COURSES TAUGHT AT NDSU

Physiological Ecology (ZOO 462/662)

Course Description: Study of the physiological mechanisms underlying life-history trade-offs and constraints in an ecological and evolutionary context

Topics:

Section 1: Introduction to Physiological Ecology, Review molecular and evolutionary processes, Energetics (energy acquisition, metabolism), temperature regulation

Section 2: Circulatory systems, Respiratory systems, Endocrine systems, Sex determination, Pheromone systems

Section 3: Eco-immunology, Biological Clocks, plasticity and seasonality, Interface of physiological ecology and evolutionary physiology

Hormones and Behavior (ZOO 465/665)

Course Description: Study of the organizational and activational role endocrine systems play in regulating animal behaviors. These topics will be explored within an ecological and evolutionary framework.

Topics:

Section 1: Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology, Introduction to endocrine systems. Sexual differentiation and determination

Section 2: Endocrine regulation of sex differences in reproductive behaviors, Parental Behavior

Section 3: Hormones and Social Behavior, Homeostasis and Behavior, Biological Rhythms

Section 4: Stress, Hormones and Behavioral Syndromes

Biological Rhythms (BIOL 865)

Course Description: This course will provide a greater understanding of the nature of endogenous time keeping (“clocks”) and will investigate A) the biological mechanisms by which these ‘clocks’ interface with the environment, both biotic (e.g. social behavioral) and abiotic, to B) enable adaptive responses. This class will focus almost exclusively on vertebrates, but may include classic examples and insights gained from plants and invertebrates.