PLPPM 4480 - Symbioses: Evolution and Ecology

(crosslisted) BIOMI 4480

Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: two semesters of majors-level biology, or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Enrollment limited to 16 students.

T. Pawlowska.

Symbiosis, the living together of unlike organisms, encompasses a spectrum of interactions ranging from mutually beneficial to reciprocally detrimental. The course focuses on a selection of ecologically important mutualisms, including interactions of bacteria and fungi with plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. We consider the evolutionary origins, and explore conditions required for the establishment and maintenance of these interactions. Our studies are based on a series of research and review papers.