BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES MAJOR

This concentration uses genomic and other tools to address questions about how, where, when, and why species evolve; to study ecology through topics like climate change, pollination, habitat fragmentation, and more; and to use genomic, spatial, and ecological data to address habitat restoration, rare species conservation, and natural areas management.

Through this concentration, students will gain a detailed understanding of the interactions between ecology and evolution, and the impact of climate change, habitat fragmentation, invasive species and other factors on biodiversity and ecosystem health. Students will learn how to apply genetic, spatial, and ecological data to address practical issues like habitat restoration, natural areas management, and biodiversity conservation. A background in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology allows students to have a foundational understanding of the natural world and to pursue careers in a wide variety of fields, including natural resources management, health, environmental policy, academia, and more.

This concentration involves collaboration and the opportunity to pursue research with scientists from the Chicago Botanic Garden.

REQUIREMENTS 

Any three of the following courses:

• BIOL_SCI 332-0 Conservation Genetics - Understanding the effects of climate change, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, pollution and other environmental factors impact the genetics of populations and how to conserve, manage, and restore genetic diversity. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 333-0 Plant-Animal Interactions - Plant-animal interactions, and their consequences for individuals, populations, ecological communities, and ecosystems. Examination of how these interactions are responding to ongoing global factors such as anthropogenic habitat destruction and climate change. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course..
• BIOL_SCI 334-0 Soils and the Environment: The Earth's Critical Zone - Soil development and morphology; physical, chemical, hydrologic, and biological properties of soils. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 336-0 Spring Flora - Field-based course focused on the evolution, ecology and identification of native and introduced plants in the Chicago Region. The course meets at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 337-0 Biostatistics - Highly interactive course focused on analysis of ecological data and independent projects using the opensource software program R. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0 or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 339-0 Topics in Ecology & Conservation - This course will provide students with a conceptual and theoretical framework within the field of plant ecology and conservation. This seminar-style class is based on reading and discussion of historical and contemporary primary literature. It will provide the opportunity to think critically and for discussion within a structured but informal setting, and will provide students with a basic background in critically reading and writing scientific papers. Students will become more comfortable presenting and discussing papers with peers, and become more familiar with topics in plant science and conservation biology. Each student will write a critical review of a a manuscript written by a colleague, and write a review paper on a topic of the student's choosing. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 341 Population Genetics - Processes that affect allele frequency change and thus cause evolution. Prerequisites: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, and BIOL_SCI 337 or another course in statistics to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 342 Evolutionary Processes - Evolutionary mechanisms (natural selection, genetic drift), evolutionary history (speciation, phylogenetics), and adaptations (sex, cooperation, aging, life history). Prerequisites: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, and BIOL_SCI 337 or another course in statistics to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 344-0 Anatomy of Vertebrates - Vertebrate phylogeny illustrated via comparative morphology; anatomical/functional and ontogenetic considerations; dissections. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 103-0, BIOL_SCI 203-0, BIOL_SCI 341-0, or BIOL_SCI 342-0.
• BIOL_SCI 345-0 Topics in Biology: Forerunner of Mammals -  In this class we will explore the ancient roots of Mammalia, with a particular focus on the dazzling diversity of Permian and Triassic synapsids that followed Archaeothyris. Prerequisites: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 202-0, BIOL_SCI 203-0, and BIOL_SCI 234-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 346-0 Field Ecology - An intensive experience in field ecological research. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0 and BIOL_SCI 337-0 or another course in statistics to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 347-0 Conservation Biology - Evolution, ecology, and conservation of patterns of biological diversity. Prerequisites: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0 or ENVR_SCI 202-0, and BIOL_SCI 337 or another course in statistics to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 349-0 Plant Community Ecology - Processes that structure ecological communities. Students will gain an understanding of the history of community ecology as a field, and current methods used in community ecology research. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.
• BIOL_SCI 350-0 Plant Evolution & Diversity Laboratory - Introduction to the diversity and evolutionary history of land plants. Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0, or BIOL_SCI 341, or BIOL_SCI 342-0, or ENVR_SCI 202-0 to register for this course.

Concentration Checklist

Ecology, Evolution, & Conservation Biology Concentration Checklist

2024-25 Course Offerings in this Concentration*

*Course schedule considered tentative until published in Caesar