2006-08 Course Descriptions - Catalog - University of Oklahoma

The Uni ver sity of Oklahoma 2006-2008 Gen eral Cat a logZoology (ZOO)G4093 Behavioral Ecology. Prerequisite: 3083 or permission.Interrelationship of an animal’s ecology and its behavior. Optimal foragingtheory, habitat selection, predator-prey adaptations, ecological constraintson sexual selection and mating systems.4113 Cellular Pathology (Slashlisted with 5113). Prerequisite: 3113 orpermission of instructor. The course focus is on the molecular and cellularbases of disease and alterations in cellular processes that lead to thedevelopment of various pathological conditions. Topics include symptomsof cellular disease, pathology of organelles, cell injury, cell death,immunopathology, neoplasia and genetic disorders. No student may earncredit for both 4113 and 5113. (F)G4123 Vertebrate Physiology. Prerequisite: 3103 or equivalent.Physiological function of vertebrate organ systems with emphasis on theprocesses of adaptation and homeostasis. Topics covered are neurosensoryand motor functions, neuroendocrine function, digestion, metabolism andthermoregulation, respiration, circulation, excretion and osmoregulation. (F)4153 Endocrinology (Slashlisted with 5153). Prerequisite: 3103; 3113strongly recommended. The major emphasis of the course is howhormones work at the molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. Thecourse examines the molecular biology of hormonal mechanisms and theintegration of those mechanisms to maintain crucial homeostatic controlsystems. Hormones and their receptors are considered in terms ofchemistry, biosynthesis, and mechanisms of action. The course focusesprimarily on vertebrate hormones. No student may earn credit for both4153 and 5153. (Sp)G4203 Mechanisms of Development (Slashlisted with 5203). Prerequisite:3203, 3201, 3113, or permission. Advanced, laboratory-based coursewhich provides an in-depth analysis of selected topics in developmentalbiology. Hands-on laboratory exercises, molecular biology techniques, anduse of the primary literature are emphasized. No student may earn creditfor both 4203 and 5203. Laboratory (F)†G4213 Neurobehavioral Development. Prerequisite: 12 hours ofbiology including 1114 and 1121. Specific developmental issues will bediscussed from both the behavioral and biological levels of analysis. Cannotbe taken for credit if 6213 has been previously taken. (Irreg.)4223 Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (Slashlisted with 5223).Prerequisites: 3103, 3113, 3203, or 3333, or permission of instructor.Introduction to cellular and molecular neurobiology through reading anddiscussion of landmark research papers in five current areas of research.Emphasis will be on understanding modern cellular and molecular researchmethods and on critical interpretation of scientific data. No student mayearn credit for both 4223 and 5223. (Sp)G4244 Animal Histology. Prerequisite: 3103, 3113 or 3203 or permission.Structure and function of animal tissues with emphasis on the cellular basisof tissue and organ function. Laboratory emphasizes the identification ofcells and tissues with the use of the light microscope. Laboratory (Sp)G4413 Tropical Ecology. Prerequisite: 3013 or 3083 or 3403. Focuses onunique features of tropical ecosystems. Topics include: abiotic features thatgive rise to tropical forests, gap dynamics, tropical biodiversity, plant-animalinteractions, value of tropical forests, causes and consequences of tropicaldeforestation. (Irreg.)G4462 Limnology. Prerequisite: 12 hours of biological sciences, eighthours of chemistry, four hours of physics, or permission. An introduction tothe biology, chemistry, physics and geology of freshwater environments,with emphasis on ecology. (F odd-numbered years)G4472 Limnology Laboratory. Prerequisite: 4462 or concurrentenrollment, or equivalent. Experience in the use of the basic limnologicalmethods and application of these methods to a variety of freshwaterenvironments. Field trips. Laboratory (F odd-numbered years)G4493 Ichthyology. Prerequisite: eight hours of zoology. Taxonomy,morphology, ecology and distribution of fishes, with emphasis on those ofthe region. Laboratory (Sp every third year, some Su)4713 Introduction to Nematology (Crosslisted with Botany,Microbiology 4713; Slashlisted with 5713). Prerequisite: 12 hours ofbiology. Introduction to field of nematology including nematodes ofimportance to human and veterinary medicine, agriculture and theenvironment. No student may earn credit for both 4713 and 5713. (Irreg.)G4823 Physiological Basis of Animal Behavior. Prerequisite: 3103.Covers the physiological and neurobiological processes underlyingbehavioral activities such as vision, hearing, olfaction, learning,communication, and reproduction. (Irreg.)4833 Introduction to Neurobiology (Slashlisted with 5833). Prerequisite:3103 or permission of instructor. Introduction to cellular and behavioralneurobiology. Topics covered will include cellular neurobiology,neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, sensory processing, movement, andneurobiology of behavior. No student may earn credit for both 4833 and5833. (F)4843 Introduction to Molecular Biology (Crosslisted with Botany,Microbiology; Slashlisted with 5843). Prerequisite: 1114 or Microbiology3813 and 3812, or Zoology 1114 and one course in organic chemistry.Introduction to the characteristics and biological functions of nucleic acidsand proteins in living cells with emphasis on nucleic acid replication,transcription, translation and regulation; also emphasis on the molecularaspects of microbial genetics—transformation, transduction and conjugation;and emphasis on molecular immunology and genetic engineering/recombinantDNA technology. No student may earn credit for both 4843 and 5843. (F)G4853 Neurobiology of Memory (Crosslisted with Psychology 4853).Prerequisite: 3103 or Psychology 3073. Advanced seminar dealing withcurrent research on how the nervous system responds to, and is changedby, experience. Experience is broadly defined and may include learning,maturation and/or pathology.4863 Neural Control of Movement (Slashlisted with 5863). Prerequisite:eight hours of zoology including, 1114, 1121, or permission of instructor.Introduction to neural control of movement through reading anddiscussion of key original research articles from the 19th century to thepresent. Topics include localization of function, sensory vs. centralcontributions, roles of single neurons, effects of neuromodulators, andmotor learning. No student may earn credit for both 4863 and 5863. (F)4871 Current Topics in Neurobiology (Slashlisted with 5871). Prerequisite:Permission of the instructor. May be repeated; Maximum credit three hours.A seminar course designed to develop a student’s abilities to interpret andcritically evaluate research in cellular and behavioral neurobiology. Involvesboth public seminars and journal club style discussions of contemporaryliterature. No student may earn credit for both 4871 and 5871. (F, Sp)G4903 Computers and Programming in Biology. Prerequisite:twenty-four hours of biology or permission. An introduction to the use ofthe zoology department computer facilities: using statistics packages toanalyze data, text editors and formatters to write papers and reports,graphics terminal for plotting, and beginning Fortran and Basic forprogramming on the IBM 3081 and the Apple II microcomputer. (Sp)G4913 Quantitative Biology. Prerequisite: 12 hours of biological sciences;a course in statistics recommended. Examination of problems in deductiveprobability and inductive statistics. No laboratory (F)4961 Undergraduate Seminar. Prerequisite: 18 hours of zoology orpermission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit two hours.Survey of current research programs in environmental biology, cell biology,physiology, animal behavior and other fields presented in weekly publicseminars by visiting scholars and local experts in animal biology. (F, Sp)4970 Special Topics in Zoology. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: three coursesin general area to be studied; permission of instructor, department. May berepeated with change of topic; maximum credit nine hours. Seminar orspecial topic course; may include laboratory or field work. (F, Sp, Su)4983 Senior Seminar. Prerequisite: 12 hours of zoology, senior standing.An interdisciplinary approach will be used to synthesize ideas from themajor fields of zoology. Readings and discussion will focus oncontemporary social, ethical and economic issues. (F, Sp) [V]4990 Independent Study. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: three courses ingeneral area to be studied; permission of instructor and department. Maybe repeated; maximum credit six hours. Contracted independent study fortopic not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independentstudy may include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (F,Sp, Su)G5003 Zoogeography. Prerequisite: 12 hours of zoology or permission.The determinants of animal distributions over the earth. Topics includecontinental drift, dispersal, vicariance biogeography, biogeographicalprovinces, mass extinctions, island biogeography, distribution andabundance. No laboratory. (F odd-numbered years)G5093 Evolutionary Ecology. Prerequisite: 12 hours of biology, including3013, or permission. Study of ecological forces important in evolutionarychange in plants and animals. Evolution of sex, breeding systems, lifehistory, speciation, coevolution of animal/plant interactions. (Feven-numbered years)Course Descriptions 200