This course will focus on the ecology, evolution, behavior, and conservation of the class, Mammalia. Students will gain insight how this unique group evolved over time and became the dominate lineage over the Tertiary period. Furthermore, we will investigate how mammals hold special social and cultural relationship with humans, and why we have such complicated relationships with mammals, from revering them in religious contexts, to keeping them in our homes, to consuming them as nutrition.
Prerequisites: ENVS 280 or BIOL 265.
Outcomes: Working knowledge and mastery of the traits, evolutionary timescale, ecology, and conservation of mammals; Students will also gain experience collecting data (on museum samples as well as observations of living samples) to learn current techniques scientists and conservationists use to advance our understanding of this group.
Prerequisites: ENVS 280 or BIOL 265.
Outcomes: Working knowledge and mastery of the traits, evolutionary timescale, ecology, and conservation of mammals; Students will also gain experience collecting data (on museum samples as well as observations of living samples) to learn current techniques scientists and conservationists use to advance our understanding of this group.