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BIO 593 Topics in Biological Sciences - Fish Development
The study of the early life history and ontogeny of fishes is fundamental to a wide range of research disciplines including not only ichthyology, biological oceanography, fisheries and aquaculture, but developmental biology, evolution, and ecology as well. Through lectures, and discussions of the original scientific literature, we will explore the patterns, processes and mechanisms of fish development and their behavioral and ecological correlates and consequences. This course will have three goals: 1) to explore classic approaches to fish development through a study of fundamentals of fish embryology, larval development and metamorphosis, 2) to examine the ways in which fish model systems (zebrafish, medaka, stickleback, blind cave fish, cichlids) have contributed to our modern understanding of fish development, 3) to understand the interaction between ontogeny and the behavior and ecology of fish larvae (e.g., ichthyoplankton). The course will consist of lectures and seminars/discussions of papers from the literature. Each student will be required to complete a final project. This course is an excellent follow-up and/or complement to: BIO 412X/512X Evolution and Diversity of Fishes, Bio 563 Ichthyology, AFS 486 Physiology of Fish, courses in biological oceanography, fisheries and aquaculture, etc. It has interdisciplinary appeal and should be of interest to students in both CELS (various departments) and GSO. Advanced undergraduates with appropriate background and/or interests are encouraged to take this course.
BIO 593 Topics in Biological Sciences - Sensory Biology
This course will examine the anatomy, physiology, development, evolution of the sensory systems in aquatic vertebrates - vision, olfaction, taste, hearing, vibration detection (lateral line) and electroreception. Fishes and amphibians are extensively-used model systems for the descriptive and experimental study of sensory biology and behavior; they provide fundamental insights into the physiology and functional evolution of sensory systems in all vertebrates, including humans. This course should be of interest to students interested in various aspects of organismal biology, evolution, animal behavior, comparative and developmental anatomy, functional morphology and neurobiology.The course will consist of a series of introductory lectures, student presentations and student-led discussions based on assigned readings. The original scientific literature will be the primary source of readings. Each student will write a paper on a topic of his/her choice within the broad realm of “sensory biology” (with topic approval and peer review of draft) and will present this paper in a formal symposium format at the end of the semester. Grades will be based on exams, class presentations, the term paper/symposium project, and participation in discussion.
BIO 412/512 Evolution and Diversity of Fishes (Diversity core; Marine Biology elective)
This course will explore structural, functional and behavioral adaptations in both freshwater and marine habitats in the context of the patterns of evolutionary diversification of fishes (the most speciose group of vertebrates, with 31,000+ spp.). Lab will be largely specimen-based using fish collection materials and fresh material, where appropriate. A field trip to the New England Aquarium will be included. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: 1) understand the basis for the taxonomic hierarchy, systematic placement (tree thinking), and adaptive trends among fishes, 2) discuss the ways in which various aspects of fish biology are investigated through lab and field studies,3) identify fishes belonging to prominent marine and freshwater taxa, especially those from the New England area, and 4) critically evaluate primary journal papers in the fields of fish biology/ichthyology. This course will prepare students for more advanced courses in fish biology/ichthyology. Prerequisties: BIO 101, 102 and BIO 366, or permission of instructor.
BIO 360 Marine Biology (required for Marine Biology Majors)
This course will explore the fundamentals of oceanography, the biology and diversity of marine organisms, and the patterns and processes that guide the ecological dynamics in various marine communities. This year, lectures will focus on the marine biology and ecology of the Atlantic Ocean as a model system for the study of fundamental concepts and approaches in marine biology. This approach will facilitate an integration of oceanographic and marine biological concepts into an ecological context familiar to students living on the east coast of the US. However, pertinent and unique examples will be drawn from the world's oceans as appropriate. Lecture topics will roughly follow a North to South transect through the inshore marine communities of the New England area (Stellwagen Bank, kelp beds, rocky intertidal, estuaries, including mud flats and salt marshes coral reef, deep sea and hydrothermal vent communities). A consideration of marine organismal biology will be integrated into lectures and labs as appropriate and students will be responsible for being able to identify key marine species. Lab sessions will provide students with the opportunity to learn about organismal diversity and carry out experiments using marine organisms. Other lab sessions may take the form of journal clubs in which papers from the primary literature are read and critically discussed or may provide opportunities to work with interactive WWW-based resources that expose students to marine diversity in situ, and marine research conducted underwater, including deep sea research. Students will complete writing assignments based on the original literature and lab assignments.
BIO 130 Topics in Marine Biology (=URI 101; required for Marine Biology Majors)
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