), Allen Moore
This course will examine the theory underlying the evolution of social behavior, including communication, parent-offspring interactions, group living, courtship, mating and breeding, and sociality. We will consider both genetic and ecological factors leading to the evolution of structured interactions, whether structured by conflict or by cooperation. Students will develop independent field projects to test some of the hypotheses raised in the lectures and discussion. Projects will focus on insect species that allow tests of the role of population density on group dynamics, ecological factors influencing parental and cooperative care, sibling conflict, and sex differences in social behavior within the timeframe of the course.

Biological Research (BIOL 597, 598, 599, 1-6cr), Staff. By special arrangement.
Independent Research for graduate students pursuing degrees at the University of Virginia or for undergraduates who have made advance arrangements for study with faculty at the station. May be taken concurrently with regular courses or in conjunction with the REU Program. REUs can not take regular courses while participating in the REU program.