Evolutionary Processes (342-0-01)
Instructors
Joseph S Walsh
847/491-5098
Hogan Hall, Room 6-110A
Meeting Info
Technological Institute M152: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Change in the genetic composition of populations over time is the basis of evolution. Evolution occurs when mutation introduces new alleles that replace existing alleles in populations via one of two mechanisms. Replacement can occur by chance (genetic drift) or by encoding a superior phenotype (natural selection). Natural selection produces one of the major features of the living world, adaptation. We will model these processes for single-locus traits, DNA sequences, and phenotypic traits. When populations are separated from one another geographically, they inevitably take different evolutionary paths; it is in this manner that most species are formed. These latter processes-change within lineages and diversification among lineages-have been iterated over staggeringly long periods of time, producing another major feature of the living world, its breathtaking biodiversity. We will familiarize ourselves with the history and diversity of life on earth by examination of the fossil record, and by inferring relationships among species using phylogenetic methods.
Registration Requirements
Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0 or BIOL_SCI 215-0 and BIOL_SCI 202-0 or BIOL_SCI 219-0, and a course in statistics to register for this course.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the term, students will be able to explain the scope and applications of modern evolutionary biology, analyze scientific research methods that are applied to elucidate evolutionary patterns, and identify research problems that must take into account known evolutionary processes.
Teaching Method
Lecture, discussion & in-class exercises.
Evaluation Method
Grades will be based on paper quizzes, in-class activities, and cumulative final exam.
Class Materials (Required)
Carl Zimmer & Douglas Emlen. 2013. Evolution: Making Sense of Life, 1st edition. Roberts & Company, Greenwood Village, CO. ISBN: 9781936221172. Cost from $35.43 Selected readings from the primary literature available online.
Class Attributes
Prerequisites apply, see description
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL_SCI 203-0 or BIOL_SCI 215-0 and BIOL_SCI 202-0 or BIOL_SCI 219-0, and a course in statistics to register for this course.