Teaching
Undergraduate Courses
WFSC 302 - Natural History of the Vertebrates (Fall 2007)
Introduction to life histories of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Lecture covers vertebrate groups on a worldwide scale and emphasizes a comparative approach to the study of adaptation to the environment. Lecture topics include behavior, reproduction, feeding specializations, evolutionary history, locomotion, hibernation, migration, endangered species, zoogeography and importance to man. Laboratory emphasizes the recognition of Texas vertebrates. Course is designed for both science and non-science majors.
WFSC 315 - Herpetology (Spring 2008)
This one semester course will review the phylogenetic relationships, diversity, and biology of amphibians and reptiles. Herpetology will focus on the evolution of reptile and amphibian lineages and the evolutionary ecology (i.e., diversity of reproductive strategies, foraging modes, life histories) of the major groups. Evolutionary trends among and within the orders and families of amphibians and reptiles will be reviewed in conjunction with geological events, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and life history. Labs will introduce students to the global diversity of reptiles and amphibians, then concentrate on the herpetofauna of Texas. Labs and field trips may include exercises on ecological topics relevant to the study of amphibians and reptiles, such as a physiological ecology lab, comparative morphological studies, and techniques for monitoring reptile and amphibian populations. Lab must be taken concurrently.
Click here for photos from Herpetology class field trips.
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Graduate Courses
WFSC 610 - Evolutionary Ecology (Spring)
Evolutionary Ecology will survey the history and status of several paradigms in evolutionary ecology, such as incorporating phylogenies into comparative analyses, macroecology, and the roles of historical and local processes in determining species diversity. Class meetings are based on primary literature and organized like mini-workshops, and the goal of the course is to learn a lot about theory and practice of some of the major paradigms in evolutionary ecology.
Herpetology at Texas A&M ۰ TCWC ۰ Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences ۰ Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program ۰ Texas A&M University