BIO 332 Endless Forms: Geomorphometrics
Animals exhibit a stunning array of forms. What drives and maintains this variation in form? How can we possibly study all this variation? In this course, students will learn how to assess animal form using a powerful analytical approach known as geometric morphometrics (GMM). This statistically driven approach has provided a framework to effectively capture the complex nature of animal shape. In addition, students will learn how to combine this technique with those related to phylogenetics and other statistical methods to answer important questions in biology. Finally, students will see how GMM has enabled biologists to more comprehensively detail morphological variation associated with disease, which may inform more accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.