How did cannibalistic tadpoles evolve? Why don’t fruit bats get diabetes despite the large amount of sugar they consume? Ecological evolutionary developmental biology, or eco-evo-devo, is an emerging field that answers such questions by exploring how environmental (abiotic and biotic) factors impact the development and evolution of organisms. We will discuss topics such as adaptations to climate change, developmental origin of health and disease, developmental endocrinology and endocrine disruption. Through reading of original papers, we will examine recent advances made in eco-evo-devo and critically analyze the role of eco-evo-devo in biology – from molecules to organisms – and its implications beyond biology. Students will have the opportunity to design and conduct an independent research project with insects using molecular tools.

This course has a required co-requisite Laboratory - BISC 311L.

Units: 1.25

Max Enrollment: 12

Prerequisites: BISC 202, or BISC 216, or BISC 219/BIOC 219, or permission of the instructor.

Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences

Typical Periods Offered: Fall

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Not Offered