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Herpetology 

The course will survey the biology of amphibians and reptiles from systematic to community ecology. The areas to be covered include systematics, biogeography, population and community ecology and behavior and physiology. Global diversity shall be emphasized.

Given the mounting evidence of global decline of “herptiles”, a general analysis of amphibian and reptileconservation and management shall be carried out. Laboratory work shall emphasize identification techniques and methods used for sampling reptile and amphibian populations.

 

Course Code: 
CBE 411
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Aquatic Entomology  

This course assesses the biology and taxonomy of insects and other macro invertebrates most commonly encountered in freshwater environments. The biological component emphasizes habitat, feeding, locomotion, and life history of these aquatic fauna.

Taxonomic aspects will include identification of individual taxa, mostly at family and genus level. Significance of these organisms in aquatic ecology, pollution monitoring, and natural resource management will also be covered.

Course Code: 
CBE 410
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Insect Pest and Vector Management  

The course will provide an overview of the philosophy of pest management, including the ecological and economic basis for attainment of pest status. The techniques available to pest managers will be studied, including the advantages and disadvantages of each technique.

Students will be introduced to the concept and principles of integrated pest management, involving the utilization of all effective control practices in a programme which is ecologically and economically efficient, with application to selected arthropod pests affecting crops and ornamental plants, humans and livestock.

Course Code: 
CBE 409
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Wildlife in Captivity

The course discusses Zoological gardens, in-situ-ex situ conservation interface.  Design of animal enclosures; animal collection and feeding; husbandry techniques and health care; nutrition studies; record keeping will be stressed.  Case studies will be used as illustration. 

Also to be discussed are game ranching, domestication and feed formulation.

Course Code: 
CBE 408
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Conservation in Human-Dominated Landscapes and Wildlife Monitoring

Students are introduced to the advanced concept of PAM as a network of reserves linked within the landscape and off-reserve systems and management through ecological interactions. Major drivers of wildlife endangerment and threats to terrestrial species extinction; concept of fragmentation and habitat loss and effects (faunal relaxation,

extinction debt, edge effects isolation effects, patch size effects, matrix effects) shall be introduced. Maintaining biodiversity over time and space i.e. Concept of spatial ecology. Landscape connectivity and wildlife corridors; and concept of managing matrix habitats to improve habitat connectivity shall be emphasized.

Course Code: 
CBE 407
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Insect Ecology   

This course is designed to introduce students to ecological processes with regard to insects and the role of insects in ecosystems. The course will discuss the behavioural ecology of insects, trophic interactions and population ecology.

Chemical communication will be discussed. Overall, the course will emphasize on how ecological information and concepts could be applied usefully in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

Course Code: 
CBE 406
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Medical and Veterinary Entomology    

This course offers an overview of insects and other arthropods of medical and veterinary importance and their role in the transmission of disease to humans and animals. Concepts in parasitology, entomology and molecular biology will be discussed within the context of public health. Methods of control of insect vectors will be examined.

 

Course Code: 
CBE 405
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Pollination Biology    

This course will provide students with a fundamental understanding of animal-mediated pollination. Focus will be on plant and pollinator diversity, biology and natural history as well as pollination syndromes, mutualisms and evolutionary strategies of generalists and specialists.

Foraging economics and learning behaviour, the importance of pollination to both natural and agro ecosystems will be discussed. Threats to pollinators and conservation strategies will also be covered.

Course Code: 
CBE 404
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Insect Physiology and Biochemistry 

Student will learn about the main physiological processes that regulate insect life. The course examines the physiology of the nervous system, sound production, mechanoreceptors and chemical reception in insects.  Synthesis, storage, mobilization, and transport and utilization of fuels in flight and the functioning of the flight muscles will also be studied.

The endocrine organs and hormones, pheromones, growth and metamorphosis, and reproduction are discussed.  The use of such knowledge in the control of insect pests is emphasized.

Course Code: 
CBE 403
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

Ornithology II      

The course begins with a recap of principles of bird conservation; importance of birds to man; basic ornithological techniques such as vocalization; trapping, handling and morphometrics; birds and environmental management shall be linked to monitoring and sampling birds in different ecosystems such as forest and savanna. 

Avian haematology and parasitology shall be introduced. The fieldwork component emphasizes bird ringing/banding and flagging. Modern methods in ornithological research including population and community ecology, methods of analyzing bird survey data using computer software e.g.  Introducing students to R-Statistic; DISTANCE program,

estimates and introduction to multivariate analysis in community ecology indicator species analysis (ISA), and Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) shall be emphasized (Pre-requisite CBE 201).

Course Code: 
CBE 402
No. of Credits: 
3
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Select Programme(s): 
Entomology and Wildlife

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