Biology 366 - Biogeography

A study of major patterns of distribution of life and of the environmental and geological factors underlying these patterns. The role of phenomena such as sea-level fluctuations, plate tectonics, oceanic currents, biological invasions and climate change in determining past, present and future global patterns of biodiversity are considered. Fundamental differences between terrestrial and marine biogeography are highlighted. Prerequisite: a course in ecology, evolution, or organismal biology or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 20.