Course code BIO223

BIO223 Evolutionary Biology

Norsk emneinformasjon

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Showing course contents for the educational year 2019 - 2020 .

Course responsible: Simen Rød Sandve
Teachers: Jørn Henrik Sønstebø, Jon Olav Vik
ECTS credits: 10
Faculty: Faculty of Biosciences
Teaching language: NO
(NO=norsk, EN=Engelsk)
Teaching exam periods:
This course starts in Spring parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Spring parallel.
Course frequency: Annually
First time: Study year 2018-2019
Course contents:

Topics covered through lectures, group work, and exercises: 

  • Theoretical modell for how the evolutinoary forces, selection, drift, gene flow and mutation, drive genetic changes in populations and species.
  • How we can use genetic markers to study evolution of populations and species: genetic basis for local adaptations, adaptive evolution of protein coding genes, population divergence
  • Life history strategies and fitness
  • Speciation theory
  • Genome evolution: size and content
  • Evolution and developmental biology
Learning outcome:
The students should understand the theoretical basis of how the evolutionary forces shape biological variation and adaptation, and learn how we can use genetic data to study evolutionary and ecological processes. The course will give students fundamental knowledge and a basic toolbox that can be applied to the study of any type of organisms. By linking theory and practical examples and exercises, students will learn how DNA-sequence data can be analysed to understand evolutionary processes at the species level (millions of years), in natural populations, or in plant- and animal breeding populations. The course will provide the students a strong theoretical and conceptual basis for further master degree level courses within evolutionary biology, population genetics, genomics, plant- and animal breeding, and nature management and ecology.
Learning activities:
Lectures, compulsory group work, and student presentations.
Syllabus:
Futuyma, 2017. Evolution. 4th Ed. Sinauer Ass. Inc. There will also be additional curriculum made available for certain topics.
Recommended prerequisites:
Mandatory activity:
Group work resulting in an essay and an oral presentation. 
Assessment:
Written examination, 3 hours, counts 100%. Compulsory assignments/group work must be approced before examination. 
Entrance requirements:
Special requirements in Science
Type of course:
A combination of group work and lectures.
Examiner:
Examination details: One written exam: A - E / F