LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Distinguishing between scientific theory and hypothesis.
Explaining the development of evolutionary thought from Plato to Kimura.
Expressing evolutionary correctly.
Recognizing and critically correct evolutionary misconceptions (Lamarckism, scala naturae). Explaining and illustrate basic evolutionary mechanisms (variability, extinction, adaptation, selection).
Formulating a scientific problem based on literature, internet and database searches. Understanding the basics of phylogenetic analysis and data organization required for such analyses Interpret phylogenetic trees, branch lengths and statistical support.
Distinguishing known from unknown in the origin of life and eukaryogenesis.
Presenting the diversity and evolution of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Understanding the basics of biogeography, phylogeography, phylogenomics and phylostratigraphy.
Motivating students to collect new data for the purpose of interpreting kinship relationships and evolution
COURSE CONTENT:
The course integrates content from lectures, practical exercises, seminar papers and independent assignments.
LECTURES:
(1) Theory vs. hypothesis: Introduction to the theory of evolution
(2) Cosmic evolution, chemical evolution, geochemistry
(3, 4) History of evolutionary biology and misconceptions
(5, 6) Origin of life and evolution of prokaryotes
(7, 8) Eukaryogenesis and evolution of eukaryotes
(9, 10) Phylogenetic systematics and molecular phylogenetics
(11, 12) Biogeography and phylogeography
(13, 14) Human evolution
(15) Discussion, debate and consultation
PRACTICAL EXERCISES:
(1, 2, 3) History of evolution and misconceptions (LUCA, prokaryotes, eukaryotes)
(4, 5, 6) Interpretation of dendrograms (evidence of evolution)
(7, 8) Data organization
(9, 10, 11) Cladistic analysis
(12, 13, 14) Molecular phylogenetics
(15) Problem sets
SEMINARS:
(1, 2) Cosmic evolution, geochemistry, the origin of life (LUCA)
(3, 4) Prokaryotes: bacteria and archaea (molecular evolution)
(5, 6, 7) The origin of eukaryotes and their supergroups (classical examples of selection)
(8, 9, 10) Macroevolutionary and microevolutionary patterns and trees
(11, 12, 13) Phylogenetics: from ancient DNA fragments to phylogenomics
(14, 15) Primate evolution, including humans
LITERATURE:
Barbieri M (2003) The Organic Codes. Cambridge University Press.
Futuyma DJ (1997) Evolutionary Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc.. Hall BG (2011)
Phlogenetic Trees Made Easy, 4th Edition. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers.
Lewin R (2005) Human Evolution, An Illustrated Introduction. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Li W-H (1997) Molecular evolution. Sinauer Associates, Inc.
Skejo, J., & Franjević, D. (2020). Eukaryotes are a holophyletic group of polyphyletic origin. Frontiers in microbiology, 11, 1380.
Stearns SC & Hoekstra RF (2005) Evolution an introduction 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press.
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