Field Studies in Aquatic Microbial Ecology
- Course no.: BIOL-464
- Format: Field + Laboratory
- Credit units: 1
- Requirements fulfilled: BIOL major, SAS elective, research credit, laboratory
- Prerequisites:
- Offered: Spring Semester
Course description: Microbes rule the world. Microbiome studies galore are providing new insight into the fascinating and mysterious ways the behavior, metabolic activity, and interactions of microbes intimately affect all manner of ecosystems on earth. An ecosystem is defined as a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. For the purposes of this courses we will explore the aquatic microbial ecosystems in our own backyard: the Schuylkill River and its tributaries as a study site to delve into all things microbial. However, the principles and methodologies of microbial ecology are universal and as such the skills you learn in this course are directly applicable to the fields of human medicine, dental medicine, veterinary medicine, biotechnology, and the broad field of applied public health, in addition to academic research.
Link to syllabus