Research Methods in Organismal Biology

Organismal biology is the study of living systems of all scales that shape the structure, function, ecology, and evolution of individual organisms. Experiments that elucidate how organisms respond to biotic and abiotic environmental stimulus over broad time scales--from changes in behavior to adaptation--are crucial to understanding biological diversity. In this course we'll explore the concepts and analytical tools that frame experimental research in organismal biology. Through group projects and active learning exercises, students will first make hypotheses concerning how organisms respond in time, space, and behavior to changes in environment and then design experiments and instruments that produce data to evaluate these hypotheses. Topics covered will include reconstructing phylogenetic history and the evolution of organismal form and function, evaluating form-function relationships, and the correlates of spatial and temporal distribution of organisms. In addition, the development of an analytical toolbox--specifically, learning the principles of data science and statistical analysis--is a central theme of this course. BIOL3030 Comparative Vertebrate Physiology is not an enforced prerequisite but is recommended.