PLANT-INSECT INTERACTIONS

ENTOM 468

Concentration on structural, behavioral adaptations of insects to diverse habitats; dynamic relations between insects and plants, other animals and other insects.

ENTOM 344

Explores the vital roles that pollinators play in ecosystems and agriculture. Dives into the biology, diversity, and ecology of pollinators, examining plant-pollinator interactions, co-evolution, and pollinator foraging behaviors. Examines pollinator decline and the stressors that affect pollinators, such as climate change, land-use changes, pesticides, and pathogens, as well as conservation strategies. Offers opportunities to directly observe pollinators and apply pollinator ecology.

ENTOM 450

Covers population and community ecology, plant-insect interactions, insect biodiversity and biogeography, and applied ecology. Weaves basic ecological theory and principles with their application to entomological problems such as conservation, biological control, agriculture, and insect-vectored diseases of plants and humans. Uses current entomological and ecological scientific literature and draws on examples from a broad range of natural and managed ecosystems. Broadens from pairwise species interactions (e.g., a predator and its prey) to the entire community of organisms and their physical environment. Emphasizes the theoretical principles and historical background underlying the various topics with a link to potential applications in agriculture, conservation, pest management, and/or invasion biology.

ENTOM 490

Explores the impact of global environmental change on biodiversity and the subsequent consequences for ecosystem function and human well-being. Examines species response to these environmental changes, such as migration, adaptation, and extinction, and the implications for the delivery of ecosystem services and planetary health. Applies ecological principles to identify and evaluate practical solutions to pressing environmental challenges.

BOTANY/ENTOM/PLPATH 505

Molecular and ecological aspects of the interactions between plants and microorganisms. Explores many of the themes, from genetic to integrative, of modern biology, and illustrates how study of plant-microbe interactions contributes to understanding of fundamental plant science.