Current teaching

BIOL 305. Animal Diversity.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

The characteristics of the major groups of animals, their ancestry, history and relationship to one another. The processes of speciation, adaptive radiation and extinction responsible for diversity. Methods for constructing of phylogenies, for comparing phenotypes, and for estimating and analyzing diversity.
  • Winter
  • 2 hours lecture and 1 three-hour laboratory
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 215 or both ENVR 200 and ENVR 202

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(taught with Professors Bell and Barrett)

BIOL 311. Advanced Methods in Organismal Biology.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

Application of methods and techniques used by organismal biologists, paired with the design of sampling programs to test hypotheses using observational or experimental data, and the analysis of data. Topics include DNA barcoding/metabarcoding and experimental evolution.
  • Prerequisites: BIOL 200 or BIOL 219; BIOL 206, COMP 204, and BIOL 202 or BIOL 302.
  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken BIOL 206 prior to Fall 2020

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(taught with Professors Cristescu and Schoen)

BIOL 395. Quantitative Biology Seminar.

Credits: 1
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

Overview of concepts and current research in quantitative biology; theoretical ecology and evolution, computational biology, and physical biology.
  • Fall
  • Prerequisites: BIOL 219; or BIOL 200 plus BIOL 201 or ANAT 212 or BIOC 212; CHEM 212; COMP 202 or COMP 204 or COMP 250; MATH 222; or permission of instructor.
  • Restriction: Open to U2 and U3 students in the following programs: B.Sc. Major and Honours Biology-- Quantitative Biology option; B.Sc. Major and Honours Computer Science and Biology; BSc Major Biology and Mathematics; BSc Major Physiology and Mathematics; BSc Major Physiology and Physics; BSc Major and Honours Chemistry-- Biophysical Chemistry; and B.Sc. Major and Honours Physics--Biological Physics.

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(taught with Professor Hayer)

Previously taught

BIOL 206. Methods in Biology.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

Introduction to modern methods used in organismal biology, including ecological sampling, experimental methods and statistics. Particular emphasis is on ways of thinking about the design of sampling programs and the analyses of data to test hypotheses using observational or experimental data.
  • Fall
  • 1. 2 hours lecture, 2. 3 hours laboratory
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 111 or equivalent

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BIOL 305. Animal Diversity.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

The characteristics of the major groups of animals, their ancestry, history and relationship to one another. The processes of speciation, adaptive radiation and extinction responsible for diversity. Methods for constructing of phylogenies, for comparing phenotypes, and for estimating and analyzing diversity.
  • Winter
  • 2 hours lecture and 1 three-hour laboratory
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 215 or both ENVR 200 and ENVR 202

Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

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BIOL 308. Ecological Dynamics.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

Principles of population, community, and ecosystem dynamics: population growth and regulation, species interactions, dynamics of competitive interactions and of predator/prey systems; evolutionary dynamics.
  • Fall
  • 3 hours per week lecture, four sessions of 1.5 hour tutorial during the semester.
  • Prerequisite: BIOL 215 or both ENVR 200 and ENVR 202

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BIOL 331. Ecology/Behaviour Field Course.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
Terms offered: Summer 2026
View offerings for Summer 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

Description

Methods of sampling natural populations. Testing hypotheses in nature.
  • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215, or equivalents, or permission of the instructor.
  • Note: This course has an additional fee. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
  • The field portion of this course is given at the University’s Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilare over a two-week period in the summer term. In the summer, students prepare a report based on projects carried out during this field portion. There is an additional fee of $885.00 that covers room and board and handouts. This fee could be refundable if the department approves it.
  • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.

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BIOL 395. Quantitative Biology Seminar.

Credits: 1
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

Overview of concepts and current research in quantitative biology; theoretical ecology and evolution, computational biology, and physical biology.
  • Fall
  • Prerequisites: BIOL 219; or BIOL 200 plus BIOL 201 or ANAT 212 or BIOC 212; CHEM 212; COMP 202 or COMP 204 or COMP 250; MATH 222; or permission of instructor.
  • Restriction: Open to U2 and U3 students in the following programs: B.Sc. Major and Honours Biology-- Quantitative Biology option; B.Sc. Major and Honours Computer Science and Biology; BSc Major Biology and Mathematics; BSc Major Physiology and Mathematics; BSc Major Physiology and Physics; BSc Major and Honours Chemistry-- Biophysical Chemistry; and B.Sc. Major and Honours Physics--Biological Physics.

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BIOL 432. Limnology.

Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.

Description

A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.
  • Fall
  • 3 hours lecture
  • Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215 or permission of instructor.
  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENVB 315.
  • This course, involving two field weekends, has an additional fee of $360.39, which includes room and board and transportation. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.

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