Geomicrobiology

Microbes were the predominant form of life for most of Earth's history and continue to drive many of the elemental cycles that sustain life in our contemporary biosphere. By taking this course students will learn about the phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of microbes in the environment and their influence on global biogeochemical cycles. Students will gain hands-on experience with molecular and environmental microbiological techniques and the bioinformatics tools required to analyze and interpret the resulting data. There are 2 sections or topical areas: Phylogenetic and ecological diversity of microbes; Microbial and metabolic diversity of biogeochemical cycling. Prerequisite: BIOL 0415 or 1460 or 1480 or EEPS 1130 . Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.