All organisms live inhabit environments to which they have become adapted to, through millions of years of evolution. These organisms also have to respond to both biotic and abiotic changes within these environments. Often these changes induce some level of response in organisms. In recent times, numerous anthropogenic perturbations which have resulted in global environmental changes. These changes can modify the chemical or physical environments, or the organisms themselves. The field of environmental biology enables us to understand how organisms respond to these changes, their interactions with each other and their interaction with the environment. A wide spectrum of approaches is employed in environmental biological research ranging from molecular biology to population biology and community ecology. The environmental biology track is designed to accommodate students of various science backgrounds with rigorous training in environmental sciences/environmental biology.
The MPhil and PhD programme in Environmental Biology focuses on research related to interactions between biological systems and the environment, at the cellular, whole organism and ecosystem levels. Major areas of emphasis include environmental assessment and monitoring, biodiversity conservation, environmental microbiology, effects of pollution on living organisms, environmental health, control of vectors of human diseases, coral reef health, ecosystem services.
Website: https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/mphil-and-phd-environmental-biology