Biological Sciences

BISC 5510. Conservation Biology. (3 Credits)

Theory and practice of conservation biology. Topics will include maintenance of species diversity, design of reserves, captive management, genetic considerations, and factors affecting extinction rates.

Attributes: ABGS, CEED, CENS.

BISC 5511. Conservation Law and Policy. (3 Credits)

This course provides an introduction to the practice of both law and policy analysis, with a focus on issues associated with the conservation of biodiversity. Part I focuses on the law, and students will learn the basics of legal research, legal reasoning, and legal analysis. Part II focuses on policy analysis, and students will learn the basics of the policy process and basis policy analysis. This course will examine a wide range of laws, policies, regulations, treaties, and institutions designed to address local, national, and global conservation problems. Topics to be covered include protection of biodiversity, regularory approaches to conservation, and international convservation law.

Attributes: CEED, CENS, HECS, URSG.

BISC 5512. Freshwater Algae Identification. (0 Credits)

This course will embark on a study of the largest, most diverse, and arguably the most important group of plants on earth: the algae. Algae form the base of aquatic food webs, and are both the cause of water quality issues and tool in ecological assessments used to protect inland waters.

BISC 5642. Animal Behavior. (3 Credits)

Introduction to animal behavior, including evolution, genetics, physiology, and ecology of behavior; sexual, mating, and reproductive behavior; habitat selection and anti-predator defenses; and feeding, social, and human behavior.

BISC 6525. Biostatistics. (3 Credits)

This course covers principles and applications of statistical methods for biologists, with an emphasis on the creation of sampling design and hypothesis testing.

BISC 6535. Ecological Methods. (4 Credits)

Methods and principles of ecological research, combining field and laboratory approaches, statisical and graphical data analysis, as well as modeling. Exercises emphasize techniques used to estimate the abundance and dispersion of organisms, describe habitat variables, estimate biomass, and production, characterize stiochiometric properties, and quantify energy fluxes. Assignments include research reports, data analysis and peer-review of research papers. All assignments emphasize benefits and limitations of specific techniques as well as interpretation of resultsin a theoretical context.

Prerequisites: BISC 7501 and BISC 7503.

BISC 6734. Cell Biology of Eukaryotes. (4 Credits)

The focus will be on major principles of cell organization as related to cell function in multicellular organisms with emphasis on animal cells. Physiological and biomedical aspects of cell structure and function will be discussed. Experimental approaches employing diverse microscopic, biomedical, and biophysical techniques will also be examined. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Prerequisite: BISC 7502.

BISC 6999. Research for M.S. in Biological Sciences. (1 to 6 Credits)

Faculty-mentored independent M.S. research.

BISC 7501. Population and Community Biology. (4 Credits)

The course focuses on the evolution and ecology of populations, including both intra- and interspecific interactions. Particular emphasis is placed on evolution, species, speciation, gene flow, adaptation, behavior ecology, life histories, population growth, community structure, species diversity, niche theory, and competition, predation, parasitism, and mutualisms within and among species. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

BISC 7502. Eukaryotic Molecular Biology. (4 Credits)

The course will explore principles of gene structure and expression in eukaryotes. It starts with the review of structure of biopolymers (DNA, RNA, proteins) and techniques employed in Molecular Biology. Further topics will include genome organization (nucleosomes, chromatic, and chromosomes), genome maintenance (replication, mutability, and repair), genome expression (transcription and translation), and genome regulation (regulatory proteins and RNAs). Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attribute: DATA.

BISC 7503. Community and Ecosystem Ecology. (4 Credits)

Focus on biotic and abiotic interactions in ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on food webs, habitat selection, succession, spatial variation in species diversity, species diversity and ecosystem functions, patterns and processes associated with ecosystem function and energy flow. Note: Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Prerequisite: BISC 7501.

BISC 7529. Principles of Geographical Information Science. (4 Credits)

This course covers basic concepts and theories of Geographical Information Science (GISc), and provides actual hands-on experience with a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software packager for computer mapping and data analysis. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attribute: DATA.

BISC 7530. Principles of Geographical Information Science II. (4 Credits)

This course will explore in depth topics of GIS for the Natural Sciences and will give students the opportunity to design and conduct an independent GIS project. Through a series of discussions, demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and the development of a GIS project, students will learn more advanced spatial techniques and their applications to the Natural Sciences. The course is intended to provide the student with a solid grounding in GISc research design and methodology by designing and conducting an independent GIS project. Class session will be conducted as seminars, with discussion regarding the use of GISc in current research, and weekly group feedback on project design and implementation issues. Projects are to be substantive and original research efforts conforming to generally acceptable professional geographical practices and techniques. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

BISC 7801. Methods in Cell and Molecular Biology. (1 Credit)

Study of methodologies employed in the field of cell molecular biology.

BISC 7804. Techniques in Molecular Biology. (4 Credits)

In this course, we will study and practice methodologies employed in the analysis of proteins, RNA and DNA, as well as other molecular techniques. This four-credit course meets for up to 600 minutes per week, which includes time for instruction as well as time for class preparation and time spent performing lab-based projects.

Prerequisite: BISC 7801.

BISC 7999. Research for Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. (1 to 6 Credits)

Faculty-mentored independent Ph.D. dissertation research. Thirty credits required for Ph.D.

BISC 8051. Project and Internship. (3 Credits)

With supervision and approval of a participating ecology faculty member, a student will develop an independent project or work in some form of on-the-job internship in conjunction with a collaborating conservation agency, such as, The American Museum of Natural History, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York Botanical Garden, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Natural Resource Council, Bronx River Alliance, Riverkeeper, US Environmental Protection Agency, or NYC Department of Environmental Protection.

BISC 8530. Seminar: Ecology/Evolution I. (1 Credit)

Discussion of current topics in ecology and evolution.

BISC 8710. Seminar in Genetics. (3 Credits)

Lectures and discussion of current genetics research and research design.

BISC 8750. Seminar in Cell Biology. (3 Credits)

Lectures and discussion of current cell biology research and research design.

BISC 8801. Biological Colloquium I. (0 Credits)

This colloquium features lectures by outside speakers on current research topics.

BISC 8999. Independent Study. (1 to 4 Credits)

Faculty-mentored independent research tutorial.

BISC 9999. Dissertation Direction. (1 Credit)

Direction of PhD dissertation research after 30 credits of BISC 7999 have been completed.