When thinking about microbes what comes to mind are usually diseases and unpleasant smells from the fridge or the basement. Nevertheless, microbes and the communities they form are key contributors to our wellbeing and the functioning of the planet. This course provides an introduction to microbial ecology, with an emphasis on how microbial systems differ from their macroscopic counterparts, including defining a microbial species; sampling/experimenting with microbes; principles of microbial growth, metabolism, and death; species interactions and community assembly in different environments; microbial community functions; elements of microbial evolution.
BIOL 1010 (link is external), BIOL 1020 (link is external), BIOL 1030 (link is external), & BIOL 1040 (link is external). General Ecology EEB 2220 (link is external) and MCDB 2900 (link is external) are encouraged but not required.
1 credit for Yale College students