Bio 1052 Introduction to Conservation Biology
This Sci-L course is designed for non-majors. It introduces fundamental concepts of biology (such as the connections between anatomy, physiology, and behavior) and ecology (such as major trends in biodiversity, population growth & regulation, niches, trophic pyramids & webs, succession, etc.). The connections of these concepts to conservation is developed with specific examples from wetlands, fisheries, and invasive species. Labs include field trips to prairie, forest, wetland, and freshwater habitats, as well as team projects planning for the conservation of threatened species in Minnesota.

This course is offered alternate years in the Fall. It is also offered in the Spring by Dr. M. Kuchenreuther.

Molecular Biology 3121
Prerequisites for this required course for majors include Bio 1111 (Fundementals of Genetics, Evolution, and Development) or Bio 1101 ( Freshman Seminar in Biological Principles) and Bio 2101 (Cell Biology). This 5-credit course is offered annually in the Spring.

Major topics in this course include the materials & methods used in studying molecular biology; a review of the central dogma; the regulation of gene expression; and an introduction to how these processes have been supplemented & modified in eukaryotes (including pathologically). Lab work includes genetic engineering of prokaryotes; isolation & probing for specific genes in plants; and the use of PCR to amplify targeted genes (a project in which lab teams work independently to duplicate published research). Much of the emphasis in this course is on the design and interpretation of experiments in molecular biology.

Bio 4301 Plant Biology (no link yet)
Prerequisites for this course include Bio 1101 (Freshman Seminar in Biological Principles) or Bio 1111 (Fundamentals of Genetics, Evolution, and Development); Bio 2101 (Cell Biology); and Bio 2111 (Evolution of Biodiversity). Therefore, we will not cover some material that might commonly be included in a plant biology course, particularly material about photosystems, respiration, fungi, protista, and algae. It also means that we will not cover some material that you will see in other required courses of the Biology major (e.g. Ecology). The emphasis in this course will be on the anatomy, physiology, reproductive ecology, and human uses of plants.

This course is offered alternate years in the Fall.

Bio 4311 Conservation Genetics
The prerequisite for this course is Genetics (Bio 3101). A course in statistics is useful though not required: not because we will use specific methods from a statistics course, but because of the background in thinking about variation in populations from a quantitative perspective. The four-credit course is an elective for Biology majors, and includes a lab.

The main topics in this course are:
Detecting genetic variation in natural populations
Modeling the dynamics of genetic change, emphasizing small and pedigreed populations
Applying theory to real-world populations

The course emphasizes developing mathematical models step-by-step, to show how our assumptions turn into hypotheses and experiments, and on graphical techniques that represent these models, to gain an intuitive understanding beyond the algebra. I also strongly emphasize applying the theory to real-world problems in conservation. Although (from the typical biologist's perspective) there will be several weeks that seem as though we get hijacked by mathematicians, we will look at many, many actual examples in this course, particularly after we develop the mathematical models of our theory.

The first labs for this course introduce isozyme electrophoresis and enzyme activity staining. Subseqhent labs for the course will be held in a computer lab, and will include both computer modeling and data analysis.

Bio 4351 Conservation Biology (no link yet)
Prerequisites for this elective course for majors include Bio 1111 (Fundementals of Genetics, Evolution, and Development) or Bio 1101 ( Freshman Seminar in Biological Principles); Bio 2101 (Cell Biology); and Bio 2111 (Evolution of Biodiversity). Bio 3251 (Ecology) is required as a prerequisite or co-requisite. The course is offered alternate years in the Fall.

Course topics include biodiversity patterns, threats, and valuation; major issues (e.g. conservation genetics, habitat loss & fragmentation, effects of climate change, overexploitation, and species invasions. Other main topics include conservation problem solving, including the use of protected areas, ecological engineering & restoration, development policies, and planning for uncertainty.

UMM Biology Discipline Link