BIOL 512H Honors Insect Ecology and Management
This is an advanced course in the study of insect ecology, with particular emphasis on application to the management of pest species of agricultural, medical/veterinary, and urban importance. Topics addressed include, but are not limited to: insect population dynamics and regulation, sampling techniques, insect-plant interactions, disease vector biology, theories and practices of integrated pest management (IPM) and insecticide resistance management (IRM), and insect taxonomy. Students will read and discuss primary literature articles in entomology, and will engage in active field/laboratory exercises in insect ecology and taxonomy. Intended for biology and environmental majors who have taken considerable upper-division classwork in the sciences.
First day attendance is mandatory.
Note: This honors course is open to students who have met the criteria and been granted honors biology status, a process administered by the Natural Sciences Department. All prerequisites must be completed with grade of B or above. Contact instructor or department chair for permission.
Special information
Note: This honors course is open to students who have met the criteria and been granted honors biology status, a process administered by the Natural Sciences Department. All prerequisites must be completed with grade of B or above. Contact instructor or department chair for permission.
3 Undergraduate credits
Effective May 3, 2017 to present
Learning outcomes
General
- Apply student knowledge of core theories and current research in insect ecology to problems in agriculture, human and livestock health, and households.
- Evaluate insect communities utilizing methods of population sampling that are used widely by entomologists and analyzing the resultant data.
- Apply taxonomic methods common in the field of entomology (e.g., insect systematics; dichotomous keys).
- Examine and analyze the utility of alternative pest management strategies in the context of the principles of insect ecology.
- Describe how government structures and legislation have roles in the management of insect pests of agricultural, medical/veterinary, and urban importance.
- Effectively communicate technical information within the scientific community and with the general public.