BIONB 4720 - Visual Ecology

(OPHLS-AG)

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: BIONB 2210.

B. Sandkam.

This course will explore the wide diversity in visual systems across organisms and how evolution shapes these visual systems to solve a wide range of daily challenges. Vision often plays a key role in navigation, finding food, avoiding predators, and even choosing potential mates, but there isn’t one best visual system for all these tasks in all environments. We will be examining how differences in eye structure and photoreceptors lead to differences in spatial acuity, color vision, polarized light detection, and even the speed of vision.

Outcome 1: Classify the diversity in visual systems across organisms.

Outcome 2: Explain methods and interpret data from a primary publication in this field.

Outcome 3: Formulate hypotheses about an organism’s behavior by studying their visual system.

Outcome 4: Construct an engaging scientific outreach program.