Symbiosis

Symbiosis can be defined as "the living together of differently named organisms". This upper-division science program will look at the biology, ecology, and physiology of symbiotic associations through lectures, readings, laboratory, fieldwork, and seminar topics taken from the primary scientific literature.

We will explore the defining aspects of mutualistic symbioses including plant-animal, fungus-plant, animal-animal, bacteria-plant, bacteria-animal, and protozoa-animal symbioses at the organismal, physiological, cellular, biochemical, molecular, and ecological levels. We will investigate the characteristics that define the integration between the host and symbiont of specific associations through hands-on fieldwork and experimental laboratory sessions. Laboratories will include experimental work such as determining plant host specificity of nodule-forming bacteria, examination of the contribution of zooxanthellae to animal respiration in marine invertebrates, etc.

Students will develop scientific communication and research skills including maintenance of a lab notebook, writing of lab reports, and oral presentations. Student learning will be assessed based on the quality and completeness of written work and oral presentations, and a cumulative in-class examination. 

This 8-credit program will meet during the day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Students registering for the 12-credit option will attend a 3-night field trip in late April and carry out other fieldwork activities.  

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies: 

5* - Symbiosis

3* - Symbiosis Laboratory

4* - Symbiosis Field Work (for students in the 12-credit option)